On April 23, Canada issued 2,095 invitations in a General Express Entry draw, marking the ninth General draw this year. It's also the third Express Entry draw this month, after we saw a general draw on April 10 and a category-based draw on April 11 targeting STEM candidates.
A total of 2,095 candidates were invited with scores starting at 529 CRS points.
Even with category-based draws set to attract a large share of invitations in 2024, IRCC is currently completing general draws around every two weeks. In other words, candidates who are not eligible for category-based draws are still being invited to apply through Canada’s Express Entry system, albeit with relatively high CRS cut off requirements.
Indeed, the CRS score in the April 23 draw is much lower than the preceding General draw of April 10, dropping 20 points from 549 to 529.
Remember, it could take up to 24 hours to receive an ITA. Keep an eye on your inbox if you think you may have been invited.
Watch our weekly recap here:
What happened in the latest Express Entry draws: our weekly analysis
General Draw: April 23, 2024
Though this draw witnessed a drop of 20 points in the cut-off threshold since the preceding General draw, the cut-off threshold was still in the typical range for a draw of this type and this size for this year so far. Of the most recent five General draws, four had cut-off thresholds between 524 and 535.
We recently learned that around 22 percent of Express Entry invitations in 2024 would be issued via General draws. It’s quite possible that some category-specific draws might be larger in size than General draws — recent draws for STEM candidates (April 11; 4,500 candidates invited) and French-proficient candidates (February 1; 7,000 candidates) were far larger in size than any General draw so far this year.
If General draws remain relatively moderate in size but frequent in their regularity, it seems likely that the cut-off threshold for General draws will remain above 500, and potentially comfortably above that threshold. Candidates with points totals around or below 500 and who are not eligible for category-specific draws can consider ways to improve their CRS score to improve their chances of being invited to apply.
STEM Draw: April 11, 2024
This is 2024’s first STEM draw! While it’s always tricky to predict when IRCC might conduct another draw, it does look like STEM draws will be a relatively rare occurrence – potentially taking place just once every 4-6 months. To put it in perspective, we’ve seen more French draws this year than we’ve had STEM draws since category-based draws were introduced last year.
General Draw: April 10, 2024
On Wednesday April 10, Canada issued 1,280 invitations in a General Express Entry draw. This draw comes with the highest CRS cut-off in 2024. It also ends the trend IRCC had set last month of conducting a draw every second Tuesday.
Given the relatively small number of candidates who were invited, it’s likely that the lion’s share of these invitations went to candidates with a CRS of over 600. There were 1,093 candidates in the pool with a CRS of 601+ on April 9, so that leaves around 187 invitations in this round for candidates with scores between 549 and 600.
Should We Expect a Trend for Low CRS Scores for General Draw?
With a total of 524 points, the general draw of March 25 marked the lowest CRS cut-off since October 10 of last year. Although the score increased to 549 on April 10, the draw of April 23 saw a return to lower scores with a cut-off of 529.
It’s important to remember that to get above the 500s in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) requires some additional points, such as those given with a validated job offer or a nomination in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
With newly-released Express Entry data, we know that most Express Entry candidates got permanent residency through the PNP in 2023. This finding further suggests how having a PNP can be a boon toward ones application for permanent residency.
In this general draw, at least 1,093 candidates had scores over 600, which likely indicates a PNP nomination which gives candidates an automatic bonus of 600 points. This means 187 candidates with scores between 501-600 were invited. There are 12,051 candidates within this CRS range in the Express Entry system pool on April 9, 2024, which indicates that there may be a significant number of Express Entry candidates (around 9,000) with scores between 501 and 548 in the pool currently.
Candidates can get additional points by having a provincial nomination from a PNP nomination, a qualifying job offer, bilingualism in English and French, or others.
