Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued its first round of Express Entry invitations for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates on Friday, May 31. This is the first such round since September 14, 2021. Here are the results of IRCC’s May 31 Express Entry draw.
This program-specific draw required candidates to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 522.
On May 30, 2024, IRCC held another program-specific draw, issuing 2,985 ITAs to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates with a minimum CRS score of 676.
Express Entry Overview
Express Entry is IRCC’s application management system for three economic-class immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
As of June 2023, IRCC conducts three types of Express Entry draws: general, program-specific, and category-based.
General and Program-Specific Draws
General and program-specific draws prioritize eligible candidates based on their CRS scores, which are determined by factors like age, education, and work experience. Candidates create an online IRCC profile and receive their CRS score. They must then wait for the next Express Entry draw to see if they will receive an ITA. ITAs are the only way for candidates to submit their electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR) to IRCC.
Category-Based Draws
First introduced in June 2023, category-based draws focus on candidates with specific work experience and skills to address Canada’s labour market needs. The categories include:
- Healthcare
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
- Trades
- Transport
- Agriculture and Agri-Food
- Strong French language proficiency (minimum NCLC 7 in all four language abilities)
For 2024, IRCC will continue to focus on these same categories for category-based draws.
