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In the Express Entry draw held on July 24th, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 3600 candidates to apply for permanent residence in Canada. The invited candidates had a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 459. This is the fourth consecutive draw where the CRS score is witnessing a decrease. In the previous draw held on July 10, the CRS cut-off score was 460 and this is for the first time the score is dropping below 460 since May this year.

The latest draw is also the second consecutive Express Entry draw where 3,600 candidates are being invited to apply. The number of ITAs issued in the 10 all-program draws held in the time-period between January 30 and June 26 was 3350 each. Compared to these draws, the latest draw has issued 250 more ITAs.

Tie-break rule was applied in the latest Express Entry draw with the time stamp of May 25, 2019 at 14:40:52 UTC. It means not all candidates who had a minimum CRS score of 459 were not considered in the draw, but only those who had submitted their profiles before the said date and time.

The July 24 draw is the 15th Express Entry draw of 2019 and 122nd since Canada launched the Express Entry system in 2015. As Canada has set higher immigration targets for the current year and the next two years, it is expected that the CRS cut-off score would come down in the future draws too. So far this year, IRCC has issued 49000 ITAs.

The candidates invited in the July 24 draw can apply for permanent residence in Canada within 60 days. IRCC aims to process Express Entry applications within six months.

Minimum CRS requirements in the Express Entry draws held this year:

Interested in Canada immigration through Express Entry? Contact us for more information and guidance.

Toronto, the capital of Ontario, has been ranked among the top three cities in both the United States and Canada for tech workers. According to the Scoring Tech Talent Report of CBRE, Toronto added a whopping 80100 tech jobs the past five years since 2013.

The Scoring Tech Talent Report of CBRE ranks 50 U.S. and Canadian tech markets on 13 unique metrics that include talent supply, completed tech degrees, and job growth. Toronto was ranked third in the report in which San Francisco Bay Area emerged top and Seattle came second.

Toronto is also ahead of Washington, D.C., New York City and Austin, Tex. in terms of overall rankings.  The number of jobs created in Toronto is almost equal to that of San Francisco Bay Area. Toronto recorded 54 percent rise in tech jobs and the fastest pace in growth of tech talents among the 50 tech markets that were measured. Other Canadian cities also marked incredible performance according to the report. Among these are Vancouver that climbed 13 spots to the 12th place, Montreal in the 13th place, and Ottawa, the capital of Canada, in the 19th place.

Immigration programs:

The major immigration programs of Canada have been transformed to address the growing demand for tech talent in the country. The Express Entry system of Canada issued the highest number of invitations to IT professionals in 2018. The most common occupations of candidates invited in the 2018 Express Entry draws were:

• Software engineers and designers
• Information systems analysts and consultants
• Computer programmers and interactive media developers

Many Canadian provincial nominee programs have tech-specific options, with the latest addition being the tech draw launched by Ontario. Manitoba has several tech jobs featured in its In-Demand Occupation List. The province has also brought down language requirements for computer network technicians from a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 to 5. This has made it easier for computer network technicians to obtain provincial nomination. Saskatchewan added computer programmers and interactive media developers to its list of in-demand occupations. British Columbia regularly conducts Tech Pilot draws for candidates with a job offer from a BC employer in one of the 29 tech-related occupations. BC has also extended the two-year trial period of the pilot program twice, which has now been extended till June 2020.

Canada is the favourite destination of immigrants with high quality of living and countless career opportunities. If you have work experience in an occupation which is in high demand in Canada, you can migrate to the country through one of its immigration pathways. Get in touch with us for detailed information and expert guidance on Canada migration.

The latest Prince Edward Island Expression of Interest draw held on July 18^th invited 135 immigration candidates to apply for provincial nomination. The invited candidates belonged to Express Entry, Labour Impact and Business Impact categories of Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP). However, PEI PNP did not provide a minimum score for Express Entry and Labour Impact candidates in the July 18 draw.

The Express Entry category of PEI PNP, which is linked to the federal Express Entry system, allows the province to nominate candidates of Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience for permanent residence in Canada. The Express Entry candidates nominated by Prince Edward Island would receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System score points. It effectively guarantees them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

The Labour Impact category of PEI PNP, which is not aligned with the Express Entry system, requires the candidates to be either residing in Prince Edward Island at the time of application or have a full-time, long-term job offer from a PEI employer. The category has three streams–Skilled Workers (in PEI and outside Canada), International Graduates and Critical Workers.

