Maple News reports that Canada has matched its largest-ever Express Entry draw, inviting 4,500 immigration candidates to apply for permanent residence. This significant draw required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 471, tying with the previous draw held on September 30.
The Express Entry system is Canada’s primary platform for managing economic immigration applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class. Some applicants through Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) also participate via Express Entry.
Candidates are awarded CRS points based on factors such as age, education, skilled work experience, and language proficiency in English or French. The top-ranking candidates are then issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in periodic draws held by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Since early September, IRCC has consistently issued ITAs to 4,200 candidates every two weeks. However, this latest draw broke that trend with the highest volume since February—demonstrating Canada’s continued commitment to meet its ambitious immigration targets.
In cases where multiple candidates share the same CRS score, the tie-break rule is applied. For this draw, applicants with a CRS score of 471 or higher needed to have submitted their profile before September 1, 2020, at 12:11:23 UTC to be invited.
While all-program draws typically require a CRS score above 470, some program-specific draws have shown more flexibility. For example, the Federal Skilled Trades Program-only draw held on August 6, 2020, invited candidates with scores as low as 415, while Canadian Experience Class-focused draws have dipped into the 440s. Conversely, PNP-specific draws often demand higher CRS scores due to the automatic addition of 600 points upon nomination.
This draw highlights growing opportunities for skilled professionals seeking to build their future in Canada. With the Express Entry system continuing to issue high numbers of invitations, candidates with competitive profiles stand an excellent chance of obtaining permanent residence in the near term.