Canada Holds Biggest PNP Only Draw Ever

Key Highlights:

• PNP Latest Draw
• Pandemic Still Affecting Express Entry Draws  

Canada recently invited close to 940 PNP candidates having a score of at least 711.

The invitees had previously earned a nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program(PNP). That's the reason the cutoff was relatively high at 711, as all the PNP applicants in the Express Entry pool will automatically get 600 points added to their score. 

Without the nomination, the lowest score is stuck at 11 points. According to the administrative requirements, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) tends to publish a cut-off time for the tie break rule, irrespective of any actual ties.

 In the recent draw, applicants having the minimum score were invited in case they have submitted their Express Entry Profile before February 16, 2021, at 09:06:30 UTC. 

In the earlier PNP only draw Canada invited close to 500 applicants, and the basic score requirement was 713 points. This draw almost surpassed the figures as the number of invites doubled and the cut-off score dropped 2 points.

Pandemic Still Affecting Express Entry Draws  

Since the beginning of 2021, IRCC has invited or held Express Entry draws targeting applicants who are likely to stay in Canada. The strategy is also a part of meeting Canada's immigration targets for the year.  

PNP along with Canadian Experience Class applicants are large in numbers who apply for permanent residency. This is because PNPs require work experience as criteria from the nominating province while CC candidates need to have at least 1 year of Canadian Work Experience. PNPs have higher score requirements close to 600, while CEC draws have lower score cutoffs.