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The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)  latest express entry draw has invited 1490 applicants in the latest general draw. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was set at 535 points. It means the applicants who achieved the minimum score are selected for Canada immigration.

The Key Highlights of the draw –

• ITA - 1490
• CRS score - 535

There have been five draws in IRCC in 2024 so far. The initial draw occurred on January 10th, extending invitations to 1,510 candidates with a minimum CRS of 546 in a general pool selection. Following that, two subsequent draws were also general. On January 23rd, the department issued invitations to 1,040 candidates with a minimum CRS of 543, and on January 31st, 730 candidates with a minimum score of 541 were invited. The most substantial draw of the year up to now transpired on February 1st, inviting 7,000 candidates through a category-based selection draw aimed at Express Entry candidates proficient in French.

Which language tests are accepted for the Express Entry program?

The English language test is an understand mandatory criterion for Canadian immigration. From Jan 30, 2024 the IRCC has made the Pearson test of English Core ( PTE) an acceptable test for all immigration channels except Student Direct Stream.

This means apart from the IELTS test and CELPIP test, the applicants have the choice of undertaking the PTE  for Canada Immigration.

The minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score is different for each exam of the stream of the Express Entry managed program for which the applicant is applying for. The CLB  helps assess the applicant's language ability in four categories: reading, speaking, listening, and writing.

What is the Express Entry system?

Express Entry functions as an application management platform overseeing three distinct economic immigration pathways for skilled individuals:

• the Federal Skilled Worker Program,
• the Canadian Experience Class,
• the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

These pathways employ the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to assess applicants based on various human capital criteria such as language proficiency, work history, occupation, education, and age. Each criterion is assigned a score, which is then totalled to determine an applicant's overall CRS score.

Once an applicant receives their CRS score, they are placed into the Express Entry pool and ranked alongside other candidates. Those with the highest CRS scores stand the best chance of receiving an invitation during subsequent Express Entry draws.

In May 2023, the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) introduced category-based selection rounds to complement the existing Express Entry programs. This initiative introduced six new categories aimed at specific human capital attributes.

One such category targets candidates with proficiency in the French language, while the remaining five are occupation-based and encompass:

• Healthcare occupations
• Professions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
• Trades occupations like carpentry, plumbing, and contracting
• Transport occupations
• Agriculture and agri-food occupations

Candidates must meet the eligibility requirements for an Express Entry program and have an active application within the pool via one of the three aforementioned programs to be considered for category-based selection.