Canada Issues 4,800 ITAs in General Express Entry Draw

Canada holds the first IRCC Express Entry draw of June 2023. This is the 14th Express Entry draw to be held so far this year, the 250th draw since Express Entry launched in 2015.

On June 8, 2023, Canada held another round of invitations under the Express Entry system that accepts and processes Canada PR applications from skilled workers.

A category-based selection process was recently announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). However, the latest Express Entry draw is a general draw wherein the highest-ranked from all 3 Express Entry programs were considered.

IRCC applied a tie-breaking rule of May 19, 2023 14:04:00 UTC to Express Entry Draw #250. Canadian immigration hopefuls that received invitations to apply in the latest EE draw by Canada were those who -

• Were eligible for any 1 of the 3 Express Entry programs,
• Had a ranking score of 486 and above, and
• Had created their profile before the tie-break applied.

You can create your Express Entry profile if you score at least 67 points on the Canada eligibility calculation. The next step involves a selection by IRCC, followed by an invitation to apply (ITA) that is issued to the candidate. You must submit your complete application within 60 days of receiving an invitation.

Am I eligible for Canada Express Entry?

There is no upper age limit for Express Entry. You must be at least 18 years old to apply. An age 47 years and above might not get you any points on the age factor, but you can generally avail higher points for more skilled work experience.

To make an Express Entry profile, you must score 67 points out of the 6 factors assessed -

• Language skills - maximum 28 points
• Education - maximum 25 points
• Work experience - maximum 15 points (for 6 years and above experience)
• Age - maximum 12 points (for age between 18 to 35 years)
• Job in Canada - maximum 10 points, and
• Adaptability or the probability of your successfully settling in Canada - maximum 10 points.

How are ITAs issued by IRCC for Express Entry?

All profiles in the IRCC Express Entry pool of candidates are ranked per a 1,200-points Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). For any round of invitations under Express Entry, IRCC -

1. Selects the type of round (general, program-specific, or category-based) to be held,
2. Decides the total number of invitations to be sent out,
3. Identifies the highest-ranking candidates from the pool that are eligible based on the specific criteria, and
4. Invites those selected candidates to submit their Canada PR visa applications.

Registering an Express Entry profile online is free of cost. It is a simple and straightforward process. However, to be able to submit your complete application, you must first receive an official invitation to apply. Not all Express Entry candidates are invited. A high CRS score can be achieved by securing a nomination from a provincial or territorial government under Canadian PNP.

With a category-based criteria introduced, CRS score might not matter that much in the future in every Express Entry round. For 2023, IRCC will be focusing on candidates with experience in occupations like STEM, healthcare, trade, transport etc.

Canada is among the top countries for people to migrate overseas. According to Express Entry Year-End Report 2021, “India has remained, by a large margin, the most common country of citizenship among principal applicants and their accompanying family members admitted to Canada through EE”. In 2021, India accounted for 53% of admissions through Express Entry.

Express Entry has a processing standard of within 6 months. All complete applications received by IRCC through Express Entry are processed in less than 6 months. A complete application has all information and with no documents missing.

The right guidance can make or break your Canada immigration dream. Get a free consultation to know your chances.