In the third quarter of 2018, Canada Express Entry has set a few records. Express Entry issued the highest number of invitations to apply (ITAs) during this period, which was marked by larger draw sizes but higher CRS score requirements.
Canada Express Entry: New records
Over the months of July, August and September 2018, Canada Express Entry issued a total of 22,800 ITAs. It is the highest number of ITAs to have issued in a third quarter, ever since the Express Entry came into existence in 2015.
In the month of June alone, a total of 7500 ITAs were issued over two draws, which in itself is a record. This trend continued in July and August as well, and 7500 ITAs were issued in these months too.
Interestingly, in the month of September, the number of ITAs issued rose to 7800. In the draw held on September 5, IRCC issued 3900 ITAs, the highest number of ITAs to have issued in a single draw in 2018 till then.
Large draw sizes
IRCC maintained the draw sizes large in July and August, and it was the continuation of the trend set by the IRCC in December 2017. Since then IRCC has been gradually increasing the size of draws by 250 or 500. IRCC issued 3,750 ITAs in each of the four invitation rounds held in July and August. But in September, draw size came down from 3900 to 3500.
In line with the Plan
Throughout the third quarter of 2018, CRS score requirements for all-program Canada Express Entry draws remained in the 440-445 range. Experts observe that IRCC will surpass the total number of ITAs issued last year, if the draw sizes are continued to be maintained large. As per the Multi-Year Immigration Levels Plan of Canada, the government is planning to admit 74,900 immigrants in 2018.
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