Minimum score up slightly in third Express Entry draw of 2016

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Canada conducted its third Express Entry draw of the year Wednesday, issuing 1,468 invitations to apply for permanent residence.

What does the change mean? The minimum score among invitees was 457 points, up slightly from the minimum score of 453 Jan. 13. On the whole, minimum scores have declined steadily in the past eight draws, from a high of 489 in October.

• Implementation time frame: Ongoing.
• Visas/permits affected: Permanent residency through Express Entry.
• Who is affected: Canadian employers sponsoring foreign nationals through one of four skilled migration programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program.
• Business impact: The minimum qualifying score was less than 600, indicating that some candidates were issued invitations to apply without having an LMIA-supported job offer or provincial nomination.

Background: In 2015, Canada issued 31,063 invitations to apply through Express Entry. Officials have projected a greater number of invitations to apply in 2016.

So far this year, Canada has issued 4,449 invitations to apply:

BAL Analysis: BAL expects the qualifying scores to drop compared with 2015 as the number of invitations per month is expected to grow to 5,000 in 2016, compared with only 2,500 to 3,000 per month in 2015.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Canada. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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