Maple News reports that Canada has invited 761 immigration candidates to apply for permanent residence through an Express Entry draw held on September 29. All selected candidates had previously secured a nomination through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which automatically added 600 points to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores — setting the minimum cutoff for this draw at 742 points.
This round marks a notable increase compared to the previous PNP-specific draw, where 521 candidates were invited with a minimum score requirement of 732 points. The higher cutoff in the latest draw indicates a growing pool of high-scoring candidates under the PNP category.
Express Entry is Canada’s primary system for managing permanent residence applications under three economic immigration streams: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). While PNP candidates must first be eligible for one of these federal streams, their nomination from a Canadian province significantly boosts their CRS ranking, enhancing their chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
So far in 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued over 108,000 ITAs — already surpassing the total of 107,350 issued in all of 2020. A pivotal moment came on February 13, when a record-breaking draw invited every single eligible CEC candidate in the pool, greatly increasing this year’s ITA tally.
Throughout the year, IRCC has focused solely on conducting draws for PNP and CEC candidates. This targeted approach has resulted in significant fluctuations in CRS score cutoffs. PNP draws, buoyed by the 600-point advantage, naturally require much higher scores. In contrast, CEC draws tend to have lower cutoffs, though smaller draw sizes can still push up the required scores.
The Express Entry system remains a cornerstone of Canada’s strategy to attract skilled immigrants who can contribute to economic recovery and long-term growth. With three months still remaining in the year, more draws and record-breaking ITA numbers may be on the horizon.
Maple News will continue to provide timely updates on the latest Express Entry developments and opportunities for prospective immigrants.