Maple News reports that Canada’s Express Entry system has reached a new milestone, with the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score dipping below 470 for the first time this year in an all-program draw. Held on November 25, this round issued 5,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence—matching the highest number of invitations sent out in a single draw to date.
To receive an invitation in this round, candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 469. In cases where multiple candidates held the same score, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) applied its standard tie-breaking rule. For this draw, candidates with a score of 469 were only invited if they submitted their Express Entry profile before October 15, 2020, at 08:50:10 UTC.
Express Entry is Canada’s flagship system for managing applications under three key federal economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class. Some Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates are also funneled through Express Entry, often gaining an additional 600 CRS points after nomination.
Applicant scores are calculated using the CRS, which evaluates human capital factors like age, education, skilled work experience, and proficiency in English or French. Higher-scoring candidates are prioritized in regular draws.
With the latest 5,000 ITAs issued, Canada has now sent a total of 97,350 invitations via Express Entry in 2020—on track for a record-breaking year. The recent surge in draw sizes aligns with the Canadian government’s ambitious immigration plan to admit over 400,000 newcomers annually starting in 2021, most of whom are expected to arrive through the Express Entry system.
While the CRS cut-offs for all-program draws had consistently remained above 470 in 2020, this latest drop to 469 indicates a potential broadening of opportunities for skilled workers. Notably, special program-specific draws earlier in the year featured even lower CRS thresholds, such as 415 for the Federal Skilled Trades Program and scores in the 440s for Canadian Experience Class-only draws.
PNP-exclusive draws, on the other hand, tend to require higher CRS scores due to the automatic 600-point boost granted to nominated candidates. These programs continue to provide a strong alternative for skilled workers who may not meet the cut-off in all-program draws.
This landmark draw reflects Canada’s ongoing commitment to economic immigration and its reliance on Express Entry as a powerful tool for identifying top global talent.