Latest Express Draw Issues 3,350 ITAs to the Canada PR Visa Applicants for Express Entry Program

Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the latest express draw on February 20 to issue the Invitation to Apply (ITA) to the candidates who have applied for Canada PR visa via the express entry program with the total number of invitations issued – 3,350 ITAs.

With this latest express draw the total number of invitation issued in this year 2019 comes to 14,500 ITAs which more than 70% of ITAs issued last year at this time in the previous year 2018 that set the record for the most number of invitations issued in a single year – 89,800 ITAs.

The latest express draw set the CRS cut-off set at 457 CRS points which is 19 points more than the previous CRS score cut-off for the last express draw that was held on January 30. The main reason for the CRS score to go this high is because of the time interval between the two consecutive express draws that was approximately three weeks. That gives a lot of time to replenish the express pool for capable and skilled immigrants.

If we compare the latest express draw with the express draw held on January 30, that sees the CRS score cut-off set at 438 points there was a time interval of only one week between the January 30th draw and the previous draw before it. It gives less time to replenish the express pool with skilled and capable immigrants.

Express entry is a point-based program that manages the profiles of the candidates who have applied under the skilled economic immigration programs – Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Skilled immigrants can apply for Canada PR visa via these Canada’s Federal High Skilled economic immigration programs.

With the use of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points are awarded to the candidates based on the factors that include like age, work experience, education and language proficiency in either English or French. With the CRS score, profiles are ranked in the express pool. Highest ranked profiles have then issued the ITA to apply for permanent residence visa to the IRCC.

IRCC used their tie-break rule in the latest draw. Timestamp used was December 6, 2018 at 12:38:11 UTC. This means the candidates who entered their express profile in the express pool before December 6, 2018 at 12:38:11 UTC with minimum CRS score of 457 CRS points have issued the ITAs in the latest express draw.

For a candidate to increase their CRS, the best way will be by getting a provincial nomination. Candidates who are able to land a provincial nomination will be awarded 600 CRS points. These many points will make sure that the candidate gets the ITA.

In the time gap between these two express draws that is around three weeks, following provincial nomination programs issued invitations to apply for provincial nomination to the express entry candidates:

• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
• Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

Reference is taken from CIC news