Express Entry #174: 4,626 ITAs are issued in the new draw
Canada held its 174th Express Entry draw on January 21. A total of 4,626 ITA are issued.
This was the second invitation round held in two days. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in this round was 454.
A total of 4,626 candidates are invited by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in the January 21 draw and they needed a minimum score of 454.
Today’s CRS cut-off score was seven points lower than the previous CEC-specific draw held on January 7, which had a CRS cut-off score of 461.
Canada’s main three categories are managed under the Express Entry System are: –
In the Express Entry system, eligible candidates for the FSWC, FSTC, CEC programs, and some Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates are scored based on the Comprehensive Ranking System, or CRS.
Candidates are ranked in the pool based on the CRS that considers 4 main factors: –
- Age
- Education
- Skilled work experience
- Proficiency in English or French
While a job offer is not required in order to be eligible under the Express Entry system, the CRS does award additional points to candidates who have one.
Candidates who receive a provincial nomination through Express Entry get an additional 600 CRS points which essentially guarantees they will obtain an ITA.
IRCC is yet to hold an all-program draw in 2021.
The return to PNP- and CEC-specific draws is a strong sign that IRCC will rely heavily on Express Entry candidates currently in Canada to try and achieve its immigration targets for 2021. At the same time, it does appear strongly likely that FSWP and FSTP candidates will also be considered for Express Entry draws in 2021, even during the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, IRCC held PNP- and CEC-specific draws when the pandemic began but ended 2020 by holding numerous all-program draws, enabling FSWP and FSTP candidates to also obtain ITAs.