Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited a total of 3,000 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 442 to apply for Canadian permanent residence in its third Express Entry draw of 2018, which took place on February 7.

The draw is the largest to take place since September 2017 and breaks a trend established over the previous five draws, each of which saw 2,750 ITAs issued.

This is the seventh time around that IRCC conducts a draw using the 'tie-break' procedure. In this event, multiple candidates who have the required cut-off score were ranked according to the date and time that their profiles were first submitted. Profiles that have been in the pool longer were prioritized for invitations over newer profiles. The tie-break date and time for this draw was May 29, 2017 at 07:01:15 UTC.

The latest federal Express Entry draw was not limited to any particular program; candidates in all programs managed through the Express Entry system were in a position to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

In order to enter the Express Entry pool, interested candidates need to first meet the eligibility criteria for one of the three immigration programs managed through the Express Entry system — the Federal Skilled Worker (FSWC), Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Once in the pool, candidates are allocated a CRS score based on factors including education, work experience, language ability, and other criteria. The CRS score determines candidates' ranking in the pool. With an ITA, candidates can submit an application for permanent resident status to IRCC.

Candidates with lower CRS scores can better their ranking in many different ways; visit our dedicated page to learn more about improving your profile and ranking in the Express Entry pool.

For more information on draws from the Express Entry pool that have taken place so far, consult this table.

For an expert analysis of the February 7 draw, please refer to this article on CICNews.com.

Would you like to find out your Canadian immigration options? Use our free assessment form now.

Express Entry quick facts, from January 1, 2015 to February 7, 2018

• Launch date: January 1, 2015
• First draw from the pool: January 31, 2015
• Most recent draw from the pool: February 7, 2018
• Minimum CRS points required for selection in the Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC): 199 (May 26, 2017)
• Minimum CRS points required for selection in the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC): 413 (May 31, 2017)
• Minimum CRS points required for selection in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 413 (May 31, 2017)
• Largest number of invitations to apply issued in any one draw: 3,923 (April 12, 2017)
• Fewest invitations to apply issued in any one draw: 143 (May 26, 2017. Note: This draw invited candidates with a provincial nomination only.)
• Largest decrease in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 273 (from May 22, 2015 to June 12, 2015 draws)
• Smallest decrease in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 0 (on three occasions)
• Longest gap between dates of two consecutive draws: 35 days (from April 17, 2015 to May 22, 2015 draws)
• Shortest gap between dates of two consecutive draws: 5 days (from May 26 to May 31, 2017)
• Total number of ITAs issued in 2015: 31,063
• Total number of ITAs issued in 2016: 33,782
• Total number of ITAs issued in 2017: 86,023
• Total number of ITAs issued in 2018: 8,500
• Total number of ITAs issued since system was launched: 159,368

Draws From The Express Entry Pool (Updated)

Express Entry Draws: 2018

Express Entry Draws: 2017

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Would you like to find out your Canadian immigration options? Use our free assessment form now.