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.

DateDraw TypeNumber of ITAsMinimum CRS
July 16Provincial Nominee Program1,391670
July 8French proficiency3,200420
July 5Healthcare occupations3,750445
July 4Trade occupations1,800436
July 2Provincial Nominee Program920739
June 19Provincial Nominee Program1,499663
May 31Canadian Experience Class3,000522
May 30Provincial Nominee Program2,985676
April 24French proficiency1,400410
April 23General2,095529
April 11STEM occupations4,500491
April 10General1,280549
March 26French language proficiency1,500388
March 25General1,980524
March 13Transport occupations975430
March 12General2,850525
February 29French language proficiency2,500336
February 28General1,470534
February 16Agriculture and agri-food occupations150437
February 14Healthcare occupations3,500422
February 13General1,490535
February 1French language proficiency7,000365
January 31General730541
January 23General1,040543
January 10General1,510546

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