IRCC Invites 3,000 Canadian Experience Class Candidates in Latest Express Entry Draw

Just one day after the PNP draws the  Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in the latest Express Entry draw. The latest draw specifically targeted the  Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. This program-specific draw required candidates to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 522.

The Key Highlights of the Draw –

• ITA – 3000
• CRS Score - 522

Today's draw, held on May 31, 2024, is notable for several reasons. It is the first CEC-specific draw since September 14, 2021, and it also featured the lowest CRS score of the year for a non-category-based selection draw. This draw follows a program-specific draw on May 30 for Express Entry candidates with a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination thus it has become the second such draw within the same week.

Summary of the Express Entry Draws 2024

The recent draws are the first program-specific ones since the introduction of category-based selection in May 2023. These changes reflect IRCC's new commitment to conducting more "domestic draws," aimed at facilitating the transition of temporary residents to permanent residents and reducing the overall number of temporary residents in Canada. Many CEC and PNP candidates are already living and working in Canada as temporary residents, making this shift particularly significant.

Program-specific draws focus on candidates from the Express Entry pool who have applied through a particular permanent residency program. This contrasts with general draws, which invite applicants from all programs. The draw on May 30 marked the first Express Entry draw since April 24, following a month-long pause. While IRCC has not confirmed the reason for this pause, it has been revealed through an Access to Information Request that all draws this year are scheduled in advance, though the schedule has not been made public.

The frequency and size of draws are expected to be influenced by the admissions targets for 2024 and 2025 and the department's processing capacity. Before the pause, IRCC conducted four draws in April. On April 10, a general draw invited 1,280 candidates, followed by a category-based selection draw on April 11 that issued 4,500 ITAs for STEM occupations. Subsequent draws on April 23 and 24 invited 2,095 candidates in a general draw and 1,400 candidates in a French proficiency category-based selection draw, respectively.

What is expected in the upcoming draws?

• According to the recent Access to Information Request, French proficiency is anticipated to be a leading factor in category-based selection draws in 2024. This is due to the high employment rate for bilingual candidates, who generally have higher CRS scores, enhancing their chances of successful economic integration.
• STEM occupations are expected to receive the second-highest number of ITAs at 25%, followed by healthcare occupations at 15%. 
• Categories like transport, trades, and agriculture and agri-food will account for 5% or less of all ITAs in category-based draws this year.

Interestingly there are the remaining 21.5% of ITAs which  were expected to be issued in general draws with no specific mention of program-specific draws, highlighting the evolving nature of IRCC's immigration strategies.