IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Canada conducted its 26th Express Entry draw of the year Wednesday, issuing 3,900 invitations to apply for permanent residency, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 445.

Analysis & Comment: Wednesday’s draw marked the sixth consecutive draw in which 3,900 invitations were issued. The minimum CRS score was 445, the same as last month’s draw. The overall trend remains positive for Express Entry applicants, with Canada continuing to issue a high number of invitations for permanent residence.

Background: The Express Entry system prioritizes permanent residence candidates in four skilled migration programs—Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program—on a points system that considers such factors as current job offer, education, skills, work experience and age, among others. Candidates register their profiles online through the Express Entry system. Draws are conducted roughly every two weeks, usually for all four categories but sometimes limited to one or two of them. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration publishes the results of each draw, indicating the number of invitations for permanent residence that are issued and the minimum score needed to earn an invitation. Individuals who receive an invitation must apply for permanent residency within 60 days. Under tie-breaking rules, applicants with the same Comprehensive Ranking System score are ranked according to the date and time they submitted their profiles, highlighting the importance of submitting Express Entry profiles as early as possible.

The following chart lists the Express Entry Draws to date in 2018:

Date               Invitations Minimum Score
Jan.10 2,750 446
Jan. 24 2,750 444
Feb. 7 3,000 442
Feb. 21 3,000 442
March 14 3,000 456
March 26 3,000 446
April 11 3,500 444
April 25 3,500 441
May 9 3,500 441
May 23 3,500 440
May 30 700* (500 Federal Skilled Trades; 200 Provincial Nominees) 288 (Federal Skilled Trades); 902 (Provincial Nominees)
June 13 3,750 451
June 25 3,750 442
July 11 3,750 442
July 25 3,750 441
Aug. 8 3,750 440
Aug. 22 3,750 440
Sept. 5 3,900 440
Sept. 19 3,500 441
Sept. 24 400** 284
Oct. 3 3,900 445
Oct. 15 3,900 440
Oct. 29 3,900 442
Nov. 15 3,900 449
Nov. 28 3,900 445
Dec. 12 3,900 445

*Draw limited to two programs
**Draw limited to Federal Skilled Trades program

This alert was prepared by Garson LLP, an independent law firm, allied with Deloitte LLP in Canada.