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All-Program Express Entry Draws Resume

Canada Resumes All-Program Express Entry Draws Issuing 3900 ITAs on July 8

Here is a big reason to smile as Canada conducted its first all-program Express Entry draws since March 4. 

July 8 marked the resumption of all-Program Express Entry draws by issuing 3900 Invitations To Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence in Canada. Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 478 to be eligible to receive an ITA in this year’s 22nd invitation round. Typically, CRS score is awarded to Express Entry profiles based on core-human capital factors as age, skilled work experience, education and proficiency in English or French. 

Ever since the travel restrictions were imposed in Canada on March 18, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) made minor changes in the conduct of Express Entry draws. Sixteen Express Entry draws were conducted during the current travel restrictions limited only to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and Canada Experience Class (CEC) candidates. It also seemed convenient since most CEC candidates were already in Canada and least affected by the current travel restrictions. However, few candidates who received ITAs in these draws were also outside of Canada.

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Meanwhile, the majority of candidates under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skills Trade Program (FSTP) were left in a catch-22 situation as they were excluded due to the unprecedented travel restrictions. July 8 draw not only brought relief to such candidates but also increased the total number of ITAs issued in 2020 to 53,800.  

Tie-break rule was applied by IRCC with timestamp recording February 11, at 13:08:31 UTC. It effectively means that candidates with a CRS score equal to or above 478 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.

All-program Express Entry draws in 2020

Candidates are eligible to be considered for immigration programs like the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skills Trade Program (FSTP), in addition to the Canada Experience Class (CEC) program and Express-Entry linked Provincial Nominee Program streams. 

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

Canada Experience Class-specific Express Entry draws 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.  

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issues Minimum CRS
154 June 25 3508 431
152 June 11 3551 437
150 May 28 3515 440
148 May 15 3371 447
146 May 1 3311 452
144 April 16 3782 455
142 April 9 3294 464
140 March 23 3232 467

Provincial Nominee Program-specific Express Entry draws in 2020

Candidates who apply for Express Entry having a provincial nomination has an inherent advantage. They can seek upto an additional 600 points on their CRS. It shall effectively make them eligible to receive an ITA for permanent residence in Canada.  

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issues Minimum CRS
153 June 24 392 696
151 June 10 341 743
149 May 27 385 757
147 May 13 529 718
145 April 29 589 692
143 April 15 118 808
141 April 9 606 698
139 March 18 668 720

Travel restrictions in Canada were recently extended till July 31 by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and it only remains to be seen if it continues beyond. However, Canada has given enough hopes to aspiring immigrants by regularly conducting Express Entry draws, Provincial Nominee Program draws to continue their planning for migration in the near future.

CanApprove wishes to advise all aspirants to utilize this time in improving their skill assessment and language proficiency scores. Stay in touch with our immigration consultants for the latest updates.

Immigration will remain a priority for Canada

Minister‌ ‌reaffirms‌ ‌faith‌ ‌in‌ ‌Immigration‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌growth‌ ‌of‌ ‌Canada’s‌ ‌economy‌

“The true Canadian advantage lies in the continued success of businesses and communities that make full use of Canada’s progressive immigration policies”, recently opinionated Marco Mendicino and Navdeep Bains.

Being a third-generation immigrant themselves, Marco Mendicino and Navdeep Bains is among the countless immigrant success stories across Canada. Today, they oversee important portfolios in the government that are critical to the country’s economic growth. 

Navdeep Bains is in-charge of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry while Marco Mendicino oversees the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship in the present Canadian federal government. 

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One million new immigrants by 2021:

More than one million new permanent residents were slated to join between 2019 and 2021. The exuberant immigration level plan had a good run in 2019. Express Entry draws and Provincial Nominee Programs even performed well in the first half of 2020. The fact that pandemic has disturbed the equilibrium is being restored well by progressive Canadian immigration policies. 

The liberal policies of Canada immigration ensured that foreign workers remained largely exempt from Canada’s current COVID-19 travel restrictions. Regular conduct of Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws have kept the hopes of several aspirants alive. In fact, the number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued in 2020 so far through Express Entry draws is the highest since 2017.  

Ministers have reaffirmed their faith in immigration for the growth of Canada’s economy. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is expecting an incoming surge in global talent once the pandemic has passed. The provincial and federal immigration programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Class and the Provincial Nominee Program are some of the best options for aspiring immigrants. 

