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Canada Immigration

Top developments in Canadian immigration between 24 July- 31 July

Here is yet another review of major developments in Canadian immigration as a part of our new weekly highlight series. We aim to address the curiosity of thousands of aspiring economic-class immigrants and also help them navigate easily to obtain a permanent residency in Canada. 

Travel restrictions extended till August 31 

Ever since the World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 a pandemic, almost every country in the world has closed its borders for travel. Following the suit, Canada that imposed a travel ban since March 18 to slow down the contagion has now extended the same until August 31. 

However, Canadian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family members continue to be exempted from the travel restrictions. Those approved for permanent residency are subjected to travel on a case by case basis. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continue to accept and process the applications for permanent residence in Canada. In fact, it held regular Express Entry draws, facilitated Provincial Nominee Draws even during the travel restrictions. 

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Provincial Nominee Draws remain active

Canadian provinces like Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia issued provincial nominations under its International Skilled Workers and Business Entrepreneurs categories respectively. A successful provincial nomination may effectively guarantee a permanent residency in Canada. 

Ontario held a grand Tech draw inviting upto 1,288 candidates under its six In-demand Tech occupations. Ontario Tech draw selects eligible candidates from the federal Express Entry pool and nominates them under its Human Capital Priorities stream. While a job offer is not required to qualify, such invited candidates are required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of between 463 and 477. In addition, interested candidates must have work experience in one of the six in-demand Tech occupations of Ontario. 

Saskatchewan conducted its largest nomination draws since the imposition of travel restrictions in March. The province nominated upto 502 candidates under its Express Entry and Occupation In-demand streams. Only candidates who submit an Expression of Interest to Saskatchewan Immigration Nominee Program are considered. While a job offer is not required to qualify, selected candidates must have a minimum provincial score of 70. 

British Columbia for consecutive weeks has been conducting various draws nominating economic-class candidates under different immigration streams. The latest draw extended provincial nominations to candidates belonging to PNP-linked Express Entry, Skills Immigration and Entrepreneur streams. Even here, a candidate did not require to have a job offer at the time of applying but must have a minimum required provincial score of 80.

Take this free assessment to know your eligibility to qualify for various Canada PNP. 

 

 

Canada focuses on International students

There is every effort made by IRCC to prioritise the entry of international students into Canada. Meanwhile, it innovated with the introduction fo two-step study permit process. The first step involves students to obtain pre-approval for a study permit which would allow them to start taking online courses even while outside Canada. Once the travel restrictions are lifted, students can apply for a full study permit. Additionally, the time spent on online classes will be considered towards Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) for existing students. A PGWP goes a long way in obtaining Canadian Work Experience, eventually a permanent residency in Canada. 

Family Class Immigration scenario is also improving with Spousal Open Work Permit Pilot program becoming permanent. Now spouse or partner of a permanent resident of Canada can work without the earlier restriction of 12 months and wait till their permanent residency application is approved.

CanApprove is a pioneer in Immigration and Education abroad services since 1998. Talk to our consultants to chart out a plan for immigration based on your profile and preference.  

Ontario Tech Draw

Latest PNP draw from Ontario invites 1,288 Techies

First-half 2020 ended on a positive note for Canada immigration as Ontario held its third Tech Draw this year. 

July 29 draw remains to be the largest draw of 2020 under the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP). Upto 1,288 candidates under six different Tech occupations were issued invitations to apply (ITAs) for provincial nominations. 

As the Expression of Interest (EOI) for 1,288 candidates converted into the Notification of Interest (NOI) from Ontario, they are now left with 45 calendar days to complete the formalities for the provincial nominations. Canada permanent residency is now almost certain fr such candidates.  

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Ontario Tech draw is covered under the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream. Candidates are required to be assessed and scored on a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The highest-scoring candidates above the qualifying cut-off scores are issued ITAs for provincial nominations. 

