The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted the fourth category-based Express Entry Draw this week, issuing 2,300 Invitations to Apply to candidates possessing strong French-speaking abilities. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) required by candidates is 439, which has also been recorded as the lowest CRS Score of this year.

This counts as the sixth round of consecutive invitations in just two weeks. The total number of candidates invited through these Express Entry Draws sums up to 9,800. The maximum number of invitations, however, were issued this week. The most recent round of invitations had been conducted on the 6th of July, 2023, which issued a total of 1,500 Invitations to Apply to candidates having work experience in healthcare occupations. This draw was succeeded by the first-ever Express Entry Draw, which issued a total of 500 invitations to candidates in healthcare occupations on the 27th of June, 2023.

The most recent round of invitations was conducted on the 5th of July, 2023, targeting candidates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations. Under the provisions of this draw, a total of 500 candidates were invited, with a minimum CRS Score of 486.

However, the round of invitations conducted on the 4th of July, 2023, came as an unexpected draw as it invited 700 candidates in an all-program draw. The minimum required CRS Score for these candidates was 511, which has been recorded as the highest CRS Score in an all-program Express Entry Draw.

Invitations for French-speaking candidates

This latest Express Entry Draw targets candidates with strong French Speaking abilities, making it the only category-based selection draw which does not consider work experience as a key aspect for the selection of the six new categories.

The Canadian Immigration Minister has been authorized to promote the French language beyond the province of Quebec. In its latest address, announcing a draw for French-speaking candidates, the IRCC talked about prioritizing the invitation of French-speaking newcomers. The country aims to promote an economic upswing through Francophone immigration outside of the province of Quebec while simultaneously acknowledging its contribution to enriching and strengthening communities.

Category-based Selection

On May 31st, Canadian Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser, announced the six new categories under category-based selection. These new categories, however, did not come as a surprise, as Canada’s Immigration Minister was authorized to invite economic immigration candidates on the basis of specific attributes rather than a general CRS Score. These specific attributes include language ability, educational qualifications, work experience, and the like.

These categories were finalized after deliberations and discussions with the territorial and provincial governments of Canada, as well as IRCC partners and stakeholders.

The six new categories are listed below:

The IRCC will review each of these categories in its presentation to the Parliament and might change them in the coming year of 2024.

As per the reports of the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, the country intends to admit a total of 82,880 newcomers through targeted Express Entry Draws by the end of this year. Furthermore, it is estimated that, by the end of 2025, this target shall rise as high as including 114,000 candidates. These category-based selection draws, therefore, will help Canada meet its targets while filling the gaps in the Canadian Labor Market.

What is meant by Express Entry?

The Canadian government makes use of an online system called Express Entry to manage and process applications from skilled working professionals looking to come to the country and get permanent residency.

The Express Entry Program offers a major pathway for acquiring permanent residence for immigrants wanting to begin a new life in Canada. According to statistics, this program invites a total of 250,000 immigrants into the nation, annually.

This online application process is intended exclusively for talented professionals who desire to move to Canada and become permanent citizens later.

Three distinct federal economic programmes fall under the jurisdiction of this online system, as follows:

How do I Become Eligible for Express Entry?

In order to be eligible to apply to the Express Entry Program as a skilled worker, every candidate must fulfil the following eligibility conditions stated as below:

It must be duly noted that all the points mentioned above are the minimum requirements to become eligible for Express Entry. It does not necessarily mean that candidates who meet these minimum criteria would receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) under the Express Entry Program. Candidates who achieve these minimal requirements may not automatically be given an Invitation to Apply (ITA) through the Express Entry Program. Naturally, candidates with a better and stronger profile are given more weight than those who merely satisfy the fundamental standards or general qualifications.