Know the Express Entry 2023 immigration trends in a nutshell to understand their significant contribution to Canadian immigration. In 2022, Express Entry established several patterns, and in 2023, it continued to follow most patterns. The similarities between the trends of 2022 and 2023 occurred after Express Entry resumed after a long haul of 18 months.
The draw had categories like all-program or program-specific, including PNP-specific and for Federal Skilled Workers only. Typically, draws took place once every two weeks, and sometimes they occurred even more than once. IRCC issued more than 21,000 invitations to Express Entry candidates in the four draws in March this year. This figure implies the second-highest number of ITAs issued in one month.
Express Entry 2023 immigration trends in a nutshell – category-based invitation rounds
In May 2023, IRCC launched six new categories under the Express Entry system. This happened after a change to the IRPA in June 2022, and it offers the immigration minister the authority to issue invitations to candidates with particular characteristics. This means less focus on the overall score under the Comprehensive Ranking System.
The newly launched categories enabled candidates to fulfill attributes that assist IRCC in promoting the French language outside Quebec. The idea will be to use immigration to solidify the Canadian economy and labor force. The categories include the following:
- Healthcare;
- STEM Occupations;
- Transport;
- Trades – Plumbers, Carpenters, and Contractors
- Solid French Proficiency
- Agriculture and Agri-Food
The first category-based draw occurred on June 28, and ITAs were issued to 500 candidates under the healthcare professionals. Ever since IRCC received ITAs from more than 16,000 candidates under the Express Entry category-based selection,
Express Entry Draw Types
In 2023, out of all 42 draws, most draws were all-program, and candidates under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the FSTP, and the Canadian Experience Class were taken into account. However, in 2023, IRCC didn’t issue any invitations to candidates under the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Overall, 19 Express Entry draws were all-program, 5 were only PNP, and only one was for FSWP candidates. 17 draws took place for the Express Entry category-based selection.
CRS Scores
IRCC’s latest data demonstrates that Express Entry candidates with an ITA between January and September 2023 possessed a CRS score between 451 and 500. In addition, 11,640 had CRS scores between 501 and 600. Also, 12,590 candidates had a score range between 900 and 1,200. Moreover, these candidates also possessed a PNP nomination, which will add 600 points to the overall CRS score.
Depending on the type of draw, the minimum CRS score for an all-program draw turned out to be 481 on March 29. 7,000 candidates received invitations in this draw. On December 6, the all-program candidates received ITAs with a minimum score of 561.
Among other candidates who attained ITAs in PNP-only draws, the maximum CRS score was 791. This was in the draw for 699 candidates on February 15. Additionally, the May 10 draw had a CRS score of 691 for 589 candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program.
A draw for the FSWP candidates also occurred on February 2, in which 3,300 candidates received ITAs, with the lowest CRS score of 489.
Looking at the category-based invitation rounds, the lowest CRS score for Agriculture and Agri-Food candidates was 354 on September 28. IRCC issued invitations to 600 candidates.
In 2023, the highest CRS score took place twice for category-based draws. On July 5, IRCC issued 500 invitations to STEM Occupation candidates, with the lowest score of 486.
On October 25, candidates having French-language proficiency attained ITAs in a draw with the same CRS score.
The pattern of Express Entry draws being conducted – What is their frequency rate?
Express Entry draw occurred consistently between January and June every two weeks. Also, these draws took place once a week several times. After the Express Entry category-based draws launch, it has become more challenging to understand when IRCC would send ITAs to candidates. However, since July, ministerial instructions depict that there has been a downward pattern of one week in one month. This further indicates three to four distinct Express Entry draws between Tuesday and Thursday.
The maximum draws occurred in December, as in this month, seven draws took place between December 6 and 21. Similarly, the second-highest number of draws happened between July 4 and 12, implying five draws. Additionally, five draws took place in September over two weeks, and in October, there were four draws. In one week, three draws took place.
There was a pause between October 26 and December 6. IRCC didn’t provide any reason; however, there are several probabilities for which the pause took place. This could be a change in staff members, technical fault, or IRCC trying to meet the admission targets.
Express Entry draws 2023 – a brief since June
Refer to the table below for the summary of Express Entry draws in 2023.
| Date | Program Type | ITAs Issued | Lowest CRS Score |
| June 8 | All-program | 4,800 | 486 |
| June 27 | All-program | 4,300 | 486 |
| June 28 | Healthcare occupations | 500 | 476 |
| July 4 | All-program | 700 | 511 |
| July 5 | STEM occupations | 500 | 486 |
| July 6 | Healthcare occupations | 1500 | 463 |
| July 7 | French language proficiency | 2,300 | 439 |
| July 11 | All-program | 800 | 505 |
| July 12 | French language proficiency | 3,800 | 375 |
| August 1 | All-program | 2,000 | 517 |
| August 2 | French language proficiency | 800 | 435 |
| August 3 | Trade occupations | 1,500 | 388 |
| August 15 | All-program | 4,300 | 496 |
| September 19 | All-Program | 3,200 | 531 |
| September 20 | Transport Occupations | 1,000 | 435 |
| September 26 | All-Program | 3,000 | 504 |
| September 27 | French Language Proficiency | 500 | 472 |
| September 28 | Agriculture and Agri-Food Occupations | 600 | 354 |
| October 10 | All-Program Draw | 3,725 | 500 |
| October 24 | PNP-only | 1,548 | 776 |
| October 25 | French language proficiency | 300 | 486 |
| October 26 | Healthcare occupations | 3,600 | 431 |
| December 6 | All-Program Draw | 4,750 | 561 |
| December 7 | French Category-based draw | 1,000 | 470 |
| December 8 | STEM Occupations | 5,900 | 481 |
| December 18 | All-program | 1,325 | 542 |
| December 19 | Trade occupations | 1,000 | 425 |
| December 20 | Transport Occupations | 670 | 435 |
| December 21 | Agriculture related Occupations | 400 | 386 |
Future outlook of 2024 of Express Entry immigration trends
Canada plans to bring forth 110,000 new permanent residents through Express Entry in the upcoming year, 2024. This figure comes from the latest admission targets of the new Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026.
In 2023, IRCC focused on 82,880 Express Entry admission targets. Besides this, between the January 11 and December 21 draws, IRCC issued 110,266 ITAs. This doesn’t essentially imply that these many candidates will enter Canada toward the year’s end. In addition, IRCC will process the Express Entry application within six months. The most number of invitations issued in 2023 will contribute toward admissions in 2024.
In addition, there is a probability that the immigration minister will modify the existing categories for Express Entry category-based selection draws. However, this will mostly rely on IRCC’s annual report to the Parliament. Furthermore, it will depend on the stakeholders’ feedback, including settlement services and provincial and territorial governments.
These stakeholders are most appropriate for assessing the integration of Express Entry candidates into the Canadian economy and labor force. Also, they will evaluate whether these candidates could find employment or not.
Suppose the minister believes that the existing categories are unable to meet IRCC’s mandate to issue ITAs to candidates for assisting the Canadian economy. In that case, he has the right to develop new categories.
This is what the Express Entry 2023 immigration trends in a nutshell appear to be.
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