4750 candidates invited in CEC-specific Express Entry draw of January 7

In yet another Express Entry draw held in a gap of just one day, Canada invited 4750 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates to apply for permanent residence. The minimum required Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 461. In the first Express Entry draw of 2021, which was held on January 6, Canada had invited 250 provincial nominees with a minimum score of 813 to apply for permanent residence.

However, it is difficult to predict if the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) will return to program-specific draws as in the last year, when Canada closed its borders for the first time following the outbreak of the pandemic. During that period, between March and August, IRCC used to hold CEC draws shortly after PNP-specific draws. The number of two draws combined used to make a round figure. However, IRCC returned to all-program draws towards the end of 2020, when the number of invitations issued increased and the CRS cut-off scores declined. Compared to all-program draws, CRS cut-off score is generally low in CEC-specific draws because of a smaller pool of candidates.
A tie-break rule, a method for ranking candidates with the same CRS score on the basis of the date and time when their profiles were created, was applied in the January 7 draw too. The time stamp given was September 12, 2020, at 20:46:32 UTC. It means only those candidates with a CRS score of 461, who submitted their profiles before the said date and time, were invited in the draw. The total number of invitations issued in the first two Express Entry draws of 2021 combined is 5000. As per the Immigration Levels Plan of Canada for 2021 to 2023, the country will be admitting 110000 Express Entry immigrants in the year 2021.

Canada Express Entry system

Express Entry system of Canada manages applications for immigration under the three major economic immigration programs of the country, which are the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Besides, most of the Provincial Nominee Programs have at least one stream or category aligned to the Express.
To receive an invitation in a federal Express Entry draw, a candidate must first create an Express Entry profile. Each profile is then as assessed and awarded a Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS)score based on various eligibility factors such as age, education, language proficiency etc. Candidates with the highest scores are invited to apply for permanent residence in Canada in the draws that are conducted regularly. The candidates with a provincial nomination are awarded 600 additional CRS score points.

Express Entry draws in 2021

Are you eligible to apply for Canada immigration through Express Entry? Contact CanApprove to know your eligibility.