Canada welcomed 100,000+ new PRs in Jan and Feb 2023

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[Published 17 Apr, 2023 | 04:14 AM]
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The latest Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada data has revealed that Canada welcomed 100,000 plus fresh Permanent Resident Visa holders in the first two months of 2023. If this pace continues, by the end of this year the nation will welcome 602,580 fresh PR Visa holders.

Highlights

• The number of fresh PR Visa holders considerably increased in the first two months of 2023
• Immigration to Canada from overseas increased by nearly 40% in this period in comparison with the same period in 2022
• In 2022, IRCC approved 72, 815 fresh PR Visas for January and February
• In 2023, the numbers have hiked to 100, 430 fresh PR Visas for January and February

The number of fresh PR Visa holders will reach 602,580 by the year-end in 2023 if this pace continues. IRCC has planned an immigration target of 465,000 fresh PR Visa holders in 2023 according to the Immigration Levels Plan for 2023-2025.

Provinces with maximum immigration growth in 2023

The table here highlights the provinces in Canada that witnessed the maximum increase in immigration in the months of January and February 2023 in comparison with 2022

March was an extraordinary month for Express Entry

Express Entry achieved 4 major milestones in the month of March 2023. It includes a record for maximum ITAs offered in a sole all-program draw after the launch of the system in 205.

The prominence of Express Entry is evident under the 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan. Accordingly, Canada is poised to welcome a minimum of 82,000 fresh PR Visa holders through the system every year for the 3 years ahead.

Maximum ITAs in one month in the last 2 years, second highest ever

IRCC approved the maximum number of ITAs for one month after February 2021 in March 2023. This month IRCC conducted 4 draws and offered a total of 21,667 ITAs. This makes March 2023 the second largest month for Express Entry since it was launched 8 years earlier.

Biggest ever all-program draw/s in Express Entry

In March 2023, IRCC created history in Express Entry by conducting the largest draw in the all-program category. It bettered the record created in January 2023. On 15th March ITAs for PR Visa were offered to 7000 Express Entry candidates.

The earlier record was created on January 18 when 5,500 ITAs were approved.

IRCC proceeded in the month of March by conducting 2 more successive draws. It again offered 7,000 ITAs each in the two successive draws. With this, 21,000 ITAs were approved in 3 successive weeks.

21,000 ITAs in two weeks

As a result of the above 2 records, IRCC approved 21,000 ITAs in just 15 days as it conducted 3 draws during the period from March 15 to March 29.

The first record-setting draw was held on 15th March as IRCC offered 7000 ITAs for PR Visa to Express Entry candidates in an all-program draw. It was followed by an astonishing other all-program draw only after 8 days on 23rd March. IRCC again approved ITAs for PR Visa to Express Entry candidates.

Lastly, 6 days after this draw on 29th March IRCC again approved ITAs for PR Visa to Express Entry candidates.

Least all-program draw CRS score in 27 months

The selection of candidates for PR Visa in Express Entry is determined by their score under the CRS or Comprehensive Ranking System. The reason is that only those candidates who secure a score in CRS higher than the cut-off score for the specific draw get ITA for PR Visa in that draw.

It must be noted here that the scores for selection under CRS reached the least for an all-program draw after December 2020. On 29th March the cut-off CRS score decreased to 481 from 484 in the draw held on 23rd March. The CRS score in the March 15th draw was 490.

In 2020, the CRS cut-off for receiving an invitation to apply for Canada PR Visa in an all-program draw reached 468 on the 23rd December draw.