The latest Express Entry general draw invited 1040 candidates. IRCC issued invitations to those who scored a minimum of 543 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System. This was the second Express Entry draw of 2024, held after the previous draw on January 10. The previous draw invited 1,510 candidates for all programs, and the minimum CRS score was 546.
These two draws occurred after a busy month of December in which seven Express Entry draws took place. Only two were general draws, and the other five were category-based selection draws.
The category-based selection draws considered Express Entry candidates who fulfilled all the eligibility requirements. This includes French language proficiency as well as other criteria for STEM, healthcare, Trades, Transport, Agriculture, and Agri-Food occupations.
During the entire year of 2023, IRCC conducted 42 Express Entry draws. Out of all the draws, 19 draws were for all programs. IRCC also issued invitations to candidates in 17 category-based selection draws between June and December. Lastly, the remaining five draws acknowledged only Express Entry candidates who received nominations through the Provincial Nominee Program. One draw occurred only for the Federal Skilled Worker Program candidates.
However, it is still challenging to anticipate the future of Express Entry draws this new year. Furthermore, IRCC has drifted apart from the usual draw frequency levels, and it remains uncertain to anticipate the the draw types in the near future.
Overall, the Immigration Levels Plan for the next three years depicts that IRCC will work toward admitting 110,770 new Canadian permanent residents. In addition, it must issue adequate invitations to fulfill the admission target of 117,500. Most of the ITAs will be sent in 2024 due to IRCC’s standard processing time of six months for Express Entry applications.
The latest Express Entry general draw invited 1040 candidates – 2024 draws in a nutshell
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23rd January | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| 10th January | General | 1,510 | 546 |
Express Entry Details
Express Entry came to the forefront in 2015 for faster processing times for economic immigration candidates in all three programs. These are the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the FSWP, and the Canadian Experience Class.
It ranks the candidates through the CRS scores, which are offered to them on the basis of human capital characteristics. These include language proficiency, education, occupation, age, and work experience. Candidates possessing the highest scores will significantly receive an ITA for Canadian Permanent Residence.
In May 2023, the immigration department brought the new Express Entry category-based selection draws to the limelight for those who displayed they could meet the requirements of any one of the categories. They are as follows:
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics – STEM professions
- Trades occupations – Carpenters, Plumbers, and Contractors
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
- Excellent French language proficiency
Candidates who display the above characteristics will be in the Express Entry pool under any Express Entry program. In addition, the candidates who attain a PNP nomination will also receive an additional 600 points, added to their CRS scores. This tends to guarantee them to receive an ITA in the forthcoming draw. After receiving an ITA, the Express Entry candidate will get sixty days to submit their application for permanent residence status to IRCC.
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