July 29 OINP draw set the qualifying cut-off score between 463 and 477 CRS points. 

Qualify for Ontario Tech Draw

Ontario Tech Draw selects desirable candidates who are registered under the federal Express Entry pool for provincial nominations. 

Canada Express Entry has become the most popular and preferred pathway for permanent residency in Canada. It manages three federal economic-class immigration programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). 

Only the candidates qualifying for the FSWP and CEC are recognised by Ontario’s Human Capital Priority stream for nominations. Ontario Tech Draws which falls under it followed the suit. Interested candidates need not have a job offer while applying but must have work experience in one of the following Tech-based occupations: 

In-demand occupations – Ontario Tech Draws
NOC 0213 Computer and information systems managers
NOC 2147  Computer engineers
NOC 2172 Database analysts and data administrators
NOC 2173 Software engineers and designers
NOC 2174 Computer programmer and interactive media developers
NOC 2175 Web designers and developers

Each profile that is registered in the Express Entry pool is assessed and ranked against each other according to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). It is based on candidates’ age, work experience, education qualifications and proficiency in English or French. Additionally, the adaptability skills of a spouse or a job offer in Canada can fetch additional points. 

Talk to our immigration consultants to improve your CRS score or know more about other immigration streams under Canada federal & provincial programs. 

Saskatchewan PNP

Saskatchewan PNP is back with 502 provincial nominations

July 29 was the largest nomination draw held by Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) since the travel restrictions to slow the spread of pandemic imposed in March. 

Saskatchewan brought cheers to 502 eligible candidates issuing them with a provincial nomination under its Express Entry & Occupation In-Demand. Such candidates can now easily obtain permanent residence in Canada. 

The Expression Of Interest (EOI) followed by the SINP assesses and scores the interested candidates out of 100 points on five factors. These factors tests skills in work experience, educational qualifications, language proficiency, age as well as connection with the province in terms of work experience, study experience in any Saskatchewan institutions or familial ties in the province. 

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As a result, candidates with scores above the qualifying cut-off score decided in each PNP draw are then issued an invitation to apply (ITA) for a provincial nomination from Saskatchewan. 

July 29 draw had a minimum required score of 70 points for both the sub-categories under the province’s International Skilled Worker category. The subcategory-wise breakup are as follows:

  • Express Entry sub-category: 254 nominations
  • Occupation In-Demand sub-category: 248 nominations

Take this free assessment to know your eligibility for qualify for various Canada PNPs. 

Qualify under SINP International Skilled Worker Category

SINP International Skilled Worker category is popular among foreign immigrants looking to obtain permanent residency in Canada. It includes Express Entry and Occupation In-demand sub-categories. 

The latest invitation round issued 254 ITAs to candidates who had already registered their profiles in the federal Express Entry pool. 

 

The federal Express Entry system is the most popular pathway for Canada PR and administers three economic-class immigration programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). In addition to it, interested candidates can fill-in EOIs for various provinces for provincial nominations, in this case, it is EOI from Saskatchewan. A provincial nomination is valuable under Express Entry system as it adds upto 600 additional points to their overall Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). It will effectively guarantee them a permanent residency in Canada in a subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

The latest SINP invitation draw also issued 248 ITAs to candidates who do not have their profiles registered in the federal Express Entry pool yet want to be considered for permanent residence in Canada. They are Occupation In-Demand sub-category. There are about 43 occupations including IT professionals, Business Managers, Engineers. 

Visit Saskatchewan’s official website here to view the complete list. Alternatively, talk to our immigration consultants for complete guidance on your Canadian immigration process. 

Canada Immigration Pathways Explained

Two-step immigration for Permanent Residency in Canada!

Canada is one of the few developed countries in the world to have a consistent and liberal immigration policy. It has successfully supported the dreams of thousands of skilled migrants and their families to work and settle in Canada permanently.   