A candidate willing to apply under such programs must have a good Comprehensive Ranking System score that typically depends on age, educational qualification, work experience, language proficiency, spouse adaptability, etc. 

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

Digital work permits mooted:

In a parallel discussion, some experts and lawyers dealing in Canadian Immigration believe technology can be best put to use in such testing times. Although limited only to highly-skilled professional, a secure digital work permit and a social identification number (SIN) assigned to them will solve worker shortage issue. A digital work permit would allow these “virtual immigrants” to remotely start working with their new Canadian employers. Once the entry ban to Canada is to be lifted, the digital work permit would automatically be replaced by the regular work permit and SIN if the worker moves to Canada. 

Canadian borders remain closed yet Immigration scenario appears to be active with regular yet changed Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program draws. CanApprove wishes to advise all the aspirants looking to immigrate to Canada to make use of this unprecedented opportunity to strengthen their Expression of Interest (EoI). Improving their score in skill assessments and language proficiency tests now will go a long way in getting a Canada visa in quick time. 

Contact our team of expert consultants at CanApprove to plan your Canada Immigration and get the latest updates on the same.

Australia Immigration

South Australia to reopen Skilled and Business immigration programs from early August

The month of July has signalled the start of the new financial year 2020-2021 in Australia. It has warranted the Australian States and Territories to update their Nomination programs for Skilled Immigration under Subclass 190 and 491 visas and Business Immigration programs.   

South Australia that shares a border with all mainland States, as well as the Northern Territory, has recently announced the reopening of their Skilled and Business immigration programs from early August. It has also reasoned that the program details will depend on the allocation of state nomination places by the Federal Government for the new financial year 2020-2021. 

South Australia is the southern, central state on the mainland of Australia with its capital city Adelaide attracting a lot of immigrants from around world. The Government of South Australia can nominate interested candidates for either a provisional visa under Skilled Work Regional subclass 491 or permanent visa under Skilled Nominated Permanent subclass 190 to help them start a new life in Australia. Additionally, if anyone had worked in South Australia for over three years on a subclass 491 visa, they may be eligible to apply for Permanent Residence visa under subclass 191. 

There are equally greater opportunities and state nominated visa options for individuals looking to establish a business or invest in South Australia. The state-sponsored settlement services also include meeting and greeting on arrival and reasonable accommodation for first 3 months.  

Take this free assessment to know your eligibility and get to know various options that are available for you to migrate to Australia. 

Update on other Australian States and Territories:

The government of Western Australia made significant changes in the preceding month to their occupation list by removing Registered Nurse (Mental Health) (254422) occupation. Instead, it added Nuclear Medicine Technologist (251213) and Medical Physicist (234914) 

Subclass 491 and Subclass 190 visa programs shall remain closed for Queensland, Victoria and Northern Territory. New South Wales has also closed its subclass 491 visa program but the subclass 190 program appears to be available. 

The Australia Capital Territory was active last month issuing 81 invitations for subclass 190 visas. However, no 491 invitations have been issued since 21 April. The state is expected to conduct the next round of invitation on or before 15 July.

Meanwhile, CanApprove wishes to advise the aspirants to prepare themselves for various requirements to lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) including skill assessment and language proficiency test. By doing so, the aspirants will be in a comfortable state to apply once the immigration programs reopen.

Contact CanApprove to discuss and devise your future course of action on Australia Immigration. 

Revisiting Canada Immigration between 26 June – 3 July

Ever since the Immigration Minister Mendicino gave a call, “Come to Canada”, the prospectus of Canadian Immigration is looking brighter. The preceding week from 26 June 2020 to 3 July 2020 had few important developments concerning those aspirants willing to obtain permanent residence in Canada. 

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Provincial Nominee Draws remain active:

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws were active even after the travel restrictions imposed to control the spread of the pandemic. Three PNPs, namely British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario were seen active during the week. 

British Columbia conducted its largest draw since the start of the pandemic during this week. Nearly 314 eligible candidates under its Express Entry and Skilled Immigration streams were invited to apply for provincial nominations. The candidates required a minimum score between 79 and 100 depending on the various sub-categories of Skilled Immigration stream – Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled. 

Manitoba issued 125 invitations to eligible candidates to apply for a provincial nomination. They are later eligible for permanent residence. These candidates were invited under the Skilled Workers in Manitoba Stream and the Skilled Workers Overseas Stream. The lowest ranking score was 475 under the Skilled Workers in Manitoba stream while for the Skilled Workers Overseas Stream, the lowest score was 816.

