IRCC invites candidates in first ever category-based Express Entry draw for agriculture and agri-food occupations
October 3, 2023Canada’s Immigration Minister and Deputy Minister discuss top IRCC objectives
October 31, 2023IRCC invites 3,725 candidates in the latest all-program Express Entry draw
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued invitations to apply (ITAs) in the latest Express Entry draw.
IRCC invited 3,725 candidates in an all-program draw.
Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 500.
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This draw follows three consecutive draws in the week of September 25.
The first draw on September 26 invited 3,000 candidates with a minimum CRS of 504 in an all-program draw.
The second, on September 27, invited 500 candidates in a category-based draw for French-speaking proficiency. They needed a minimum CRS of 472.
The final draw of the week was on September 28 and invited 600 candidates with a minimum CRS of 354 in the first-ever category-based draw for candidates in agriculture and agri-food occupations.
This draw means that IRCC has now invited candidates from each of the six new categories eligible under category-based selection.
Summary of Express Entry draw results since June 2023
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 28 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 600 | 354 |
| Sept 27 | French language proficiency | 500 | 472 |
| Sept. 26 | All-program | 3,000 | 504 |
| Sept 20 | Transport occupations | 1,000 | 435 |
| Sept 19 | All-program | 3,200 | 531 |
| Aug 15 | All-program | 4,300 | 496 |
| Aug 3 | Trade occupations | 1,500 | 388 |
| Aug 2 | French language proficiency | 800 | 435 |
| Aug 1 | All-program | 2,000 | 517 |
| July 12 | French language proficiency | 3,800 | 375 |
| July 11 | All-program | 800 | 505 |
| July 7 | French language proficiency | 2,300 | 439 |
| July 6 | Healthcare occupations | 1500 | 463 |
| July 5 | STEM occupations | 500 | 486 |
| July 4 | All-program | 700 | 511 |
| June 28 | Healthcare occupations | 500 | 476 |
| June 27 | All-program | 4,300 | 486 |
| June 8 | All-program | 4,800 | 486 |
IRCC releases year-end Express Entry report for 2022
On September 26 IRCC released its annual report on Express Entry.
It was found that there were 24 Express Entry draws in 2022, through which 46,539 ITAs were issued. This is 59% fewer ITAs than in 2021 (114,431).
This is largely due to a pause in Express Entry draws for Federal High Skilled programs between September 2021 and July 2022.
Most Express Entry ITAs in 2022 were issued to candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (19,258) and the Canadian Experience Class (18,895)
The final 8,386 ITAs were issued to candidates under the Federal Skilled Worker Program. IRCC did not invite any Express Entry candidates through the Federal Skilled Trades Program in 2022.
Candidates who listed their occupations as software engineers and designers, information systems specialists and computer systems developers and programmers, were the most common occupations to receive an ITA. Food service supervisors and cooks were also a common occupation for an ITA.
More than 30,000 of the ITAs issued went to residents of Canada. Among the remaining ITAS, invitations went to candidates who were residents of either India (3,787) or Nigeria (1,730).
What is category-based selection?
The Government of Canada made changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in June 2022 to allow the immigration minister to select immigrants based on key attributes that support Canada’s economic priorities, such as specific work experience or knowledge of French.
In May 2023, IRCC announced six new Express Entry categories in line with this new authority. The categories are:
- Healthcare;
- STEM professions;
- Trades;
- Transport;
- Agriculture and agri-food; and
- Strong French abilities
These categories were chosen after consultations with IRCC partners, stakeholders, and the provincial governments.
In some ways, the new categories reflect existing streams under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) which gives provincial governments to ability to select economic immigration candidates who are the most likely to successfully integrate into the provincial economy. These candidates are typically selected based on a specific attribute such as language ability or work experience in an in-demand profession.
The PNP nominates candidates at a provincial level and strengthens a permanent residence application while the new category-based selection draws invite candidates to apply directly to IRCC for permanent residence.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is an application management system that guides the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class.
To be eligible for Express Entry, candidates require a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score based on a collection of human capital attributes such as work experience, language ability, occupation, age, and education. Each attribute is worth a specific point value. Those who score the highest are the most likely to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) in an Express Entry draw.
After a candidate has determined that they are eligible for an Express Entry managed program, the next step is to upload their profile onto the IRCC website and wait to receive an ITA.
Candidates who are issued an ITA through Express Entry may then apply for permanent residency. IRCC aims to process 80% of all Express Entry applications within six months.
Ref: CICNews