Lets go by what IRCC says. IRCC stipulates that each applicant should meet two basic criterias:
a. Meet the Minimum Eligibility Criteria (MEC); and
b. Meet the Minimum CRS.
Before eligibility, section A10.3(1)(
e) states: "[a]pplicants must meet the MEC to be accepted into the Express Entry pool and must also meet the MEC when they are issued an ITA and when they submit their e-APR." So the onus is on the applicant to prove that he meets the Minimum eligibility criteria, for the program the applicant is applying for at the time the applicant enters the pool, then again at the time when the ITA is issued and once again when the e-APR is filed.
Next comes the CRS. All applicants have to maintain the minimum CRS score. As per IRCC an applicant’s CRS score is automatically recorded in GCMS at the time when
- ITA is issued; and
- e-APR is submitted.
At the time of the e-APR, processing officers should compare both CRS scores to determine which of the following scenarios should be applied:
- If the applicant’s CRS score at the time of the e-APR is equal to or higher than the lowest-ranked score in the round of invitations, the application will not be refused under section A11.2, as long as the applicant’s supporting documentation corroborates their claims and they continue to meet the MEC for Express Entry, including the requirements of the program to which they were invited to apply.
- If the applicant’s CRS score at the time of the e-APR is lower than the lowest-ranked score in the round of invitations, the application should be refused under section A11.2 for not having maintained the qualifications that would justify the ITA.
When an applicant entered the pool, he did not meet the MEC, then he can still continue to go more activities to meet the MEC and thus increase his chances. However, one the ITA is issued, the score of the applicant is recorded in the GCMS and it is re-recorded when the e-APR is issued. Adding more qualification will give more points, but if the initial CRS was not met, then the new qualifications will not be considered.
To put is simply, all applicant have to ensure that they meet the minimum MEC and CRS. If additional work is done, more points can be awarded, but a low CRS cannot be increased post ITA.