Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted draws in September from the Express Entry pool, and 3,725 candidates were invited to apply for permanent residency. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores invited were 500.
In September, there were three consecutive draws. On September 26, 3,000 candidates were invited in an all-program draw with a minimum CRS of 504. The second draw was on September 27, inviting 500 candidates with a minimum CRS of 472 in a category-based draw for French-speaking proficiency.
Online Canadian Immigration Assessment FormThe final draw took place on September 28, inviting 600 candidates with a minimum CRS of 354 in the first-ever category-based draw for candidates in agriculture and agri-food occupations.
| Draw Date | Draw Type | Number of Candidates ITAs | Minimum CRS |
| Sep-28 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 600 | 354 |
| Sep-27 | French language proficiency | 500 | 472 |
| Sept. 26 | All-program | 3,000 | 504 |
Interestingly, IRCC has invited candidates from each of the six new categories eligible under category-based selection.
Express Entry Annual Report for 2022
IRCC released the 2022 Annual Report on September 26, 2023.
According to the report, IRCC held 24 Express Entry draws and issued 46,539 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in 2022. Compared to 2021, there is a 59% decrease from the 114,431 invitations.
Express EntryThe decrease is due to IRCC’s decision to pause Express Entry draws for Federal High Skilled immigration programs temporarily from September 2021 until July 2022.
Most of the Express Entry ITAs were issued to candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (19,258) and the Canadian Experience Class (18,895).
The remaining 8,386 ITAs were issued to candidates under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Also, note that no ITAs were issued under the Federal Skilled Trades Program in 2022.
Occupations related to the technological field were the most common occupations that received ITA for 2022. Mainly software engineers and designers, information systems specialists and computer systems developers and programmers were the most common occupations to receive an ITA. In addition, food service supervisors and cooks were among the top occupations for candidates invited to apply in 2022.
Most immigration candidates from the Express Entry system who received an ITA were residents of Canada. As the trend continued in 2022, the total number of candidates receiving ITA was 31,486.
Among foreign Express Entry applicants, 3787 candidates from India and 1730 from Nigeria received ITAs.
Six New Express Entry Categories
The Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has significant authority over the Immigration system of Canada. The immigration minister is responsible for selecting immigrants who can contribute to Canada’s Economic growth.
From May 2023, IRCC started focusing on six new Express Entry categories. The professions include:
- Healthcare
- STEM professions (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
- Trades
- Transport
- Agriculture and agri-food
- Strong French proficiency
IRCC partners, stakeholders, and the provincial governments were consulted to finalize the six latest Express Entry categories.
The new categories reflect existing streams under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which allows provincial governments to select economic immigration candidates who are the most likely to integrate into the local economy successfully. These candidates are typically chosen based on a specific attribute, such as language ability or work experience in an in-demand profession.
The PNP nominates candidates at a provincial level and strengthens a permanent residence application. At the same time, the new category-based selection draws invite candidates to apply directly to IRCC for permanent residence in Canada.
Express Entry System
Express Entry in Canada is a point-based immigration system that guides the three programs- the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Canadian Experience Class.
Candidates need a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on occupation, work experience, age, education, and language proficiency to qualify. Each attribute adds to the final CRS score. The candidate with the highest CRS score will receive an ITA through an Express Entry draw.
To begin with, a candidate must find out the apt Express Entry program and then upload a profile per the instructions on the IRCC website. Once qualified, the candidate must wait for an ITA through an Express Entry draw.
Finally, Candidates with ITA can directly apply for permanent residency in Canada. Usually, IRCC processes 80% of all Express Entry applications within six months of time frame.
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