The latest study by Statistics Canada found more immigrants with Canadian work and study experience gain permanent residence easily. However, this is not to suggest that interested applicants without any experience in Canada cannot obtain the status of a permanent resident.   

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A two-step immigration process can be understood as arriving in Canada as a student or a skilled worker, and later becoming a permanent resident. This is possible under programs like Canadian Experience Class (CEC), various Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). If stats were to be believed, nearly 46% of temporary foreign workers obtained permanent residence with the help of PNPs. The same stood at 20% for candidates under the CEC. In recent times, Canada has also modified the conduct of Express Entry draws to suit the needs of temporary skilled workers in Canada or workers outside Canada with suitable Canadian experience. 

Canada focuses on welcoming international students 

Canada is a busy destination welcoming nearly 640,000 students and supporting some 170,000 jobs every year. Although the current pandemic has slowed down the staggering intake numbers, Canada has innovated its study abroad prospects with the introduction of new measures to fast-track study permits in Canada. 

For instance, students can now get pre-approval for their study permits so that they can begin their Canadian programs online even without travelling to the country. Also, the total time that students spend online on the study will be counted towards their Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility. The PGWP is an important eligibility factor to consider while applying for Canadian permanent residency.

Permanent Residency without Canadian work or study experience

Those lacking Canadian work experience or study experience in Canada need not worry as there are other popular options available for them to obtain permanent residence in Canada. The Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP), the Federal Skills Trades Program (FSTP), other Express Entry linked Provincial Nomination Programs and various Provincial Business Investors/Entrepreneur streams offer a chance to apply for permanent residency. 

All you need to do is fill-up this free assessment form to know your eligibility or talk to one of our immigration experts to build-up a good profile for successful immigration to Canada.

Australia SkillSelect round-

Latest Update on Australia SkillSelect Round for Subclass 189/491 visas

Australia ended the 2019-20 program year on a high with the release of SkillSelect invitation results for the months of May & June. Two different Expression of Interest (EOI) draws held 25 March & 11 June invited a total of 850 candidates under Subclass 189 & 491 visa types. 

A Subclass 189 is a points-based permanent visa option for independent skilled workers. It is most popular among candidates without a job offer who is looking to settle in Australia for better work opportunities and lifestyle. Newly added Subclass 491 provincial visa type allows eligible skilled workers and their family to settle in the regional areas of Australia. It will later guarantee them a permanent residence in Australia.  

Since its inception in 2012, Australia SkillSelect rounds invited eligible candidates with the highest-ranking EOI based on a points system. But in the wake of fighting the present pandemic, Home Affairs were forced to switch to “targeted invitation rounds” in May & June 2020. The department also issued an explanation for the need to conduct “targeted rounds” so as to ensure the migration and visa settings remain consistent with public health measures and also not displace job opportunities for Australians. 

Australia immigration

Preference is given to Medical & Scientific occupations

With the current pandemic in focus, SkillSelect invitation rounds are increasingly focussed on immediate skill requirements. As a result, nearly 96% of total 850 invitations went to Medical occupations including Registered Nurses, General Practitioners and Resident Medical Officers, Other Medical Practitioners, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Psychologists. Some core scientific occupations including Medical Laboratory Scientists, Chemists, Life Scientists, also received invitations. The rest of the invitations were shared by occupation group of 2339 Other Engineering Professionals which included Aeronautical, Agricultural, Biomedical, Environmental Engineers. 

All the invitations required the candidates to have a qualifying cut-off score of 85 points for Subclass 189 visa type and 70 points for Subclass 489 visa option.  

Skilled business people or investors looking to settle in Australia can also receive an invitation to apply for a nomination from the SkillSelect system.  Business Innovation and Investment Visa options allow the Australian provinces to nominate such candidates based on their EOI. You could be eligible too. Fill-up this free assessment to know more. 

