Mohanad Moetaz - 02 April, 2021
A total of 5,284 candidates were invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada's latest Express Entry draws on March 31 and April 1.
On March 31, Canada invited Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to apply for permanent residence. These candidates must have had a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of at least 778 to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
Those who receive a provincial nomination receive an additional 600 CRS points. This means that invited candidates needed only 82 core points to receive an ITA.
On April 1, Canada invited Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates to apply for permanent residence. Those invited in this draw needed a CRS score of at least 432 - that is 17 points lower than the last CEC-only draw.
Program-specific draws such as these became the norm after the Canadian government introduced temporary measures in March 2020 to slow the spread of the virus. Some of these measures include closing the border to non-essential travel and implementing travel restrictions.
Complete our FREE Express Entry form to see if you are eligible to immigrate to Canada!
Express Entry is the system that the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses to manage permanent residence applications for one of Canada’s three main economic-class programs
Many provinces and territories have their own immigration programs that are aligned with the federal Express Entry system.
Immigration candidates in the Express Entry system are given a CRS score. This point score is based on many parameters, such as their age, work experience, education, and their proficiency in French or English.
CRS points can be given to one individual or to a couple. Canada regularly invites the highest-scoring candidates in the Express Entry pool to apply for permanent residence.
After receiving an invitation, candidates are required to submit their applications, after which IRCC make a final decision. There may be processing delays due to COVID-19. If a candidate is successful, they will receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence and a visa on their passport if they require one. The final step would be to move to Canada and receive their Permanent Residence (PR) card.
These draws bring the total number of invitations issued so far in 2021 to 49,124. By the same time last year, this number was 22,600. This difference comes down to Canada's historic Express Entry draw, held on February 11, when a total of 27,332 CEC candidates were invited in a single draw. The minimum CRS score required for that draw was just 75.
Canada aims to invite many more people throughout the year to apply for permanent residence. The country is well on its way to meet its targets as per the Immigration Levels Plan. Canada is looking to welcome over 400,000 immigrants every year between 2021 and 2023. For 2021, Canada aims to welcome 108,500 immigrants under Express Entry. Canada is aiming to welcome 110,500 immigrants in 2022 and 113,750 in 2023.
Despite the COVID-related travel restrictions in place, candidates who wish to submit their Express Entry profile may still do so. IRCC continues to accept submissions to the Express Entry system.
Complete our FREE Express Entry form to see if you are eligible to immigrate to Canada!