The following table shows a breakdown of what is worth “additional points” for Express Entry:
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Provincial nomination obtained under an Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream/category | 600 |
| Qualifying job offer in Senior Management occupation under Major Group 00 of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)* | 200 |
| Qualifying job offer in any other skilled occupation (TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3)* | 50 |
| Completed one-year or two-year study program in Canada | 15 |
| Completed three-year/Master's/entry to practice professional degree or Doctorate (PhD) in Canada | 30 |
| French ability of CLB 7 or better AND English ability of CLB 4 or worse (or no English test result at all) | 25 |
| French ability of CLB 7 or better AND English ability of CLB 5 or better | 50 |
| Sibling in Canada** | 15 |
What is the recent trend in Express Entry Draws?
From the 14 draws so far in 2024, 8 were general, all program draws, the remaining 6 were category- based draws showing a pretty even split. Check out our recent draw graph below, you can see the CRS score for general draws slowly dropping.
What can we expect from future Express Entry Draws?
Express Entry categories 2024 will remain the same.
IRCC has issued an email update stating that it will maintain the same Express Entry categories in 2024, rolling the 2023 categories over.
The six Express Entry categories include: French language, healthcare workers, STEM workers, transportation workers, trades workers, and workers in agriculture and agrifood.
According to an internal IRCC memo, in 2024, priority will be given to the French proficiency category, with 30% of ITA’s going to those eligible for the French proficiency category, 25% will go to STEM occupations and 15% will go to Healthcare occupations. The remaining 30% will be divided between Trade occupations (5%), Transportation occupations (3%), Agricutural and Agri-food occupations (0.5%) and General draws (IRCC has not committed to a target for general draws the remaining 21.5% will likely go towards general draws).
Learn more about the specific occupations on Moving2Canada’s dedicated category-based Express Entry draw webpage.
Which Express Entry category is IRCC using most often?
Since Express Entry category-based draws were introduced last summer, 11,900 invitations have been issued through French language category draws. This dwarfs any other category, with the healthcare category in second with 9,100 invitations issued over the same period.
Canada recently increased its goal for francophone immigration outside Quebec, from 4.4 percent to 8 percent of all permanent residents. Canada’s immigration objectives extend beyond mere economic, with societal, nation-building goals also top of mind in Ottawa. Also, it is entirely possible for a candidate with French ability to also be a STEM, healthcare, or trades professional; regardless of which category, or none, candidates are invited through, they all have proven experience in skilled employment in some form or another.
Latest CRS Score Distribution- How does yours compare?
The following table shows the recent distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool. As of April 9, 2024, there were a total of 216,167 candidates in the Express Entry pool. The score distribution may change as people submit new profiles and other profiles expire, but can be used to give you an idea of competitive your CRS score is.
Want to improve your Express Entry CRS score? See our updated guide for tips you might not have thought of yet.
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Express Entry CRS score cut-off all-time records
In the history of Express Entry, the following CRS score cut-off records have taken place:
What is the lowest CRS score cut-off in any Express Entry draw:
- All programs: 413 points
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 75 points — this was an exceptional draw that invited all CEC candidates in the Express Entry pool
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST): 199 points
- Category-based: 336 points in a French draw
What is the highest CRS score cut-off in any Express Entry draw:
- All programs: 886 points
- PNP Draw: 902 points
A Complete History of Express Entry Draws
| Draw # | Date | Number of invitations to apply issued | Minimum CRS points required | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draw #293 | Apr 11 | 4500 | 491 | STEM |
| Draw #292 | Apr 10 | 1280 | 549 | -- |
| Draw #291 | Mar 26 | 1500 | 388 | French |
| Draw #290 | Mar 25 | 1980 | 524 | -- |
| Draw #289 | Mar 13 | 975 | 430 | Transportation |
| Draw #288 | Mar 12 | 2850 | 525 | -- |
| Draw # 287 | Feb 29 | 2500 | 336 | French |
| Draw # 286 | Feb 28 | 1470 | 534 | -- |
| Draw # 285 | Feb 16 | 150 | 437 | Agriculture |
| Draw # 284 | Feb 14 | 3500 | 422 | Healthcare |
| Draw # 283 | Feb 13 | 1490 | 535 | -- |
| Draw # 282 | Feb 1 | 7000 | 365 | French |
| Draw # 281 | Jan 31 | 730 | 541 | -- |
| Draw # 280 | Jan 23 | 1040 | 543 | -- |
| Draw # 279 | Jan 10 | 1510 | 546 | -- |
Express Entry Draw FAQs
How do Express Entry Draws work?
