Maple News reports that on March 17, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 183 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system—specifically targeting candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This marked the second consecutive round dedicated exclusively to PNP candidates.
To receive an invitation in this round, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 682. While this score may appear high, it reflects the 600 additional points automatically granted to Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination. This means that those with the minimum score originally had only 82 CRS points before being nominated.
The draw followed IRCC’s tie-breaking rule, which determines the cut-off date and time for eligible profiles. In this instance, candidates who submitted their Express Entry profiles on or before March 4, 2021, at 16:56:20 UTC were considered.
Attorney David Cohen, Senior Partner at Campbell Cohen, commented on the significance of this back-to-back PNP-focused approach. “It’s rare for IRCC to hold two consecutive PNP draws,” he said, “and it signals the department’s strong commitment to helping provinces and territories meet their specific labor market needs during the ongoing pandemic.”
So far in 2021, Canada has issued a total of 38,840 ITAs—nearly triple the number issued by the same time in 2020. This surge is part of an ambitious national immigration strategy. Following a decline in immigration levels due to the pandemic in 2020, Canada has set a historic target of welcoming over 401,000 newcomers in 2021, with a significant number of spots allocated to Express Entry candidates.
A major contributor to this spike was the unprecedented February 13 draw, when IRCC invited more than 27,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. That draw was both the largest ever and had the lowest CRS requirement on record: just 75 points.
The string of targeted draws—including those for CEC and PNP candidates—demonstrates how Canada is adapting its immigration system to align closely with labor market demands and pandemic-related challenges while still advancing its long-term population and economic growth goals.