Ontario PNP extended invitations to 24 entrepreneurs to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence under its Entrepreneur Stream. These candidates had Expression of Interest (EOI) scores between 134 and 200. In order to qualify under this stream, entrepreneurs will have to propose a minimum investment of $600,000. If they choose to settle outside the Greater Toronto Area, entrepreneurs may propose the required investment of $200,000.

Stellar performance of Express Entry draws in the first half of 2020

Canada Express Entry issued the second-most number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in the first half of 2020 since 2017. The travel restrictions imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19 pandemic also did not deter Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to invite nearly 49,900 candidates to apply for permanent residence. 

In order to qualify for Express Entry, the candidates are required to maintain a high Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) which is based on factors like age, education qualification, work experience, language proficiency, spouse’s adaptability factors and many others. 

Get to know your eligibility for the same by taking this Free Assessment. 

Collection of traveller information by CBSA

The Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) through Airlines will collect the basic biographical information of travellers leaving or entering the country. The information is also expected to be shared with IRCC making it easier to verify the duration of stay of a person in Canada for immigration or citizenship purposes. It may have an impact on prominent immigration applications such as study permits, permanent residence and citizenship.

Canada is a proven destination for immigrants looking for better work opportunities and a high standard of living. Explore various options of immigration to Canada by contacting CanApprove. 

Canada Immigration

Canada immigration on road to recovery

The Canada immigration scenario is on the path to recovery after being severely affected by the impact of Coronavirus pandemic. The immigration experts expect that the Canada immigration sector will improve further in the next six months and return to normalcy by 2021.

Canada’s Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino has been reiterating throughout the crisis period that Canada is committed to welcoming more immigrants who would support the economic growth of Canada. The federal government of Canada has also been lenient towards immigration applicants and relaxed certain rules to make the immigration process easier for them. These include giving more time to submit the necessary documents as well as not refusing any application because they are incomplete.

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When will Canada lift travel restrictions?

Canada opening its borders to all categories of immigrants totally depends on when Canada and other countries are able to successfully contain the pandemic. Once the pandemic is under control, more categories of travellers will come under the exempted list and eventually, all the restrictions will be lifted.

Express Entry invites for FSWP candidates

Ever since Canada introduced travel restrictions in the wake of COVID-19, the Express Entry draws have been alternately focusing on Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. However, there is a greater scope for candidates who plan to submit their immigration under Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) because, by the time the processing of their applications are complete, it will be 2021 and Canada will most likely restart inviting FSWP candidates in Express Entry draws.

Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2021-2023

It is expected that Mendicino will announce the Immigration Levels Plan of Canada for 2021-2023 by November 2020. Though the COVID-19 crisis has created much uncertainty over immigration scenario, Canada still needs more immigrants to support its economy. So the immigration levels are expected to remain high in 2021 and beyond.

If you are thinking about migrating to Canada in 2021, start the preparations right away so that you will be ready to move permanently to your dream destination once the restrictions are lifted. Contact the expert immigration consultants of CanApprove to explore your options to migrate to Canada.

50K Express Entry ITAs issued in 20201

Close to 50K Express Entry invitations issued in first half of 2020

Despite the hurdles caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, Canada Express Entry issued the second-most number of Invitations to Apply(ITAs) in the first half of 2020. 49900 was the total number of Express Entry invitations issued during the period, second only to the number of ITAs issued during the same time period in 2017, when 54,507 invitations were issued. The second quarter of 2020 was also the second-most prolific quarter, after the same quarter of 2017. It indicates that despite the travel restrictions and border closure introduced in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic, Canada issued ITAs in huge numbers during this period.

Canada Express Entry

Canada introduced the Express Entry system in 2015 with an aim to streamline applications for immigration under the three major federal economic immigration programs of Canada, which are Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program and Canada Experience Class. The Provincial Nominee Programs of Canada also have immigration streams/categories aligned to the federal Express Entry.

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The Express Entry system assesses and ranks immigration candidates on the basis of the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Under the CRS, each Express Entry candidate is assessed on the basis of various human capital factors that decide their capability to economically establish themselves in Canada. Based on this assessment, each candidate is awarded a score out of 1200. The highest-scoring candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the federal Express Entry draws that are conducted regularly. The candidates who have received nominations for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) have 600 additional points added to their total CRS score. It increases their chances of obtaining an Invitation to Apply for Permanent Residence in Canada, in the federal Express Entry draws.