Once an applicant enter the Express Entry system, they are given a CRS score. Applicants are selected from the Express Entry pool during Express Entry draws, where IRCC issue invitations to apply (ITA) to candidates with the highest ranking CRS score.
How do IRCC determine the CRS cut off for each draw?
The CRS cut off is determined by the number of Express Entry profiles IRCC wish to issue an ITA to in the draw. Once they have determined the number of ITA’s they wish to issue, they simply invite that number starting with the highest ranking applicants and going down the list. The CRS cut off becomes the CRS cut off score the last invited applicant.
How do I calculate my Express Entry CRS score?
The CRS score for Express Entry is calculated based on factors such as skills, work experience, language ability, education, and other criteria. Moving 2 Canada’s CRS calculator will offer you a comprehensive and personalized breakdown of your points based on those key factors.
When is the next Express Entry draw predicted?
IRCC does not publish a date for the next Express Entry draw therefore it is not possible to know for certain when the next Express Entry draw will take place.
How often do Express Entry Draws happen?
Express Entry draws are less predictable that they once were. With the introduction of category- based draws, IRCC conduct multiple draws throughout the week, but tend to group the draws together to have one week of draws and one week without draws.
The quickest way to find out when an Express Entry draw has taken place is to create a free Moving2Canada account and sign up for our newsletter.
What time of the day do Express Entry Draws happen?
Like the frequency of draws, the time of day draws happen varies. IRCC use universal time, and general conduct draws in the afternoon.
What is the minimum score for Express Entry?
There is no minimum score needed to enter the Express Entry pool. Anyone, irrespective of their CRS can enter the Express Entry pool so long as they are eligible for an immigration program that uses the Express Entry pool. The only points requirement is that required to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW). Applicants who wish to immigrate through the FSW program must be able to demonstrate they score at least 67 points in the FSW eligibility grid.
What is the cut off score for Canada PR (Permanent residence)?
Express Entry profiles are selected from the Express Entry pool based on their CRS score. The CRS cut off score depends on the specific draw. For all program draws, the cut off will likely be around 500 whereas for category- based draws, the cut off can be substantially lower than this depending on the category. For example, French speakers in the Express Entry pool may be selected with a CRS cut off as low as 375.
What is the largest Express Entry draw?
The largest Express Entry draw took place on February 13th 2021 and saw 27,332 Canadian Experience Class applicants receive and ITA. The CRS cut off for this draw was 75. This draws remains the largest draw ever to have taken place and also holds the title of the lowest CRS score ever invited.
Will Canadian Experience Class or CEC draws continue?
With the introductions of category based Express Entry draws, IRCC will still hold program specific draws targeting applicants who qualify under a certain immigration program. This means that they will likely continue to hold Canadian Experience Class or CEC draws from the Express entry pool although it is not clear when the next CEC draw will take place. The last CEC draw took place on the 14th September 2021 and selected CEC applicants with a CRS of at least 462. Since this draw, IRCC have focused on all program draws, category based draws and provincial nominee program draws.
What to do if you receive an Express Entry invitation?
If you are invited, you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This is your chance to apply for Canadian immigration.
You have 60 days to respond to your ITA. Once you have submitted an application, you may receive a decision on your application at any time. IRCC’s standard is six months, but it may take more or less time.
If you are approved, you will get a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). Then it’s just a matter of following IRCC’s instructions to officially become a permanent resident of Canada!
To see if you are eligible for Express Entry, take the free Canada Immigration Quiz.
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