Maple News reports a significant surge in immigration activity through Canada’s Express Entry system in 2023. According to the newly released Express Entry Year-End Report by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), a total of 110,266 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence were issued throughout the year — more than double the 46,539 ITAs granted in 2022. This marks a 136% year-over-year increase and highlights Canada’s growing demand for skilled immigrants.
The 110,266 ITAs were distributed across 42 Express Entry draws conducted between January 11 and December 21, 2023. In total, 488,571 candidate profiles were submitted to the Express Entry pool during this period. Of these, 343,875 profiles (67%) met eligibility criteria, while 144,696 (33%) were deemed ineligible.
Express Entry is Canada’s flagship application management system for economic immigration, covering three core programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Applicants are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assesses factors such as age, education, language proficiency, and work experience. Candidates with top scores are issued ITAs to apply for permanent residency.
In a major development during 2023, IRCC introduced category-based selection rounds starting in June. These targeted draws focus on candidates with specific work experience or language skills, aligning immigration outcomes with Canada’s labour market needs. Out of the total ITAs issued, 25,870 (23%) stemmed from category-based draws.
Among the immigration streams, the Canadian Experience Class continued to lead, receiving 40,052 ITAs. The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) followed with 26,445 ITAs, while the FSWP accounted for 17,898 ITAs. The FSTP saw the fewest invitations, with only eight issued under this stream. This distribution is influenced by IRCC’s processing hierarchy, which prioritizes the CEC over the FSTP when candidates are eligible for both.
In the category-based rounds alone, CEC candidates received 12,073 ITAs, FSWP candidates received 13,790, and FSTP candidates received just seven. These numbers reflect the IRCC’s intent to align Express Entry results more closely with in-demand occupations and strategic national priorities, such as healthcare, STEM fields, skilled trades, and French-language proficiency outside Quebec.
With the record-breaking numbers and evolving selection strategies, Canada underlines its commitment to addressing labour shortages and attracting global talent through a dynamic and responsive immigration system.