the CanadaVisa Team - 15 May, 2020
Canada held its second Express Entry draw in 24 hours this morning, on May 15, 2020.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) targeted Canadian Experience Class candidates in this draw. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) requirement was 447.
This is the lowest CRS cut off for this year, and in fact, it is the lowest CRS requirement for CEC candidates since January 30, 2019.
A total of 3,371 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence were issued in this Express Entry draw.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, IRCC is still on track to meet its Express Entry target of 85,800 ITAs in 2020.
So far this year a total of 38,200 ITAs have been issued. More than there were this time last year.
Since temporary travel restrictions were implemented, Express Entry draws have been targeting CED and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. Yesterday, IRCC held a PNP-specific Express Entry draw for candidates with CRS scores of at least 718.
The high CRS requirement from PNP draws comes from the automatic 600 points that are awarded to provincial nominees. This is why these types of Express Entry draws will always have a CRS cutoff over 600.
Express Entry is Canada’s application management system for economic class immigration. It is the pathway that the majority of skilled foreign workers take to immigrate to Canada each year.
Before special coronavirus measures were implemented, IRCC’s draws were for candidates of all three of Express Entry’s programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and CEC.
While the coronavirus pandemic has affected Canada’s immigration system, the federal government continues to host Express Entry draws, and is working to facilitate the processing of family reunification, temporary foreign worker, and international student applications.
