Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the first draw of 2024 on January 10, 2024 with a cut-off Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) of 546. This was a General Draw for all permanent residency programs. 1,510 invitations were issued.

A general draw encompasses all subcategories of Express Entry including Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an online system through which Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) manages candidates for Canada's three economic classes of immigration:

Candidates are given a score out of 1,200. The score is based on various criteria such as age, occupation, family status, job offer in Canada, work experience, language ability and education, to name a few.

There are draws from the pool through the year, which we monitor closely and provide ongoing evaluation and advice regarding your submission to increase your chances of selection.

The highest-scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence through the online Express Entry system. Once an application is submitted, IRCC will review and process the application and make a final decision.

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)

Each Province has a Provincial Nominee Program. Each Province's economic growth depends on having enough skilled and qualified people to meet labor market needs. The PNP is a way for high-demand foreign works and experienced entrepreneurs to gain permanent residency in a particular province in Canada.

Each province has different pathways through with candidates can apply, including skilled workers, International Graduates, entrepreneurs and French-speaking skilled workers, to name a few. Each province also has PNP pathways that link to the Federal Express Entry system.

Immigration Targets

According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024, Canada will welcome over 111,500 new Express Entry immigrants and grant them status as permanent residents by 2024. These targets have been increased recently to account for the critical labour market shortages in Canada. In 2022, Canada welcomed 55,900 high-skilled immigrants through Express Entry.

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