Finally, On July 6 Canada resumes all-program Express Entry draws after a hiatus of 18 months. Canada has issued invitations for skilled professionals for the first time since December 2020. Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser said in a recent interview that “they are pleased to officially resume and striving to get back to the standard of 6-months processing time. He also added, “We are grateful to all the candidates from across the globe for their patience, as we worked to reduce the backlog before resuming all-program Express Entry draws. We look forward to welcoming skilled professionals who are essential to fulfilling Canada’s labour shortages.”

First Express Entry Draw Since December 2020

IRCC has invited Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) applicants for the first time since the pandemic. The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applicants were also included in this all-program Express Entry draw. It is the first time since September 2021 that CEC applicants have been included in an Express Entry draw. IRCC (Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada) invited a total of 1500 Express Entry applicants to apply for permanent resident status. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score was 557.

Second Express Entry Draw Since December 2020

Canada welcomed 1,750 Express Entry applicants to apply for permanent residence on July 20. It is one of the main pathways through which Canada invites immigrants. This year, Canada targets to welcome 55,900 immigrants through Express Entry, and by 2024 the target will soar to 111,500. The invited applicants had a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 542. No program was specified in this draw, which means applicants from the Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Worker Program had equal chances to be invited.

In the latest all-program Express Entry draw, the CRS requirement was 15 points lower than the first draw held on July 6. Also, IRCC issued 250 more invitations in this draw compared to the previous round of 1500 invitations.

Between January and September 2021, Canada organized Provincial Nominee Program and Canadian Experience Class draws about every 15 days. After September 2021, Canada paused inviting CEC applicants due to a massive backlog and longer processing times.

However, Canada is back to organizing all-program Express Entry draws, more changes are forthcoming to this application management system. The reforms were suggested in the recently passed Bill C – 19 which is expected to come into effect by early 2023. After implementation, Canada will be able to hold targeted draws to invite applicants based on an economic goal. Applicants will be invited based on their work experience, education credentials, language proficiency, or other factors to fulfill the labour market needs.