Maple News reports that on October 13, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its third consecutive Express Entry draw targeting candidates nominated through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). In this latest round, 681 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency were issued to applicants with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 720.
These high CRS scores are primarily attributed to the 600 points automatically granted to candidates who receive a provincial nomination. Without these bonus points, eligible candidates would have required only 120 CRS points, signaling a relatively low threshold for their core human capital scores.
The October 13 draw follows a previous PNP-specific round on September 29, in which 761 candidates were invited, with a cutoff score of 742. The latest draw saw both fewer invitations and a lower CRS requirement, suggesting a smaller pool of high-scoring PNP candidates at that time.
Throughout 2021, IRCC has limited draws to PNP and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. The shift away from all-program draws—common in pre-pandemic years—has been influenced by Canada’s travel restrictions and public health priorities. These measures have affected the ability of candidates abroad to finalize their permanent resident status, prompting IRCC to focus on those already within the country or nominated by provinces.
CEC applicants are typically already residing in Canada, as eligibility requires at least one year of skilled work experience within the country. In contrast, PNP candidates may be inside or outside Canada but are selected by provinces based on regional labor market needs.
Despite the absence of all-program draws this year, which would normally include Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates, IRCC has already issued over 110,000 ITAs in 2021—a record for the Express Entry system. This surpasses the 107,350 invitations issued in all of 2020, indicating a continued strong push toward meeting Canada’s immigration targets.
A significant increase in ITAs earlier this year came on February 13, when IRCC invited every single CEC candidate in the Express Entry pool, dramatically boosting invitation numbers. Minimum CRS scores have fluctuated throughout the year depending on the draw type and the volume of candidates in the system.
PNP-only draws consistently have higher CRS cut-offs due to the 600 supplemental points that come with a nomination. This structural advantage emphasizes the strategic value of securing a provincial nomination in the competitive Express Entry system.