Canada has conducted a first all-program Express Entry draw since December 2020, issuing 1,500 Invitations to Apply.

The July 6 draw – the first to invite overseas candidates in 19 months – required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 557 points.

The previous all-program draw took place on December 23, 2020, with 5,000 ITAs issued and a minimum score of 468 points.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada stopped conducting all-program and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws after allowing the buildup of a huge backlog of applications.

With the backlog of high-skilled applications significantly reduced, all-program draws have returned. New applications following these latest invitations will be processed in six months. Candidates have a 60-day window to submit their applications.

Canada has so far issued 10,865 invitations in 2022.

IRCC issued a record 114,431 ITAs in 2021, all to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and PNP candidates. It beat the previous record of 107,350 set in 2020.

The latest draw saw the tie-breaking rule implemented on November 12, 2021, at 10.20pm EST. If more than one candidate had the minimum CRS score, only those who submitted their Express Entry profiles before this date and time received invitations.

This was the 14^th round of invitations under Express Entry in 2022 and 226^th overall.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced on April 22 that the federal high-skilled backlog had been cut by more than half, from nearly 112,000 in September 2021 to 48,000 in March 2022. The backlog has dropped further since that date,

It means that Canada can once again start issuing Invitations to Apply to skilled worker candidates both already in the country and from overseas. 

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an immigration system implemented by Canadian immigration authorities (IRCC) on January 1, 2015 which manages skilled worker applications under Federal Economic programs. This includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program the Canada Experience Class and parts of the Provincial Nomination Programs.

Stakeholders expect to see high numbers of invitations return in July as Canada builds towards its target of 431,645 new permanent residents in 2022. CRS scores remain difficult to predict with program-specific draws during the COVID-19 crisis.

With the coronavirus crisis striking in March 2020, Canada switched to program-specific draws aimed at Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program candidates. This had the affect of significantly increasing the number of individual draws beyond previous years.

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What Is A Good Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System Score?

What Can Employers Do to Recruit Foreign Workers?

Employers are encouraged to consider securing an LMIA or nomination under provincial nomination programs (PNPs) to ensure long term retention of employees.

At immigration.ca we provide Canadian employers with unparalleled immigration legal services and recruitment of foreign nationals through our in-house Global Recruiters of Montreal, GRNMontreal.com and skilledworker.com. We bring qualified candidates to Canada in the shortest time possible. Employers in a wide range of industries can directly benefit from our unique position as one of Canada’s leading immigration firms in the industry, with a strong online presence, to meet both their recruitment and immigration requirements.

Interested employers wishing to seek our assistance are invited to contact us here for further information.

What Should Candidates Do Next?

Given the coronavirus crisis, it is difficult to predict what CRS scores will be required to secure an ITA in 2022. Scores dropped as low as 75 for a record CEC draw in 2021.

However, securing an approved offer of employment is highly recommended. Watch our Facebook livestream video on how to find jobs in Canada from overseas.

We offer all our individual clients with excellent employment services as well as a 60-minute Live, Face-to-Face LinkedIn tutorial on how to find jobs in all areas of Canada.

Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free online evaluation. We will provide you with your evaluation results within 1-2 business days.

Resources:

• Immigration.ca News Articles – A daily news source outlining the latest developments in immigration, employment and the economy with commentaries by Attorney Colin Singer.
• At skilledworker.com we are dedicated to developing long-term strategic alliances with client companies and candidates alike. We strictly adhere to our guiding principles of honesty, integrity and confidentiality.

Colin R. Singer is immigration counsel for www.immigration.ca and Managing Partner of Global Recruiters of Montreal, GRNMontreal.com, as well as skilledworker.com. He is one of Canada’s foremost senior corporate immigration attorneys. Colin is internationally recognized as an experienced and recommended authority on Canadian immigration and foreign recruitment. In addition to being licensed human resources professional, he is a licensed Canadian lawyer in good standing with the Quebec Law Society for more than 25 years and is authorized by the Canadian government in all immigration matters.