PEI Expression of Interest:

As the first step for obtaining provincial nomination from PEI through the Express Entry category and Labour Impact category, a candidate must submit an Expression of Interest to the PEI PNP. The Expression of Interest profiles of those candidates who meet the eligibility criteria of the province will be entered into a pool of eligible candidates. Then each profile is ranked on the basis of the score determined by the unique points grid for each category. The highest ranking candidates are invited to apply for provincial nomination.

Canada PNP offers many options for eligible candidates to make Canada their permanent home. Get in touch with us to explore your options for Canada migration.

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) invited 180 candidates to apply for provincial nomination in the latest Alberta Express Entry stream draw held on July 5th. Candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score as low as 425 were invited in the draw.

Alberta Express Entry stream:

Alberta Express Entry stream allows Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) to look for candidates who meet the eligibility criteria of the province in the federal Express Entry pool. The candidates who are selected by AINP and who successfully obtain provincial nomination from Alberta would receive 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score points. With a higher CRS score, the invited candidates are guaranteed an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the federal Express Entry draw that follows.

To be eligible under the Express Entry stream of Alberta, the candidate does not need a job offer or previous work experience in the province. But the candidates must demonstrate strong ties to the province and work experience in an occupation that supports the economic development and diversification priorities of the province. However, Alberta does not have an in-demand occupations list.

In the Alberta Express Entry stream draw, candidates with the following advantages are given preference:

• A job offer and/or work experience in Alberta
• A degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution
• A valid job offer from an Alberta employer

AINP has conducted 17 Express Entry stream draws so far this year in which a total of 3996 candidates have been invited to apply for provincial nomination. The highest minimum CRS cut-off score in all these draws was 425. But this year, Alberta has invited candidates with CRS score as low as 300 to apply for nomination from the province. In three AINP Express Entry stream draws, the minimum CRS score was 301 while in another one, the minimum CRS score required was 302.

Canada PNP offers various options for Express Entry candidates, especially those with CRS low CRS scores. We can help you choose the best Canada PNP stream for you that would make the migration process faster and easier. Contact us for more information

The first ever Ontario Tech Draw held on July 12, 2019, is also the largest Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held so far. The draw held through the Human Capital Priorities (HCP) Stream of OINP issued invitations to apply for provincial nomination to 1623 tech workers in the Express Entry pool.

It was in the start of the current month, Ontario announced the introduction of tech-specific draws for international workers. To be eligible the tech workers must have an active Express Entry profile and work experience in one of the six designated NOC codes. The first Ontario Tech Draw has given a chance for 1623 Express Entry candidates and their families to migrate to Canada.

The candidates invited in the July 12 draw had Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores ranging between 439 and 459. Almost all Express Entry draws held recently had the CRS cut-off score hovering around 450. So a minimum CRS score requirement of 439 as in the July 12 Ontario Tech Draw offers the improved possibility for Express Entry candidates to obtain permanent residence in Canada.

The candidates who have received invitations from Ontario in the July 12 tech-specific draw can submit the complete application for provincial nomination. Those who successfully apply and obtain provincial nomination will receive an additional 600 CRS score points. It would guarantee them an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

Eligibility criteria :

To be eligible, the candidates must have an active Express Entry profile and meet the eligibility criteria for the Human Capital Priorities (HCP) Stream of OINP. They must also have work experience in one of the six targeted occupations. The occupations are:

Are you a skilled tech worker with relevant work experience? If yes, Canada is the right place for you to thrive in your career and life. Explore your options to migrate to Canada with our free eligibility assessment. 

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) invited a total of 1623 Express Entry candidates in the first Ontario Tech Draw held on July 12. The selected candidates had Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores ranging between 439 and 459. The draw further focused on candidates who had submitted their Express Entry profiles between July 12, 2018, and July 12, 2019.

Ontario Tech Draw:

Ontario announced the launching of the new Tech Draw in the beginning of this month. OINP is introducing Ontario Tech Draw with an aim to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in the technology sector of the province. Ontario is where some of the major tech hubs of Canada, namely Toronto, Ottawa and Waterloo, are located.

Express Entry candidates are invited to apply for provincial nomination in the Ontario Tech Draw through the Human Capital Priorities Stream. In order to be selected, the candidates need to meet certain eligibility criteria.

