Express Entry: CRS Points Requirement Remains at Lowest Ever Level in Latest Draw

The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points needed in order to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian immigration has remained at its lowest ever level. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) issued 1,530 ITAs in the eighteenth draw from the Express Entry pool, which took place on October 2. Candidates in the pool with 450 or more CRS points were invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence. CIC aims to process complete applications within six months, with applicants and their families then able to complete the Canadian immigration process by landing in Canada as permanent residents.

The previous Express Entry draw, which took place on September 18, marked a landmark moment in the short history of the Express Entry selection system, as it was the first occasion where the CRS requirement had dipped to 450, a cut-off point that was repeated for the eighteenth draw. Consequently, each candidate who received an ITA in the eighteenth draw had either entered the Express Entry pool at some stage over the previous two weeks or increased his or her CRS score in that time. While a number of candidates who received an ITA did so without obtaining a qualifying job offer or enhanced provincial nomination certificate, many other candidates have taken advantage of one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) that have offered an Express Entry stream so far this year.

Moreover, many candidates for Canadian immigration through Express Entry have spent time networking and making contact with Canadian employers in their field, leading to them receiving qualifying job offers. If a candidate in the pool obtains a qualifying job offer or an enhanced provincial nomination certificate, he or she is awarded 600 CRS points and will receive an ITA at a subsequent draw from the pool. Over recent weeks and months CICnews.com has featured PNPs in the provinces of Ontario and Saskatchewan, as well as the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In addition, it was announced recently that Nova Scotia has been given an increased allocation for its Express Entry streams.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIWtQlg-5ZU

PNPs are a dynamic and constantly evolving set of immigration programs, and candidates are encouraged to remain updated on them regularly. Candidates can also increase their CRS score by improving language proficiency, gaining additional work experience, and/or completing an education credential.