On Sept. 28 Canada held its first-ever agriculture Express Entry draw.
A total of 600 candidates were invited to apply for permanent residence. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score cut-off was 354 CRS points.
That’s a lower CRS score than the previous record for a category-based Express Entry draw. The former record holder was a French draw on July 12 that only required 375 points.
The low cut off could be due to the fact that fewer candidates in the Express Entry pool are eligible for an invitation in agriculture and agrifood category-based draws. Only three occupatons are eligible, and a previous report suggested only 1-2 percent of Invitation to Apply (ITAs) would be issued to these candidates.
| Occupation | 2021 NOC code | 2021 TEER category |
|---|---|---|
| Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | 82031 | 2 |
| Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors | 82030 | 2 |
| Butchers- retail and wholesale | 63201 | 3 |
For those of you who may have been invited today, please note: It can take up to 24 hours for an ITA to appear in your IRCC account.
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The latest Express Entry draw analysis
Category-based draws tend to have low CRS cut-offs
Category-based draws are proving to have lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) requirements than all-program draws.
This week has illustrated this perfectly. On September 26, Canada invited 3,000 candidates in an all program draw and the minimum CRS score was 504. On September 27, just 500 candidates were invited and the CRS plummeted to 472.
The July 12 draw is another prime example of a low-scoring French draw. Canada invited 3,800 Express Entry candidates in a French category-based draw. The CRS cut-off was 375.
To put these low CRS scores into perspective, the lowest CRS cutoff ever was a CEC draw that invited candidates with scores as low as 75. The lowest all-program CRS cutoff was 413. The low CRS cutoff of the July 12 French draw shows that having French ability does greatly help your chances of being invited to apply through Express Entry.
Category-based Express Entry draws
In 2023, Express Entry candidates may be invited for one of the following six categories:
- French language proficiency
- Healthcare occupations
- STEM occupations
- Trade occupations
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and Agri-food occupations
To be eligible for the French-language proficiency category, you must have French-language test results that show a minimum score of 7 in all 4 language abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens.
For occupation-specific categories, you need to have full time work experience in an eligible occupation for a minimum of six months within the past three years, in conjunction with the minimum full time work experience to be eligible for Express Entry.
Learn more about the specific occupations on Moving2Canada’s dedicated category-based Express Entry draw webpage.
If you want to be one of the first people to find out about Express Entry updates, create a free Moving2Canada account and sign up for our newsletter.
For more information on Express Entry and other Canadian immigration options, check out these resources:
CRS Score Calculator
PNP Live Tracker: The latest results & eligibility
Immigration Quiz: Find the best immigration program
Get your questions answered by an expert
CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool
The following table shows the recent distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool. As of September 26, there were a total of 214,000 candidates in the Express Entry pool. The score distribution may change as people submit new profiles and other profiles expire.
Want to improve your Express Entry CRS score? See our updated guide for tips you might not have thought of yet.
When will the next Express Entry draw take place?
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.
However, IRCC has historically tended to conduct Express Entry draws every two weeks on Wednesdays. That being said, Express Entry draws can, and do, take place on other days of the week, and sometimes there is a longer or shorter gap between one Express Entry draw and the next draw.
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.
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:
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: 354 points in an Agriculture draw
Highest CRS score cut-off in any Express Entry draw:
- All programs: 886 points
- PNP Draw: 902 points
Express Entry draw list by year
| Date | Number of invitations to apply issued | Minimum CRS points required | Category | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draw 267 | Sept 28 | 600 | 354 | Agriculture |
| Draw 266 | Sept 27 | 500 | 472 | French |
| Draw 265 | Sept 26 | 3,000 | 504 | -- |
| Draw 264 | Sept 20 | 1,000 | 435 | Transport |
| Draw 263 | Sept 19 | 3,200 | 531 | -- |
| Draw 262 | Aug 15 | 4,300 | 498 | -- |
| Draw 261 | Aug 3 | 1,500 | 388 | Trades |
| Draw 260 | Aug 2 | 800 | 435 | French |
| Draw 259 | Aug 1 | 2,000 | 517 | -- |
| Draw 258 | July 12 | 3,800 | 375 | French |
| Draw 257 | July 11 | 800 | 505 | -- |
| Draw 256 | July 7 | 2,300 | 439 | French |
| Draw 255 | July 6 | 1,500 | 463 | Healthcare |
| Draw 254 | July 5 | 500 | 486 | STEM |
| Draw 253 | July 4 | 700 | 511 | -- |
| Draw 252 | June 28 | 500 | 476 | Healthcare |
| Draw 251 | June 27 | 4,300 | 486 | -- |
| Draw 250 | June 8 | 4,800 | 486 | -- |
| Draw 249 | May 24 | 4,800 | 488 | -- |
| Draw 248 | May 10 | 589 | 691 *PNP-only draw | -- |
| Draw 247 | Apr 26 | 3,500 | 483 | -- |
| Draw 246 | Apr 12 | 3,500 | 486 | -- |
| Draw 245 | Mar 29 | 7,000 | 481 | -- |
| Draw 244 | Mar 23 | 7,000 | 484 | -- |
| Draw 243 | Mar 15 | 7,000 | 490 | -- |
| Draw 242 | Mar 1 | 667 | 748 *PNP-only draw | -- |
| Draw 241 | Feb 15 | 699 | 791 *PNP-only draw | -- |
| Draw 240 | Feb 2 | 3,300 | 489 *FSW-only draw | -- |
| Draw 239 | Feb 1 | 893 | 733 *PNP-only draw | -- |
| Draw 238 | Jan 18 | 5,500 | 490 | -- |
| Draw 237 | Jan 11 | 5,500 | 507 | -- |
Express Entry Canada requirements
Express Entry is one of Canada’s main immigration pathways. It is designed to make it quicker for immigrants with skilled work experience to get Canadian permanent residence.
First off, let’s dispel a common mistake. Express Entry is not an immigration program. Rather, it is an online application management system for these three Canadian immigration programs:
You need to meet the minimum requirements of at least one of the three Express Entry programs, mentioned above, in order to get a profile in the Express Entry pool of candidates.
Once you are deemed eligible, you will get a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Your score is based on factors that are determined by the Canadian government to be important for successful economic immigration in Canada. Namely, the four general points categories include:
- Age: top points are awarded to candidates between ages 20-29
- Language proficiency: the higher your language level the more points you get, topping out at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 10 in all language abilities
- Education: the greater your education, the more points you get (foreign credentials require an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA))
- Work experience: in a skilled occupation according to the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.
You may receive additional points for skills transferability factors, having a valid job offer, education in Canada, or a provincial nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Also, your points distribution will be different depending on if you are applying solo or with your spouse/common-law partner.
After you get your score, you may need to keep your profile updated. The Express Entry system counts your points based on the documents submitted to your profile. For example, if your language test results expire, you will need to submit new ones.
Other than keeping your profile current, the next thing you need to do is wait to be invited in an Express Entry draw. The types of draws you may be invited for include:
- All-program draws: which consider candidates who may be eligible for any program and from any occupation.
- Program-specific draws: which target candidates who may be eligible for one particular program, such as CEC draws or PNP draws.
- Category-based draws: for candidates whose profiles fit an economic goal set out by the government, such as for language ability or occupation.
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, check out Moving2Canada’s CRS Calculator or take the free Canada Immigration Quiz.
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