Express Entry: 1,391 individuals invited to the latest PNP-only draw.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued invitations to apply (ITAs) for the most recent Express Entry draw.
In a draw limited to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the agency issued 1,391 ITAs. Candidates needed a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 670 to be considered.
This is the first draw of the week and the fifth Express Entry draw since the beginning of July. On July 8, IRCC held a category-based draw for French proficiency, inviting 3,200 candidates. On July 2, another PNP-only draw was held, this time inviting 920 candidates with a CRS score of 739.
CRS scores for PNP-only Express Entry draws are typically higher than average since Express Entry candidates who have been successfully nominated for the PNP are immediately awarded an additional 600 CRS points on top of their current score. For example, if an Express Entry candidate with a score of 300 is successfully nominated, their overall CRS will be 900.
Summary of Express Entry Draw Results in 2024.
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,391 | 670 |
| July 8 | French proficiency | 3,200 | 420 |
| July 5 | Healthcare occupations | 3,750 | 445 |
| July 4 | Trade occupations | 1,800 | 436 |
| July 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 920 | 739 |
| June 19 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,499 | 663 |
| May 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 522 |
| May 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 2,985 | 676 |
| April 24 | French proficiency | 1,400 | 410 |
| April 23 | General | 2,095 | 529 |
| April 11 | STEM occupations | 4,500 | 491 |
| April 10 | General | 1,280 | 549 |
| March 26 | French language proficiency | 1,500 | 388 |
| March 25 | General | 1,980 | 524 |
| March 13 | Transport occupations | 975 | 430 |
| March 12 | General | 2,850 | 525 |
| February 29 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 336 |
| February 28 | General | 1,470 | 534 |
| February 16 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 150 | 437 |
| February 14 | Healthcare occupations | 3,500 | 422 |
| February 13 | General | 1,490 | 535 |
| February 1 | French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
| January 31 | General | 730 | 541 |
| January 23 | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| January 10 | General | 1,510 | 546 |
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is the application management system for Canada’s three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Each program provides a pathway to permanent residency in Canada.
These programs analyze immigration candidates using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which takes into account human capital variables such as occupation, age, education, language competence, and work experience. Each factor is assigned a score, and the sum determines a candidate’s CRS score.
The technology was implemented in 2015 to help IRCC speed up the processing of successful candidates. The department has published a six-month service standard for these applications.
What is the definition of category-based selection?
Category-based selection was introduced in 2023 to allow IRCC to more specifically target Express Entry candidates who are most likely to help Canada meet urgent employment shortfalls or boost a particular demography.
To that goal, the agency established six possible categories in 2023 and declared earlier this year that they will remain in place until 2025. They are:
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) occupations
- Trades occupations
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and Agri-Food occupations
- French-language proficiency