Maple News reports that on August 4, 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a targeted Express Entry draw, issuing 512 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence. These invitations were exclusively extended to candidates who had previously received a provincial nomination under Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), a stream that rewards applicants with an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, significantly boosting their overall scores.
The CRS cut-off score for this draw was 760, a reflection of the automatic 600-point boost PNP candidates receive. Without this enhancement, the base human capital scores for invitees would be considerably lower. IRCC also applied the tie-break rule, meaning only candidates with the minimum score who submitted their Express Entry profiles before March 5, 2021, at 22:38:31 UTC received invitations.
This marks a rise in invitation numbers compared to the previous PNP-specific draw, which occurred earlier this year and invited 462 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 734. Since the start of 2021, IRCC has focused exclusively on Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and PNP candidates—streams heavily composed of applicants already residing in Canada or with a strong connection to a specific province’s labor market.
This strategy aligns with Canada’s broader immigration objectives during the pandemic. By emphasizing candidates who are already in the country or nominated by provinces, the federal government is aiming to ease integration and address immediate labor shortages. PNP and CEC candidates have consistently shown stronger initial outcomes in the labor market than those without prior Canadian experience.
Moreover, travel disruptions are becoming less of a barrier. Since June 21, 2021, Canada reopened its borders to approved permanent residents, making it more feasible for selected outland applicants to complete their landing process. Even so, those invited in today’s draw may still have several months before receiving their Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), the final step toward permanent residency.
IRCC’s 2021 Express Entry activity has far exceeded that of previous years. As of early August, the department has issued 99,316 ITAs—nearly double the volume compared to the same point in 2020. This surge supports Canada’s ambitious goal of welcoming 108,500 newcomers through the Express Entry system this year.
The fluctuating CRS cut-off scores seen throughout 2021 stem from IRCC running program-specific draws. CEC draws typically result in lower minimum scores since the candidate pool is narrower, whereas PNP draws push scores higher due to the 600-point nomination boost.
As Canada continues to build its post-pandemic recovery, the Express Entry system remains a vital tool to target skilled talent aligned with national and provincial needs.