“7,000 applicants with a minimum CRS score of 490 are invited by IRCC. Since January 18, this is the first all-program draw.”

Invitations were sent to 7,000 candidates by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 490.

This draw’s ITA total surpasses the previous high of 5,500 applicants invited in the most recent all-program draw on January 18. Candidates from all three Express Entry programs—the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class—are taken into account in an all-program draw (CEC).

This draw deviates from the trend of program-specific draws that had been happening over the previous two months. There have been four program-specific rounds of invites since the last all-program draw, three for PNP-only candidates and one for FSWP candidates. Only 697 individuals earned ITAs from the most recent draw, which was PNP-only, on March 1.

Between July and November 2022, all Express Entry draws were all-program draws that each welcomed over 1,000 applicants. As the minimal CRS score dropped, the number of applicants increased until 2023.

Express Entry data for 2021 is made available by IRCC:

Express Entry data for 2021, which was a special year in the program’s history, is summarised in a recent IRCC report.

All programme draws were put on hold beginning in December 2020 in order to reduce the backlog brought on by COVID-19-related travel restrictions and border closures. Up to September 2021, when CEC draws were also halted, IRCC issued ITAs to applicants in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

In total, 114,431 ITAs were awarded in 2021. In 2021, there were no draws for the entire Fast Entry pool. No ITAs were given to FSWP or Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) applicants in any of the 42 Express Entry drawings, which were all program-specific for the PNP and the CEC.

64% of ITAs were given out to people between the ages of 20 and 29. Candidates in this age bracket are awarded 100 CRS points under the Comprehensive Ranking System. As a candidate turns 30, they are awarded fewer points.

Due to the interruptions, the bulk of ITAs were given to applicants who were already temporary residents of Canada. Nonetheless, some ITAs were still given to candidates who were foreign nationals. These were the top five nationalities:

Canada has issued 102,806 ITAs.

India has issued 3,826 ITAs.

Nigeria has received 1,432 ITAs.

U.S.: 806 ITAs were issued

China People’s Republic: 687 ITAs were issued