1,750 ITAs issued the second all-program Express Entry draw!

This was the second all-program Express Entry draw since Canada announced to resume FSWP, FSTP, and CEC applications after an 18-month gap.

On July 20, Canada invited 1,750 new Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence. The renowned Express Entry program is one of the key ways the Canadian government welcomes immigrants, and is now on track to welcome 55,900 immigrants under the Express Entry. By 2024, these numbers will skyrocket to 111,500. 

Canada has so far issued 12,615 invitations in 2022, where all but two draws were aimed exclusively at Provincial Nominee Program candidates. 

Candidates invited to the July 20 draw required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 542, which was 15 points lower than the previous all-program draw held on July 06. This was a no program-specified draw, meaning invited candidates were either from the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Canada issued 250 more Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in this draw - compared to the previous all-program draw that issued 1,500. 

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

Second all-program Express Entry draw since December

This was the second all-program Express Entry draw since Canada announced to resume FSWP, FSTP, and CEC applications. This all-program was conducted after an 18-month gap, during which Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) only invited Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. 

In an all-program Express Entry draw, CRS scores of all candidates present in the Express Entry pool are considered by the IRCC – regardless of the program(s) they are eligible for. Way back before the pandemic, a majority of the Express Entry draws were not program-specific, meaning candidates qualifying for any Express Entry program had the potential to receive an ITA. 

Between January and September 2021, IRCC only held CEC and PNP draws – about every two weeks. But, owing to the massive application backlog and exceeding processing times, IRCC was forced to put a hold on inviting CEC candidates after September 21, 2021.

Although Canada has announced to resume its all-program draws, we can expect to see further changes to the Express Entry program. The recently passed Bill C-19 is expected to come into force by early 2023. Once Bill C-19 is implemented, IRCC will be able to conduct targeted draws that invite Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residency – based on their economic goals. Potential candidates would be invited based on their academic credentials, occupation, language proficiency, and other such factors corresponding to the labor market needs in Canada at that time. 

Now is indeed the best time to apply for Canada PR. 

What is Express Entry?

Launched back in 2015, Express Entry is Canada’s key immigration intake program for economic immigrants. With quick processing and minimal requirements, the Express Entry is one of the most preferred immigration pathways preferred by aspiring immigrants seeking to study, work, invest, and settle in the Great White North. 

At present, the globally-renowned Express Entry program manages three sub-streams:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trade Program 
• Canadian Experience Class

Express Entry uses a point-based system, the CRS score calculator, to rank candidates. The highest scoring candidates are issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.