Express Entry opens up vast opportunities for foreign skilled workers to move permanently to Canada. Contact CanApprove to explore your options to migrate to Canada through Express Entry.

Newcomers Outperform Natives Canady

Newcomers perform better than natives in Canadian labour market

Newcomers are performing well in the Canadian labour market and in some cases, they even outperform their Canadian-born counterparts, reveals a recently released report.

In the report, which is titled ‘The Improved Labour Market Performance of New Immigrants to Canada, 2006-2019′, economist Kimberly Wong has drawn some significant conclusions by comparing the participation rate, employment rate, unemployment rate and hourly wages of three groups– recent immigrants who had been in Canada for less than five years, immigrants who had been living in the country for five to ten years, and Canadian-born citizens. The study sourced data from the Statistics Canada Labour Force Study between 2006 and 2019, published by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards.

Newcomers Outperform Natives Canady

In 2019, the participation rates of the very recent newcomers were 4.5 percentage points higher than that of the Canadian borns. At the same time, the participation rates were 10.0 higher among recent immigrants compared to Canadian borns.

In the case of employment rates, recent immigrants fared better compared to Canadian-born workers at the rate of 1.5 percentage points. At the same time, recent immigrants surpassed them by 8.7 percentage points.

The study also shows that the wages adjusted for the cost of living have also grown for very recent immigrants.

The study cites six reasons for the improved performance of new immigrants in the Canadian labour market, which are:

  • More immigrants had university degrees
  • A strong labour market of the late 2010s opened up more opportunities for the new immigrants
  • Federal and provincial immigration programs for foreign workers that helped in boosting the labour performance
  • Support services that might have helped new immigrants integrate into the labour market
  • Improvement in foreign credential recognition
  • Improved labour market information that might have helped new immigrants prepare well.
The report further says: “Given their lower average age and higher education relative to the Canadian working-age population, new immigrants represent an important strength for the Canadian economy, from the perspective of their contribution to the labour force and to tax revenues.”

With an infinite number of opportunities and high standards of living, Canada ensures a secure future for foreign workers. Explore your options to migrate to Canada by filling our free online assessment form.

Over 110,000 Express Entry candidates obtained Canada PR in 2019

Over 110,000 Express Entry candidates obtained Canada PR in 2019

Close to 110,000 principal applicants and their family members obtained permanent residence in Canada through Express Entry in 2019, according to the Express Entry Year-end Report of the year issued by the Immigration Ministry of Canada. Around one third of the Express Entry candidates who received Invitations to Apply for permanent residence in the year had indicated their occupation in the fields of information technology, business and finance.

The total number of Express Entry profiles submitted in the year 2019 is close to 332,331, which indicates an increase by 20 percent compared to the previous year. It also shows the increasing popularity of the Express Entry system as a viable pathway for migrating to Canada.

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The exact number of principal applicants and their family members who received permanent residence through Express Entry in 2019 is 109,595. Compared to 2018, this indicates an increase of 19 percent, as the total number of candidates who obtained Canada PR in the year 2018 was 92229.

In 2019, the highest number of Canada PR visas were issued to Express Entry candidates belonging to the Federal Skilled Worker Program(FSWP). A total of 58,173 FSWP candidates received Canada PR visa in 2019, followed by 30230 Canadian Experience Class candidates, 20014 Provincial Nominee Program candidates and 1178 Federal Skilled Trades candidates.

Of the total number of Express Entry candidates who were invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada in 2019, software engineers and designers received the highest number at 6,529. The largest source country was India, followed by the US, Nigeria, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.

Canada is continuing to invite a high number of Express Entry candidates despite the restrictions imposed in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. If you plan to migrate to Canada, take the first step right away by filling our free online assessment form.

CRS score plummets to 431 in June 25 Express Entry draw

The June 25 Express Entry draw that exclusively targeted Canadian Experience Class(CEC) candidates, issued a total of 3508 Invitations to Apply(ITAs) for permanent residence in Canada. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for candidates to receive an ITA in the draw was 431. The CRS cut-off score of the latest Express Entry draw is the lowest CRS requirement in any draw held for CEC candidates since 2017. Compared to the previous CEC-specific Express Entry draw held on June 11, the score is six points lower. There has been a significant drop in the CRS requirement in CEC-specific draws ever since Canada imposed travel restrictions in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. Immigration experts expect the CRS requirement to come down further in the days to come.

