IRCC’s Third Express Entry Draw of the week invites 3,750 Candidates

It was the  Third Express Entry draw by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)  and it has issued invitations to apply (ITAs). This latest draw saw 3,750 ITAs issued in a category-based selection draw specifically targeting healthcare occupations. To be eligible, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 445.

The Key Highlights of the Draw –

•    ITA – 3750
•    CRS score – 445 

This draw follows another category-based selection on July 4, which focused on trade occupations and issued 1,800 ITAs. Additionally, earlier this week, on July 2, IRCC conducted a draw exclusively for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), inviting 920 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 739. This cumulative total of 6,470 ITAs issued within the week is the highest since April, demonstrating IRCC's commitment to addressing Canada's labor market needs through targeted immigration efforts.
 What does the recent express entry draw trend suggests?
The recent trend of program-specific draws, which began earlier this year, emphasizes IRCC’s strategic approach to managing Canada's immigration system. Since May 30, IRCC has conducted four program-specific draws, three of which focused on PNP candidates. These draws target candidates in the Express Entry pool who have applied through one of the Express Entry programs such as 

• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC), 
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), 
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

For PNP-only draws, candidates are considered only if they have received a nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream of a PNP, known as enhanced nomination.

The Transition to the program-specific draws

The shift towards program-specific draws since January this year aligns with IRCC's broader objectives. One of these objectives is to stabilize the high levels of temporary residents in Canada by offering more pathways to permanent residency (PR). This strategy particularly benefits temporary residents, such as those on work or study permits or visitor visas, by providing them with more opportunities to transition to PR status.

Temporary residents who have experience living in Canada and have applied for PR often do so through the CEC. Similarly, many PNP candidates are temporary residents or have prior experience in Canada. By focusing on these groups, IRCC can meet its annual targets for "Federal High Skilled Workers" (Express Entry) as outlined in the Immigration Levels Plan, while simultaneously reducing the number of temporary residents in Canada.

Summary of the Express Entry Draw 2024