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How are express entry drawings differing in 2024 from 2023?

How are Express Entry drawings differing in 2024 from 2023?

So far in 2024, the Express Entry system has undergone significant adjustments.

From normal updates with proof of finances criteria and Immigration Minister Marc Miller’s declared plan to hold additional “domestic draws” for Express Entry candidates—to dramatically higher Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores and a month-long draw halt for chances to Immigrate To Canada.

What is the precise definition of CRS?

To clarify, CRS stands for Comprehensive Ranking System. Are you aware that the Canadian government is using a merit-based scoring system to evaluate immigration applications, assigning a score for every applicant in the Express Entry pool? Positive! The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) refers to the points method used to evaluate individuals, and the CRS score is the specific number of points allocated to each person. To determine your CRS Score, use this tool – https://ircc.canada.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/crs-tool.asp

During the first six-month period of 2023, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted 13 Express Entry draws, granting 49,948 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to persons seeking immigration who successfully fulfilled the requirements for permanent residence in Canada.

There are three kinds of immigration programs to Immigrate To Canada: general (including the FSWP, CEC, and FSTP), provincial (PNP), and FSWP-specific.In 2023, IRCC used the label “No Program Specified” to denote a generic draw.

In the first six months of 2024, IRCC ( Immigration Refugee And Citizenship Canada) administered 19 Express Entry lotteries, granting 41,855 ITAs to immigration applicants wanting to Immigrate To Canada.

There are the following draw types: Occupational categories include general, French language proficiency, healthcare, agriculture, transportation, STEM, PNP, and CEC-specific.

Additional draw types for 2024 are a result of Express Entry category-based decisions. This is an experiment in the Express Entry system which permits candidates who qualified in one of six categories to be called to make an application for Canadian permanent residency (PR) based on their inclusion, with a lesser value put on CRS scores in certain cases.

Between the two years, multiple intriguing divisions have developed.

Despite the previous year (48,948 in 2023 vs. 41,855 in 2024).

The rise in both the number of and kind of draws is likely related to Canada’s new category-based selection drawings, which started in the later part of 2023. These extra draw kinds may also influence the cut-off scores and draw sizes of general draws since they affect the makeup of the Express Entry pool of IRCC ( Immigration Refugee And Citizenship Canada)

Filtering just general draws throughout the two years, we may discover the draw rate, average CRS cut-off, and draw volume of general draws in the first half of 2023:

In the year 2023, there were 8 general draws with an average of 5475 ITAs granted and a cut-off score of 489. These vary significantly from draw sizes and cut-off scores in the equivalent six months of 2024.

In 2024, there were 9 general draws, with a median of 1605 ITAs granted and a cut-off score of 536. So, although Express Entry in 2024 had more sketches overall in the primary half of 2024, the average draw number dropped, with the department sending 7,000+ fewer invites between January and June of 2024.

Additionally, we have noticed that the average CRS score cut-off (excluding category-based selection draws) in 2024 is about 50 points greater than the average for general drawings throughout the same time in 2023.

Express Entry in 2024 is going to be responsible for 7,000 fewer ITAs granted as compared to the first six months of 2023.

This shifting situation becomes more important when looking at the IRCC’s ( Immigration Refugee And Citizenship Canada) immigration levels method announced a year ago. Following to the proposals, Express Entry would be allotted 110,770 slots in 2024. This is roughly thirty thousand more than the target for Express Entry in 2023, which was set at 82,800.

For instance, these objectives are not for ITAs, but for landings (when a new permanent resident from a different nation comes to Canada for the first time, or when a new permanent resident previously in Canada completes their transition to PR status, in both cases establishing their newly acquired status in the country).

Considering applicable processing and travel periods, IRCC ( Immigration Refugee And Citizenship Canada) is likely to forecast that many immigrants will find themselves in Canada within a year after receiving their ITA. As an instance, the quantity of ITAs provided in the later half of 2023 will be considered for landings in 2024, which is going to contribute to the landings objective established by the IRCC for the 2024 immigration levels plan. IRCC’s established service standard for processing all Express Entry applications is six months.

In 2023, IRCC ( Immigration Refugee And Citizenship Canada) granted 110,226 ITAs using the Express Entry mechanism to reach the levels plan objective. With a greater level plan allocation this year (and in 2025), the immigration agency can apply for more ITAs to satisfy its general immigration targets. This statistic, along with the fact that IRCC ( Immigration Refugee And Citizenship Canada) has granted 7,000 fewer ITAs this year than in 2023, might lead to an Express Entry system with more frequent or bigger draws for the rest of 2024. Still, this is just one conceivable conclusion.

As the famous saying by ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus goes, “Change is the only constant.” This wise saying reverberates even more so within the boundaries of Canadian immigration policies. For those of us dedicated to toiling, often day and night, for the securing of work permits or the surmounting of the intricacies involved in applying for any papers may it be Canada Visa Spousal Sponsorship, LMIA, Open or Closed work permits, study permit, or even permanent residency, there always seems to be the added element of adjusting to new policy changes along this journey.

There have been numerous changes to immigration policies in Canada over the last number of years. The changes have been a reaction to the dynamic nature of the country’s socio-economic landscape and its position within the global community. Some of the most prominent include economic needs, labour markets, political climates, and international relations that seem to continue setting the nature and character of such policies.

Recent changes have involved refocusing on more skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and international students for sustaining economic growth and innovation in Canada.

One needs to be updated as professionals in this regard. With every change in policy comes new opportunities and challenges.Mastering these changes means actively being involved in constant learning, keeping current with policy changes, and understanding what change means for our clients. Embracing Heraclitus’ philosophy will thus enable us to do better service to the thousands who come to Canada for new opportunities and assurances that the information given is the most current and updated.

There is no clearer way of putting it: just as Heraclitus recognized the inevitability of change, we must understand how Canadian immigration policy does so. Of course, this would not only serve our clients with the best professional knowledge but also strongly reinforce our commitment to supporting Canada’s growth and diversity through skilled immigration.