Canada has consistently been the choicest destination of millions of people due to abundant career opportunities, high standard of living, healthcare facilities, and many more, as the list of the reasons to choose Canada won’t be ending soon. Many candidates move to Canada under different categories with Express Entry Program. The express entry draws resumed on July 6, 2022, after being suspended during Covid-19 for almost two years. Since the time lockdown was lifted, the year has seen a breakthrough with more candidates being invited to Canada compared to the years gone by.
In brief, there have been 5 draws so far, with the recent draw claiming the highest number of invitations (2750 to be exact).
What is Express Entry Program?
This is a program set by the government of Canada under which various skilled workers migrate to the country for permanent residency. The whole process is evaluated on certain factors –
- Work experience
- English Proficiency
- Valid education credentials
After getting an invite certain other things are also needed which include –
- Police clearance certificate
- Medical examination
- Reference letters (if any)
- Identity documents
- Job letter (if any)
Skill holders can apply for the Express Entry program under three programs:
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
Apart from express entry, candidates can also apply for PR through Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). More than 80 PNP programs run overall, and there are 13 provinces offering PNP programs.
Some of the PNP programs in Canada are
- Quebec
- Ontario
- Manitoba
- Alberta
- Yukon
- Nova Scotia
- Saskatchewan
- British Columbia
- Northwest Territories
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Prince Edward Island
What is ITA?
ITA, an acronym for Invitation to Apply, is issued only when one meets a specific set of requirements, then enters the pool to apply for Canadian permanent residency. Although there are several variables that impact the decision of whether the invite be issued or not, CRS has the major factor influence on ITA. The likelihood of receiving an invitation for permanent residence in Canada increases with an increase in CRS.
Highlights of the 2022 Express Entry Program
- In the July draw, the highest CRS score has been 557, in which 1500 invites were issued.
- At a score of 542, the second draw marked an increase of 250 invites from the previous one.
- There has been a constant rise of 250 in the number of candidates receiving the invites each time in both the third and the fourth draw.
- While the latest draw has witnessed a significant increase of 500 invites at the CRS of 516.
- CRS ratings have been declining steadily in contrast to a number of invites.
| CRS Cuttoff Score | Invites Issued |
|---|---|
| 557 | 1500 |
| 542 | 1750 |
| 533 | 2000 |
| 525 | 2250 |
| 516 | 2750 |
What to expect further?
The Express Entry program will undergo several modifications over the course of the upcoming year, according to Immigration Minister Sean Fraser, bearing in mind the needs of the Canadian economy. This could lead to CRS becoming less significant in the upcoming years where the focus will majorly shift to a specific set of workers, work experience, education, and skills.
