Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited candidates in the most recent Express Entry draw.

The department invited 1,548 candidates in a draw for Provincial Nominee Program candidates.

Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 776.

This draw follows the October 10 results in which 3,725 candidates received Invitations to Apply (ITAs)  in an all-program draw. Candidates needed a minimum CRS of 500.

Summary of Express Entry draws since June 2023

Express Entry candidates no longer require an upfront medical examination

As of October 1, this year, Express Entry candidates are no longer required to get an upfront immigrant medical examination (IME) before submitting their permanent resident application to IRCC.

An exam is still a requirement, but candidates may submit a blank document in the upload field of the Express Entry profile builder. IRCC will send further instructions regarding your medical exam later.

Those who already completed an IME as part of a different IRCC application, or are already living in Canada, do not need to complete a second IME.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an application management system that oversees the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Candidates in these programs are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The system ranks candidates based on their human capital attributes such as age, language ability, work experience, occupation, and education.

Each attribute is assigned a score and when combined, all scores are totalled up to a possible maximum of 1200. Candidates rarely score this high and most minimum CRS cut-off scores range between 350-550 (sometimes higher, depending on the type of draw). The candidates with the highest scores are the most likely to receive an ITA to apply to IRCC for permanent resident status.

What is category-based selection?

Earlier this year, IRCC introduced draw categories in which the CRS score is not the biggest deciding factor in issuing ITAs. A new law passed in June 2022 gives the immigration minister the authority to invite candidates who meet an economic need in Canada or help to promote the French language outside of question.

Accordingly, last May IRCC announced six new draw categories for Express Entry candidates who had either strong French abilities or work experience in:

• Healthcare;
• STEM professions;
• Trades;
• Transport;
• Agriculture and agri-food

So far, Canada has invited candidates through category-based selection draws 10 times since June, totaling over 10,000 ITAs. All candidates were already in the Express Entry pool.