The details like Occupation ceilings for the new SkillSelect 2020-21 program year is yet to be released. The ongoing pandemic situation has also made the Immigration invitation rounds unpredictable and focused on immediate skill requirements. Until the borders of Australia are open for immigration, CanApprove advises future offshore immigrants to show patience, meanwhile, work on their skill assessment and language proficiency to score better on their SkillSelect EOI. 

To know more about Australia Immigration and your options for immigration, talk to our expert consultants today! 

Canada Immigration

Choose to migrate to Canada from 100+ economic immigration pathways

Nearly 200,000 economic immigrants are expected to be welcomed by Canada in 2020 alone. Aspiring immigrants from all over the world have more than 100 immigration streams to upturn their fortunes in Canada. As usual, the most popular Express Entry programs will remain as Canada’s flagship pathway for immigration alongside the improving Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). 

Both the federal and provincial governments are making great strides over the decades with the introduction of many economic immigration pathways to boost the immigration levels and meet the sustain its economy. In our analysis, we found about 104 economic pathways in Canada for your easy immigration. 

Take this free assessment to know your eligibility and requirements for immigration to Canada. 

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Qualify for Express Entry

Since 2015, Express Entry system has been managing three immigration programs- the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP), the Federal Skills Trade Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Interested candidates are required to register themselves and are ranked against each other using a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). 

A CRS is based on core human capital factors like age, educational qualifications, work experience, proficiency in English or French. Additionally, the spouse adaptability factor, job offer, provincial nominations add additional points to overall CRS. 

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regularly conduct nomination draws to issue invitations to apply for permanent residence in Canada to eligible candidates above the required CRS cut-off score. The latest all-program Express Entry was held July 8 inviting over 3900 candidates with qualifying CRS score of 478. 

Provincial Nominee Programs are targeting high 

Over the three successful decades in inviting foreign skilled workers, PNPs have become the second most important avenue for them to obtain permanent residence in Canada. 

The unique arrangement between federal, provincial and territorial governments have allowed a certain degree of autonomy for provincial and territorial governments in selecting desirable candidates suiting to their unique labour demands. Almost every PNP has one dedicated stream linked to the Express Entry system. It allows the province to nominate candidates registered under Express Entry to apply for provincial nomination. A provincial nomination will add upto 600 points to their overall CRS score, thereby guaranteeing permanent residence in Canada. 

Most recent PNP draws from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Quebec has issued more than 2,500 invitations to workers with varying skills and professional experience to obtain Canadian permanent residence.

Migrate as Investor/Entrepreneur

Canada is also looked upon as an ideal place for entrepreneurs/investors to migrate and establish their own business. Through a range of federal programs like Canada Start-up Visa, Canada Investors Visas and provinces like British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec boasting of a dedicated immigration stream, investors/entrepreneurs can plan to settle permanently in Canada. 

IRCC focus on issuing permanent residence to economic immigrants as well as family members sponsored under the family reunification programs. With every 6 in 10 migrants in Canada belonging to economic class, skilled talents from around the globe are certain to find better work opportunities, ease of doing business and enjoy a high living standard in Canada. 

Contact CanApprove to help you identify your suitable immigration stream.

Canada Immigration between 17 July- 24 July

How did Canada Immigration fare between 17 July- 24 July?

Another week passed by and Canadian immigration looks upright in its recovery from the backlash brought upon it due to the present travel restrictions. Here are some important highlights from the previous week that future permanent residents of Canada might be interested to read. 

Back-to-back Express Entry draws

After successfully resuming all-program Express Entry draws with a gap of nearly four months, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continued onto its program-specific nominations as scheduled. Nearly 557 candidates having provincial nominations from any Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) were issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence in the draws held July 22. It was duly followed by another draw held July 23 inviting over 3300 candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

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Having a provincial nomination beforehand ensures upto 600 additional points on the overall Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS). July 22 required eligible candidates to have a score of 687, thereby requiring only 87 points on their CRS. A CRS is mainly based on human capital factors like age, education, work experience, proficiency in English or French among other factors. July 23 has a minimum CRS cut-off requirement of 445 points. 

