IRCC has conducted the most recent Express Entry Draw of this year. In the same draw, the Canadian govt has sent 3725 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to eligible candidates for All Programs. It means that all professionals with proven work experience are eligible to apply for Canada PR after receiving an ITA in this draw.
Express Entry Draw: October 10, 2023.
Before moving into the details of the fresh express entry draw, you should first know what an express entry draw is. Express Entry is an online procedure used by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to handle applications for permanent residency into Canada.
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada conducts draws at regular intervals where they invite candidates from the express entry pool to apply for Canada PR.
| Date | Program | Stream | No of ITAs | Required CRS Score | Tie-breaking rule |
| October 10, 2023 | Express Entry | No Program Specified | 3,725 | 500 | October 02, 2023 at 15:25:30 UTC |
If you are following Canada’s immigration policies regularly, you may have already noticed that the IRCC issued the latest Express Entry draw of the year. Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada has invited around 4000 candidates with this latest draw. It is a huge number and provides abundant career and growth opportunities to a great number of candidates. Let’s take a closer look at what this means.
No Program Draw: What It Entails
The ‘No program specified” draws are open to candidates from all Express Entry programs including Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program. You should not confuse it with the All Program Draw, because the ITAs included in these can cover a single or multiple programs from the below ones.
FSWP – Federal Skilled Worker Program
FSTP – Federal Skilled Trades Program
CEC – Canadian Experience Class
PNP – Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry streams only)
So, if you’re a highly skilled professional in any of these programs, and you have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA), then this is your chance to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
Comprehensive Ranking System Score
All the candidates, who are eligible for the latest express entry opening, need to pass the cutoff. Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada has set the CRS Sore Requirement to 500, which is lesser than the previous draw. If you have 500 or more points, then you have a greater chance of getting a Canada PR Visa.
Who is Eligible?
As discussed above, this draw is a “No Program Specified” draw. So, if you have already created a profile in the express entry pool and are eligible for any of the above programs, then it is high time for you to check if you have got an Invitation to Apply.
What is the Tie-Breaking Rule?
If multiple candidates have the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the exact date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.
Updated Pattern for Express Entry Draws 2023
IRCC organized continuous ‘no program specified’ Express Entry draws in the previous months, and it is for good that the CRS cutoff score has again dropped to 500.
It is assumed that IRCC will continue with regular Express Entry draws and we might the CRS cutoff below 500 in the coming express entry draws.
IRCC may target any occupation that they feel is highly in-demand in the Canadian job market as mentioned by National Occupational Classification. On September 8, 2023, IRCC added more occupations to the list of occupations eligible for 50 additional CRS points with a certificate of qualification.
Forecasts for the labor market and conversations with IRCC partners, stakeholders, and the provincial and territorial governments informed the selection of the 6 new categories.
- Healthcare
- Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
- Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
- Transport
- Agriculture and agri-food
- Strong French-language proficiency
As we saw in previous months, the IRCC has started organizing a draw that selects candidates for Category-Based Express Entry Draws to target occupations on specific characteristics instead of the Comprehensive Ranking System.
The IRCC and the immigration minister have complete authority over the Express Entry draws. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act has no provisions regarding the frequency of drawings, which programs will be used, the number of applicants, or the minimum CRS cut-off score. In other words, IRCC is under no responsibility.
In recent years, Canada has been increasing its immigration targets to address labor shortages and boost economic growth. As a result, the IRCC has been issuing more invitations to apply for permanent residency to meet these targets and support the country’s workforce needs.
The government’s immigration-level plans for the upcoming years also impact the Canadian immigration process, as they determine the number of immigrants that will be admitted into the country. The government’s commitment to immigration is reflected in its efforts to streamline the application process and improve settlement services for newcomers.