For the second Express Entry draw of the week, Invitations to Apply (ITAs) have been released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
For healthcare jobs, the department held a category-based selection draw and extended invitations to 3,500 candidates. A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 422 was required of candidates.
The general draw on February 13 resulted in 1,490 candidates receiving ITAs with a minimum CRS score of at least 535. This draw comes after that. There has only been one other category-based selection draw in 2024. On February 1st, 7,000 individuals who were very proficient in French were invited to the draw. This year's biggest draw to date was this one.
Three general drawings were held in January, attracting a total of 3,280 applicants. For these draws, the minimum CRS score varied from 546 to 541.
Summary of Express Entry draws results in 2024:
Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
Healthcare occupations | 3.500 | 422 | |
General | 1,490 | 535 | |
French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 | |
General | 730 | 541 | |
General | 1,040 | 543 | |
General | 1,510 | 546 |
What is selection based on categories?
The IRCC implemented invitation rounds with category-based selection in May 2023. Six new categories were established by the department to focus on particular aspects of human capital. Candidates who can demonstrate fluency in French are placed in one group. The following five categories are based on occupation:
Healthcare occupations
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
Transport occupations
Agriculture and agri-food occupations
To be considered for category-based selection, candidates must be eligible for an Express Entry program and have an application through one of the three programs in the pool.
These categories were selected after stakeholder consultations with immigration researchers, employers, settlement services, and provincial and territorial governments to identify the most critical gaps in Canada's labour force and to identify the most qualified candidates for open positions.
Express Entry: What Is It?
The Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program are the three economic immigration programs for skilled workers that are managed via the application management system Express Entry.
Candidates are assessed by these programs using the Comprehensive Ranking System according to their human capital attributes, which include age, education, employment history, vocation, and language proficiency. A candidate's overall CRS score is determined by adding the scores for each factor. Each factor is given a score.
A candidate is ranked against other candidates and added to the Express Entry application pool after they get a CRS score. In a future Express Entry draw, the candidates most likely to obtain an invitation are those with the highest CRS scores.
A candidate's final application for permanent residence status in Canada must be submitted to the IRCC within 60 days of receiving an ITA.