Candidates from the Federal Skills Workers Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skills Trade Program (FSTP) remained outside the purview of these draws. They were recently invited to apply for permanent residence in the draws held July 8. 

The overall tally of the number of ITAs issued in 2020 by Express Entry draws reached 57,700. 

Provincial Nominee Program draws

The Canadian province of British Columbia (B.C.) issued held yet another draw this week. July 21 draws were held under B.C. Tech Pilot program. Nearly 62 foreign tech workers and international students received invitations to apply for provincial nominations. A provincial nomination is a step closer in obtaining a permanent residence in Canada. 

Candidates in Skilled Worker and International Graduate categories of the Express Entry BC and Skills Immigration streams were selected and also required to qualify the minimum provincial score of 80 points. Provincial score is based on SIRS system followed by British Columbia. It scores registered candidates based on economic factors (max. 120 points) and human capital factors (max. 80 points). 

Another Canadian province of Manitoba remained active by inviting 174 candidates to apply for provincial nominations. The province considered both Student Graduates and Skilled Workers in Manitoba and abroad in this draw held July 16. The minimum qualifying points based on the Manitoba EOI system were 811 points for candidates outside Canada and 430 points for candidates in Manitoba. 

The overall tally of ITAs to apply for provincial nominations issued by British Columbia and Manitoba in 2020 amounts to over 4000. 

Fill-up this free assessment form to know your eligibility for qualifying under various immigration programs in Canada. 

Canada’s dependence on immigration will only continue further

Recent reports and studies claim that Canada’s population growth would need to depend entirely on Immigration for strong economy. The evidence of the same is seen in the report from Statistics Canada which mentioned nearly 82% of population growth in 2019 came from the arrival of immigrants. Otherwise too, Canada’s openness to immigration continued even in the times of pandemic. IRCC is continuing to accept and process applications for permanent residence, study permits etc. 

In a parallel development, the recovery hit a new high as Canada created almost 1 million jobs in the month of May & June 2020. The labour demand that drastically fell due to the imposed lockdown in the month of March, saw a staggering rise of upto 40% in the last two months. 

The benefits of becoming a permanent resident of Canada are many – better work opportunities for you and your spouse, bigger business opportunity for entrepreneurs/investors, affordable study options for your children, a high living standard for your family; just to name a few. Contact CanApprove to start planning for your immigration to Canada.

British Columbia nominated over 1,500 people in 2020 including the July 21 Tech Pilot draws

Canadian Province of British Columbia (B.C.) has remained quite active this year. So far, the province has conducted 15 tech draws, the latest held July 21 B.C. PNP Tech Pilot. In 2020 alone, these draws have issued invitations to over 1,500 people to apply for provincial nominations. Securing a provincial nomination takes a step closer to obtaining a permanent residence in Canada. 

July 21 draw issued 62 invitations to foreign tech workers and international students through BC PNP to apply for provincial nominations. The invited candidates belonged to the Skilled Worker and International Graduate categories of the Express Entry BC and Skills Immigration streams. The minimum provincial score required for candidates to qualify in this draw was 80. 

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Earlier this month, British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) invited 320 candidates belonging to Express Entry BC and Skilled Immigration streams with a required provincial score ranging from 76-98. 

Take this free assessment now to determine your chances of migrating to Canada. 

 

How to get nominated by British Columbia? 

Tech Pilot under the BC PNP is easily regarded as one of the fastest immigration pathways for in-demand tech workers and international students. The program was first launched in 2017 and will continue to incentivise foreign tech talents until June 2021. 

Candidates qualifying for Tech Pilot must have a permanent job offer that is at least for over one year and can be categorised into one of the pilot’s 29 in-demand occupations. In addition, foreign workers and graduates in non-tech occupations are eligible to apply through other programs under BC PNP. 