On the previous day, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) had held another Express Entry draw for provincial nominees, in which 392 ITAs were issued. In short, IRCC invited a total of 3900 candidates to apply for permanent residence in Canada over the past two days. Canada has issued a total of 49900 ITAs so far this year.

A tie-breaking rule was applied in the June 25 draw too, as in the previous draws. The timestamp given was April 3, 2020, at 12:56:32 UTC. It means not all candidates with a minimum CRS score of 431 received invitations in the draw, but only those who had submitted their Express Entry profiles before the said date and time.

As Canada has set a higher immigration target for the year 2020, it is expected that the Express Entry draws would become larger and more frequent in the coming days.

Express Entry draws held so far in 2020

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issued Minimum CRS score
154 June 25 3508 431(CEC-specific draw)
153 June 24 392 696(PNP-specific draw)
152 June 11 3551 437(CEC-specific draw)
151 June 10 341 743(PNP-specific draw)
150 May 28 3515 440(CEC-specific draw)
149 May 27 385 757(PNP-specific draw)
148 May 15 3371 447(CEC-specific draw)
147 May 13 529 718(PNP-specific draw)
146 May 1 3311 452(CEC-specific draw)
145 April 29 589 692(PNP-specific draw)
144 April 16 3782 455 (CEC-specific draw)
143 April 15 118 808(PNP-specific draw)
142 April 9 3,294 464(CEC-specific draw)
141 April 9 606 698(PNP-specific draw)
140 March 23 3232 467 (CEC-specific draw)
139 March 18   668 720(PNP-specific draw)
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

 

Canada Express Entry offers a simple and fast-track pathway for international skilled workers to migrate to the country. Check your eligibility for Express Entry migration by our free online assessment form.

392 Provincial nominees invited in June 24 Express Entry draw

In the Express Entry draw held on June 24, a total of 392 candidates with provincial nominations received Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence in Canada. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score required for candidates to receive an ITA in the draw was 696. As all these candidates already have an additional 600 CRS score points added to their total score along with the provincial nomination, those with a basic CRS score of at least 96 have received invitations in the draw.

The Tie-break rule was applied in the latest Express Entry draw and the time-stamp given was April 23, 2020, at 10:39:30 UTC. It means the Express Entry draw prioritized those candidates with a minimum CRS score of 696, who had submitted their Express Entry profiles before the said date and time.

After the Canadian government imposed travel restrictions on March 18, 2020, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been conducting regular Express Entry draws that have alternately targeted provincial nominees and Canada Experience Class (CEC) candidates.  So far, a total of 15 Express Entry draws have been held under these two programs in which, over 27000 candidates have received ITAs. The total number of principal applicants who have received ITAs for permanent residence so far this year is 46392.

The Provincial Nominee Programs to remain active despite the COVID-19 restrictions. More than 1000 candidates have been contacted by various PNPs in the past seven days alone. The PNPs allows provinces and territories of Canada to select candidates with skills that are in demand in their respective labour markets and nominate them for permanent residence in Canada. However, in order to receive a provincial nomination through one of the Express Entry-aligned PNP streams, a candidate must have an active Express Entry profile.

Express Entry draws held so far in 2020

Draw Number Date Number of ITAs issued Minimum CRS score
153 June 24 392 696(PNP-specific draw)
152 June 11 3551 437(CEC-specific draw)
151 June 10 341 743(PNP-specific draw)
150 May 28 3515 440(CEC-specific draw)
149 May 27 385 757(PNP-specific draw)
148 May 15 3371 447(CEC-specific draw)
147 May 13 529 718(PNP-specific draw)
146 May 1 3311 452(CEC-specific draw)
145 April 29 589 692(PNP-specific draw)
144 April 16 3782 455 (CEC-specific draw)
143 April 15 118 808(PNP-specific draw)
142 April 9 3,294 464(CEC-specific draw)
141 April 9 606 698(PNP-specific draw)
140 March 23 3232 467 (CEC-specific draw)
139 March 18   668 720(PNP-specific draw)
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

 

Canada Express Entry offers a simple and fast-track pathway for international skilled workers to migrate to the country. Check your eligibility for Express Entry migration by our free online assessment form.

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