Maple News reports that Canada has held its largest Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)-only Express Entry draw to date, inviting 940 candidates to apply for permanent residency on June 9. This marks a significant leap from the previous PNP draw, which invited 500 candidates.
All candidates selected under this draw had received prior nominations through a PNP, granting them an automatic boost of 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. As a result, the minimum CRS cut-off score for this draw was 711. Without the nomination bonus, the lowest-scoring candidate would have had just 111 points. The tie-breaking rule, used to sort out candidates with equal scores, applied to profiles submitted before February 16, 2021, at 09:06:30 UTC.
This draw reflects Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) ongoing strategy to meet its enhanced immigration targets while navigating pandemic-related constraints. Since early 2021, the IRCC has limited Express Entry draws primarily to candidates already in Canada. This includes not only PNP nominees but also Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, who must have at least one year of work experience in Canada.
Despite the global health crisis, 2021 has been a record-breaking year for Canada’s immigration program. As of this latest draw, Canada has issued 75,713 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), with a significant number stemming from a massive CEC-focused draw on February 13 that saw 27,332 ITAs issued in one day. According to IRCC, about 87% of those invited on that date have submitted their permanent residence applications within the 90-day window.
PNP candidates are typically already residing or working in Canada due to the provincial nomination criteria, which often demand local work experience or education. Their CRS scores are naturally higher due to the 600-point provincial nomination boost. In contrast, CEC-specific draws often see lower cut-offs due to larger draws and a relatively smaller candidate pool.
The latest PNP-only draw underscores Canada’s commitment to leveraging both federal and provincial immigration streams to meet its ambitious immigration goals, even amid ongoing global travel restrictions. More draws, especially CEC and PNP-focused ones, are expected in the coming months as Canada aims to welcome over 400,000 new immigrants in 2021.
According to Maple News, the continued focus on in-Canada candidates supports a more seamless immigration process during the pandemic, while still aligning with the nation’s long-term demographic and economic objectives.