Not only skilled workers but the province also requires foreign investors/entrepreneurs who wish to settle in the province and contribute to the growth of its economy. The British Columbian Entrepreneur Stream mandates such candidates to offer a minimum investment/business plan in the region before qualifying for provincial nomination. It remains to be an ideal immigration pathway for such candidates to obtain a permanent residence in Canada. 

 

Candidates willing to apply for a provincial nomination through BC PNP are required to register themselves under the SIRS. It is a points-based system designed for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) and helps prioritize those candidates who demonstrate their skills to support the province’s economy. 

Typically, a candidate is ranked on scoring system based Economic Factors (max. 120 points) and Human Capital factors (max. 80 points) 

Contact our immigration experts to know your eligibility and other suitable programs for you to immigrate to Canada. 

Express Entry

IRCC conducts third Express Entry draws in July inviting 3,343 CEC candidates

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in its 9th CEC-specific draw in 2020 issued a staggering 3,343 Invitations To Apply (ITAs) for Canada PR exclusively to candidates with a Canadian Experience.  

July 23 Express Entry draws were held subsequent to the latest PNP-specific draws. All the invited candidates required to have a qualifying Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 445 points which happens to the lowest CRS requirement of the month. 

Earlier this July, IRCC resumed the popular all-program Express Entry draws after a gap of four months. 3900 candidates having minimum CRS requirement of 478 points were invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

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The present draw has CRS cut-off score 14 points higher and reduced draw size than the previous CEC-specific draw. Despite the current travel restrictions to Canada, IRCC has actively conducted Express Entry draws along with several other Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws in this period. Program-specific draws were preferred in such times to nominate candidates who were in Canada to apply for permanent residence. However, candidates outside Canada were also considered in these draws. 

Tie-break rule was applied by IRCC with timestamp recording November 11, 2019, at 15:16:55 UTC. It effectively means that candidates with a CRS score equal to or above 445 and who entered their profile in the Express Entry pool before the selected date and time were only eligible to receive an ITA in this invitation round.

 

Program-specific Express Entry draws held in 2020

Candidates who receive ITA for permanent residence in Canada under the CEC program are required to have prior one-year work experience in Canada. Candidates who register under the Express Entry having a provincial nomination may seek upto an additional 600 points on their overall CRS. It shall effectively guarantee them to receive an ITA for Canada PR in the subsequent Express Entry draws.  

 

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issues Minimum CRS
157 July 23 3343 445 (CEC- specific)
156 July 22 557 687 (PNP-specific)
154 June 25 3508 431 (CEC-specific)
153 June 24 392 696 (PNP-specific)
152 June 11 3551 437 (CEC-specific)
151 June 10 341 743 (PNP-specific)
150 May 28 3515 440 (CEC-specific)
149 May 27 385 757 (PNP-specific)
148 May 15 3371 447 (CEC-specific)
147 May 13 529 718 (PNP-specific)
146 May 1 3311 452 (CEC-specific)
145 April 29 589 692 (PNP-specific)
144 April 16 3782 455 (CEC-specific)
143 April 15 118 808 (PNP-specific)
142 April 9 3294 464 (CEC-specific)
141 April 9 606 698 (PNP-specific)
140 March 23 3232 467 (CEC-specific)
139 March 18 668 720 (PNP-specific)

All-program Express Entry draws held in 2020

The resumption of all-program Express Entry draws after a gap of four months also meant that candidates under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skills Trades Program (FSTP) are now to be considered. Usually, such candidates do not find a place in the program-specific draws. 

While a candidate need not have a job offer to apply, those having one are awarded additional points under CRS. 

 

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issues Minimum CRS
155 July 8 3900 478
138 March 4 3900 471
137 February 19 4500 470
136 February 5 3500 472
135 January 22 3400 471
134 January 8 3400 473

 

Despite the current travel restrictions to Canada, IRCC is determined to achieve its Express Entry target of 85,800 ITAs in 2020. The latest draw results pushed the tally to 57,700 ITAs issued so far this year, compared with 45,400 at this time in 2019. 