Ontario Tech Draw is held through the Human Capital Priorities Stream of OINP. Candidates are selected from the Express Entry pool on the basis of a number of eligibility factors. Though a job offer is not mandatory, the candidate needs to have at least one year of continuous paid full-time work experience or equivalent paid part-time work experience in one of the following six targeted occupations:

• Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)
• Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)
• Computer engineers (NOC 2147)
• Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)
• Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 2172)
• Computer and information systems managers (NOC 0213)

In order to be considered for invitation in the Ontario Tech draw, the candidate must first create an Express Entry profile. If invited, the candidate can submit the complete application for provincial nomination from Ontario. Those who receive nomination will also obtain an additional 600 CRS score points, which would ensure an invitation to apply for permanent residence in the subsequent Express Entry draw.

In the federal Express Entry draws that were held recently, the CRS cut-off score ranged between 438 and 470. Compared to that, a minimum CRS score requirement of 439 in the first Ontario Tech Draw gives more scope for those Express Entry candidates with lower CRS scores.

Canada is looking for tech workers with skills, qualifications and experience. If you wish to migrate to Canada, check your eligibility with our free eligibility test.

The highest number of invitations to apply for permanent residence was issued to Federal Skilled Workers in the year 2018, says the 2018 year-end report of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Express Entry.  The total number of Express Entry draws held in the year 2018 was 27 and a total of 89,800 ITAs (invitations to apply) were issued. 53 per cent of these ITAs went to Federal Skilled Workers (FSW). While the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) received 34 per cent of invitations, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) and Federal Skilled Trades (FST) applicants received 12 per cent and 1 per cent, respectively.

In 2018, Federal Skilled Workers received a total of 47,523 Express Entry ITAs, the highest since the launch of Express Entry system in 2015. In the year of Express Entry launch, the number invitations issued to Federal Skilled Workers was a mere 13,214. Since then, there has been a steady increase in the number of invitations received by Federal Skilled Workers.

Federal Skilled Workers :

The Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program is one of the three economic immigration programs of Canada managed under the Express Entry. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Class are the other two. For a candidate to be able to apply for permanent residence in Canada under the FSW program, he/she must meet certain eligibility criteria. These include work experience, level of education, age and language proficiency. The eligibility is assessed on the basis of a unique points grid and the candidate must score at least 67 points under the 100-point grid of the program to be eligible.

Minimum eligibility requirements for Federal Skilled Workers :

• At least one year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience acquired in the past 10 years in a skilled occupation classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level 0, A or B.
• Language proficiency level equal to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English/French in all the four abilities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)
• Canadian educational credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) /foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.

The candidates who meet all the criteria can create an Express Entry profile for the Federal Skilled Worker program. Each of these profiles will be assigned a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and the IRCC will invite the highest-scoring candidates to apply for permanent residence in the regularly conducted draws. Those who receive the invitation can submit the complete application for permanent residence within 60 days.

Express Entry offers a great option for foreign skilled workers to make Canada their permanent home. If you are interested in Canadian migration, take our free eligibility test to explore your options.

Ontario will hold targeted draws for Express Entry candidates with work experience in technology-related occupations through its Human Capital Priorities (HCP) stream. Express Entry candidates with work experience in one of six targeted tech-related occupations will be selected to be invited to apply for provincial nomination.

Ontario immigration:

The province of Ontario has been the most popular destination for newcomers in Canada for years. Around 65% of the candidates, who were admitted to Canada through Express Entry in 2018, had mentioned Ontario as their preferred destination.

High demand for tech workers:

Canada’s booming tech sector has high demand for skilled technology workers. According to estimates, the tech sector of Canada would need up to 220,000 skilled workers by 2021. As other regions of Canada, Ontario is also facing a dearth of technology workers.

Ontario will select eligible tech workers from the federal Express Entry pool through its Human Capital Priorities Stream. The six targeted technology occupations are:

• Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)
• Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)
• Computer engineers (NOC 2147)
• Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)
• Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 2172)
• Computer and information systems managers (NOC 0213)

Targeted occupations are decided on the basis of the current labour market needs of Ontario, after consulting with the employers and other stakeholders of the province. A job offer is not required for the candidates to be invited through Ontario’s Human Capital Priorities Stream. Usually, HCP invites candidates with a CRS score not high enough to be invited through Express Entry draws. Once the candidates who receive a Notification of Interest from the OINP, they can submit the complete application for provincial nomination within 45 days.

Nomination allocation for Ontario:

Each year, the federal government allocates a certain number of nominations for all provincial nominee programs. In the past six years, the number of nominations allocated to Ontario had a steady increase, with the allocation for the current year being 6900. As Canada has set higher admission targets through PNPs for the next two years, it is expected that the allocations will also increase further.

Are you a tech worker who is looking for a brighter career and quality life in Canada?  This is the right time for you to make your dream come true. Make the first move by contacting us now!