699 PNP candidates invited in Fifth Express Entry draw of 2023 which was held by IRCC on 15th January with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 791.
The draw was only applicable to the Provincial Nominee Program candidates. Following the results on February 1 and February 2, this was the third program-specific draw of 2023. Only the candidates who had already received provincial nomination are invited in the February 1 draw, and the draw on 2 February was specific to the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).
The Draw Pattern has yet to Be Established
Express Entry draws occur every two weeks on Wednesday usually. There is a significant deviation in the draws so far in 2023, from the patterns established before the COVID-19 pandemic and the latter half of 2022. There have been some notable differences in how draws are conducted since the first Express Entry draw on January 11.
For example, the draw on January 11 took place after an unexpected pause of 6 months, it was implied by IRCC that this was due to an IT system glitch caused by the implementation of NOC 2021. Only a week later, the next draw took place on January 18. Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued were the same as on January 11 but with a significantly lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
IRCC waited for 2 weeks for the next draw on February 1 which occurred as expected. It was not an all-program draw which made it unique. Only the candidates who had already received a nomination under a Provincial Nominee Program were issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Since July 2022, IRCC had not had a PNP-only draw.
IRCC resumed all program draws at this point at this point, which had been paused between January 2021 and July 2022 due to pandemic restrictions and border closures. When IRCC issued invitations to candidates in the FSWP, the most recent draw was the next day on February 2. There has never been an FSWP-only draw since Express Entry began in 2015 which is why it was significant. Under Express Entry, the FSWP is one of the most prominent immigration pathways.
No law in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act dictates the number of candidates, minimum CRS cut-off score, and when draws will occur. Draws could take place once every several months or daily if the minister deems that it is the best way for Canada to meet its economic priorities.
Express Entry
The application management system for three Canadian immigration programs, Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP) is known as Express Entry. To rank candidates’ profiles, a point-based system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is used by Express Entry.
Invitations to Apply are received by top-scoring candidates who can apply for permanent residency. The application is reviewed by an IRCC officer after the candidate applies, he will decide whether the application can be approved or not. The candidate will be a permanent resident of Canada once this is complete.