CanApprove predicts a bright prospect for candidates willing to immigrate to Canada. Contact our immigration consultants to know your eligibility and various options for immigration to Canada. 

CRS

July 22 Express Entry Draws invites 557 PNP candidates for Canada PR

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in its 9th PNP-specific draw in 2020 issued 557 Invitations To Apply (ITAs) exclusively to candidates with a provincial nomination. 

July 22 Express Entry draw required the eligible candidates to have a qualifying Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 687 points. This also marks the lowest CRS requirement for any PNP-specific draw held this year.  

Since the start of the year, Canada’s Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs) are actively targeting eligible candidates who could meet the provinces’ specific labour demands. Such candidates received provincial nominations from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia. Receiving a provincial nomination is a step closer to apply for permanent residence in Canada which was fulfilled in the latest Express Entry draw. 

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An inherent advantage for candidates with a provincial nomination to be considered for Canada PR under the Express Entry system is the addition of 600 points to their overall CRS. It effectively meant that only 87 points were required on the human capital front to qualify for ITA in the latest draw. Such human capital factors include age, education qualification, work experience, proficiency in English or French, spouse’s adaptability etc. 

Tie-break rule was applied by IRCC with timestamp recording November 11, 2019, at 08:51:21 UTC. It effectively means that candidates with a CRS score equal to or above 687 and who entered their profile in the Express Entry pool before the selected date and time, were only eligible to receive an ITA in this invitation round.

 

Program-specific Express Entry draws held in 2020

Candidates who receive ITA for permanent residence in Canada under the CEC program are required to have prior one-year work experience in Canada. Candidates who apply for Express Entry having a provincial nomination may seek upto an additional 600 points on their overall CRS. It shall effectively make them eligible to receive an ITA for Canada PR in the subsequent Express Entry draw.  

 

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issues Minimum CRS
156 July 22 557 687 (PNP-specific)
154 June 25 3508 431 (CEC-specific)
153 June 24 392 696 (PNP-specific)
152 June 11 3551 437 (CEC-specific)
151 June 10 341 743 (PNP-specific)
150 May 28 3515 440 (CEC-specific)
149 May 27 385 757 (PNP-specific)
148 May 15 3371 447 (CEC-specific)
147 May 13 529 718 (PNP-specific)
146 May 1 3311 452 (CEC-specific)
145 April 29 589 692 (PNP-specific)
144 April 16 3782 455 (CEC-specific)
143 April 15 118 808 (PNP-specific)
142 April 9 3294 464 (CEC-specific)
141 April 9 606 698 (PNP-specific)
140 March 23 3232 467 (CEC-specific)
139 March 18 668 720 (PNP-specific)

 

All-program Express Entry draws held in 2020

Earlier this July, IRCC resumed the popular all-program Express Entry draws after a gap of four months. 3900 candidates having minimum CRS requirement of 478 points were invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada. It also meant that candidates under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skills Trades Program (FSTP) were considered. Usually, such candidates do not find a place in the program-specific draws. 

 

While a candidate need not have a job offer to apply, those having one are awarded additional points under CRS. 

 

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issues Minimum CRS
155 July 8 3900 478
138 March 4 3900 471
137 February 19 4500 470
136 February 5 3500 472
135 January 22 3400 471
134 January 8 3400 473

 

Despite the current travel restrictions to Canada, IRCC is determined to achieve its Express Entry target of 85,800 ITAs in 2020. The latest draw results pushed the tally to 54,357 ITAs issued so far this year, compared with 45,400 at this time in 2019. 

CanApprove predicts a bright prospect for candidates willing to immigrate to Canada. Get in touch with our immigration consultants to know your eligibility and various options for immigration to Canada.

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