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Ìý(IRCC) has issuedÌý (ITAs) in the fourth Ìýdraw of the week.Ìý

The department invited 400 candidates to apply in category-based selection draw for candidates in agriculture and agri-food occupations.

Candidates needed a minimumÌý (CRS) score of 386 to be eligible for an ITA.

This draw follows three others this week on December 18, 19 and 20. The December 18 draw was all-program and invited 1,325 candidates with a minimum CRS of 542.Ìý

On December 19, IRCC invited 1,000 candidates in the second category-based draw for trades occupations this year. Candidates required a minimum CRS score of 425. The first such draw took place on August 3 and invited 1,500 candidates.Ìý

Finally, on December 20, IRCC issued invitations to 670 candidates in a category-based selection draw for transport occupations. Candidates needed a CRS score of at least 435.Ìý

IRCC also invited candidates in three draws last week. On December 8, 5,900 candidates Ìýwith a minimum CRS of 481 received invitations in a category-based selection draw for candidates in STEM occupations. December 7th additionally saw a category-based draw for individuals with French language proficiency, inviting 1,000 candidates from the Express Entry pool with a minimum CRS of 470.

There was also an all-program draw on December 6 for candidates with a minimum CRS of 561. It was the first draw to take place in over a month. Before that, the most recent draw was a category-based selection draw for candidates in healthcare occupations on October 26.

IRCC did not confirm a cause for the temporary pause in draws although on November 14 the department tweeted that there was an IT issue with the Express Entry profile builder for candidates who had received an ITA and were trying to upload their final application to IRCC’s website.

Two days later on November 16, the department reported that the glitch had been fixed but draws did not immediately resume as was widely expected.

There are many possible reasons IRCC may delay an Express Entry draw, such as if they are already on track to meet targets for Express Entry candidates set out in the , IT issues, staffing changes, or updates to the Comprehensive Ranking System.

Summary of Express Entry draws since June 2023

Date	Draw Type	Number of ITAs	Minimum CRS
Dec 19	Trade occupations	1,000	425
Dec 18	All-program	1,325	542
Dec 8	STEM occupations	5,900	481
Dec 7	French language proficiency	1,000	470
Dec 6	All-program	4,750	561
Oct 26	Healthcare occupations	3,600	431
Oct 25	French language proficiency	300	486
Oct 24	PNP-only	1,548	776
Oct 10	All-program	3,725	500
Sept 28	Agriculture and agri-food occupations	600	354
Sept 27	French language proficiency	500	472
Sept 26	All-program	3,000	504
Sept 20	Transport occupations	1,000	435
Sept 19	All-program	3,200	531
Aug 15	All-program	4,300	496
Aug 3	Trade occupations	1,500	388
Aug 2	French language proficiency	800	435
Aug 1	All-program	2,000	517
July 12	French language proficiency	3,800	375
July 11	All-program	800	505
July 7	French language proficiency	2,300	439
July 6	Healthcare occupations	1500	463
July 5	STEM occupations	500	486
July 4	All-program	700	511
June 28	Healthcare occupations	500	476
June 27	All-program	4,300	486
June 8	All-program	4,800	486

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an application management system that oversees three prominent economic immigration programs: the (FSWP), the (CEC) and the (FSTP).

Express Entry uses the Comprehensive Ranking System to evaluate candidates based on their human capital factors and then assigns a score. Human capital factors could include work experience, language ability, education, age and occupation.

Those with the highest CRS score are the most likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in an upcoming Express Entry draw.

Once a candidate receives an ITA, they can then submit their application to IRCC. The department has a service standard of six months for processing Express Entry applications and issuing a final decision.

What is category-based selection?

Last May IRCC announced that it was introducing category-based selection rounds of invitations for Express Entry candidates.

Through these new rounds, IRCC targets candidates who have a specific, in-demand attribute that the immigration minister believes will help strengthen Canada’s workforce and economy. Among the six categories, one targets Express Entry candidates who demonstrate French language proficiency. The remaining five are for candidates who have work experience in a sector that is currently experiencing a labour shortage in Canada including:

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

ITAs issued in category-based selection rounds will count toward the targets for Federal High Skilled (Express Entry) workers in the Immigration Levels Plan. Over the next three years, Canada will admit up to 114,000 new each year through Express Entry by the end of 2025.