Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted its second Express Entry draw of the week, issuing 1,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates with strong French language proficiency. This category-based selection draw required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 388.
The draw highlights Canada’s continued focus on attracting French-speaking immigrants, a key component of its strategy to bolster Francophone populations outside Quebec. This draw follows another one held just a day earlier (March 25), in which 1,980 candidates were invited under the general Express Entry pool with a significantly higher cutoff score of 524.
The back-to-back draws demonstrate IRCC’s strategic approach under its category-based selection system, enabling the department to target skilled individuals in specific occupational sectors or with unique abilities, like language proficiency. The first category-based draw of March occurred on March 13 and focused on candidates from transportation-related occupations. It invited 945 individuals with a minimum CRS of 430.
Category-based selections were introduced in May 2023 to address labour shortages and align immigration targets with Canada’s economic goals. The six designated categories for 2024 include French language proficiency, healthcare, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) occupations, trades, transport, and agriculture/agri-food occupations.
French-speaking candidates have seen relatively lower CRS score thresholds compared to general draws, underscoring Canada’s commitment to linguistic diversity and its goal to welcome more Francophone newcomers. In earlier draws this year, the lowest CRS score required for French-speaking applicants was as low as 336 (February 29).
The back-to-back draws are consistent with IRCC’s continued momentum in the Express Entry system this year, both in general and targeted rounds. The number of total ITAs issued continues to reflect Canada’s robust demand for skilled workers across key sectors.
For candidates in the pool, staying tuned to IRCC’s regular and category-based draws—and understanding which categories align with their profiles—is vital to improving their chances of receiving an invitation.
Maple News will continue to provide timely updates on Express Entry and immigration developments as they unfold.