Maple News reports that on August 18, 2021, Canada extended invitations to 463 candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) via the Express Entry system. To be eligible in this round, candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 751. This elevated threshold is largely due to the 600-point bonus awarded to candidates who receive a provincial nomination, making higher scores typical in PNP-specific draws.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), only candidates who created their profiles before April 13, 2021 at 16:29:29 UTC and met the score threshold received invitations. Such timestamp cutoffs are a standard part of IRCC’s transparent selection method.
So far in 2021, IRCC has been largely focused on drawing candidates under two categories: the PNP and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). This concentration aligns with Canada’s pandemic-era immigration strategy, which prioritizes applicants who are already within the country. Candidates selected through the PNP have been assessed and nominated by provinces based on their potential to address regional labor shortages.
The PNP allows provinces to tailor immigration selection to local economic needs. While federal immigration programs cast a wider net, provincial nominations ensure newcomers can meet specific labor demands — a key feature in Canada’s decentralized approach to immigration planning.
With travel restrictions easing for approved permanent residents since June 21, more PNP nominees based outside Canada are now able to physically relocate and finalize their permanent residency landings.
Canada’s Express Entry program continues to demonstrate record-breaking activity. As of mid-August 2021, IRCC has issued 102,779 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), nearly doubling the number issued during the same period in 2020. This aggressive pace puts the federal government on track to meet or exceed its target of 108,500 new permanent residents through the Express Entry system by year-end.
CRS score fluctuations in 2021 reflect the exclusive nature of PNP and CEC draws. While PNP draws tend to have high cutoffs due to the nomination bonus, CEC draws — restricted to candidates with Canadian work experience — often feature lower thresholds. The absence of Federal Skilled Worker Program candidates in these draws has further contributed to downward pressure on scores in CEC-only rounds.
As the year unfolds, immigration watchers can anticipate continued momentum in Express Entry draws, especially as Canada works to meet its ambitious immigration targets amid a changing global mobility landscape.