The Current State of Express Entry in July 2024: Live Webinar

In case you missed it, you can watch the webinar here:

Your Unanswered Questions About Express Entry

We didn’t have time to get through all the questions you asked during the webinar, so we’ve compiled your questions and our answers here: 

Should We Expect Lower Scores For CEC Draws in 2024?

In 2024, we do expect more CEC draws, and for 2025, a survey issued by IRCC suggests that 2025 will focus EE draws on transitioning temporary residents in Canada to PR status. If this happens, then we can expect the CRS cut off to go down but it will not go down too drastically given the number of eligible candidates we are talking about. As a CEC applicant, to be on the safe side, I would work at getting my CRS above 500. 

Is There A Minimum Financial Requirement For Ontario PNP?

Depends on the program. If Proof of funds are required, the Proof of Funds are as per the federal requirements. These can be demonstrated with a job offer, earnings from employment in Ontario, or a bank statement.

Who Is Best Suited For International Student Ontario PNP?

Masters or PHD students from eligible Ontario universities are best suited for international student programs under the Ontario PNP. There is also the Employer Job Offer International Student stream for eligible graduates with a job offer.

Can I Apply For A Work Permit Extension? I Am Still Working On The Documents

To apply for a Work Permit, you must meet the eligibility requirement. If you have an application for Permanent Residence in process, there may be a Work Permit you can apply for that is connected to this application. You must be sure to apply for your new work permit before your current work permit expires.

When Was The Last Draw That Was Held For Chef’s Category (PNP)?

Chefs do form part of the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) list of occupations. But IRCC are not focusing on FSTP draws (the last one was in 2020). Chefs who are eligible for the FSWP program may be selected in a general draw but will need a CRS of over 550. 

As for PNP draws, in March 2023, Saskatchewan invited chefs (note the targeted occupations change here). Chefs can also apply for the tourism and hospitality stream in Alberta if they have a job offer. Chefs with work experience and a job offer should also look at job offer programs within that province. 

Can We Expect A Category-Based Transport Draw Any Time Soon?

There have only been 3 transport draws since June 2023, 1 of which was this year. Based on an IRCC internal document obtained regarding where ITAs are going, we estimate that between 2000 and 3000 ITAs will go to transport draw. So far, 975 ITAs have been issued in 2024. Therefore we can expect at least 1, possibly 2 before the end of the year. 

If you are waiting for a transport draw, get in early and try and score at least 435 in CRS points to be inline with past draws.

How Can We Achieve 500-700 Points For Express Entry?

Getting comfortable with a CRS calculator is really helpful for anyone with questions about boosting their CRS. You can see ours here.

Otherwise, here are some quick tips:

•  Score at least a CLB level 9 in the first official language test for Canada. 
• Scoring CLB level 7 in French gives a huge boost. 
• Job offers give either 50 or 200 points. 
• Try to get the most CRS points for your education.
• If you have an accompanying spouse, make sure they have language results and an ECA report.  
• If you are in Canada, you get additional CRS points for each year of Canadian work experience you get (capped out at 5 years). 
• If you have a sibling who is a PR/ citizen, this will also give you additional ranking points. 
• And a PNP will give extra 600 points.

Can I Move To Canada With My Family? Degree No Job + Masters Degree Freelance Musician

Musicians are not listed as an occupation in demand therefore you would need to score 550+ CRS score to get an Invitation To Apply (ITA) in the short term. Alternatively, you can try job searching in Canada to secure employment. If you have French language ability, this may help you get an ITA. 

I Am A Moroccan Vet With Experience In Europe, And IELTS, Will I Need TCF Or It’s Fine?

This depends on your overall CRS score and which other immigration pathways are open to you as a vet. However, if you want to qualify for the additional CRS points for French or for French category-based draws, which tend to have lower CRS scores, you will need official language test results for French.

Are There Changes Expected Should The Conservatives Win The Poll Next Year?

Conservatives tend to focus on family and economic immigration. We could see a change in immigration levels however this is also not out of the question should another party win. One change that we can expect is that the categories that form the category based draws will be updated. Again, this will be the case irrespective of the winning party. 

Husband Has 1200 FSW points. Can We Make The Move? Do We Need Jobs Before Arrival? Thx! 

Double check your points. 

The Federal Skilled Worker selection grid awards a max of 100 points. 67 points are needed to qualify. 

The CRS points grid is out of 1200, however it is unlikely that any candidate receives a CRS of 1200. The min CRS score needed to be successful changes depending on the type of draw the applicant qualifies for.

For instance, if you have French language ability, a CRS of around 400 should suffice. Whereas if you do not qualify for a category-based draw or for the CEC program, you will need to score above 550 to be confident that you will get an ITA within the 12 months your profile is active. Even with this, there is no guarantee of ITA.

More On Non-EE PR Pathways, Please

Non-EE PR pathways depend largely on the applicant’s circumstances. For those with lower skilled work experience, looking for a PNP that does not use the Express Entry system may be the best option. However in most cases, an applicant will need to have a job offer, work experience or other connection to the province which also limits the number of programs available. 

I Have A Valid Job And Got An ITA From OINP But My Employer Is Delaying Docs. What Can I Do?

You should actively follow up with your employer, emphasizing the deadline and importance of respecting that deadline (including the consequences if you do not get your application in on time). It could be that they do not fully comprehend the situation you are in. Unfortunately it is unlikely that OINP will extend any deadline for this reason. 

Our guide to immigration for employers might help too. 

Do You Get Additional Points With Relatives (Aunt/Uncle) Who Are Canadian Citizens/Permanent Residents? 

Under the Federal skilled worker grid you can get an additional 5 points for an aunt or uncle so long as they are a PR or citizen, over 18 years of age and live in Canada. You do not get CRS points for Aunts or Uncles though. CRS points are only given to siblings in Canada.

What’s The Oldest You’ve Seen Someone Get An ITA As A Skilled Worker? (Carpenter) 

Rebecca- This is a tough one. I have seen a 62 year old receive an ITA through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). This was back in 2021 when IRCC did a very unexpected CEC draw inviting applicants with a CRS of 75. 

More notable times, I have seen a Skilled Worker with no Canadian experience receive an ITA at 52. This individual had high French and English, claimed full points for education and work experience and also had a sibling in Canada. 

Whether you will be successful at an older age really depends on individual circumstances and how many CRS points you get from other areas to make up for the lack of points awarded for age. Carpenters do appear on the Trade list for category based draws so they enjoy a lower CRS cut off compared to those that qualify for general/ all program draws. You should aim to score at least 436 CRS points to qualify for a future trade draw. 

How Do You Recommend Getting A Job Offer Before You Submit Your Express Entry? 

If you qualify to enter the Express Entry pool without a job offer, we do not recommend that you wait for a job offer. This is because provinces do invite applicants from the pool to apply for provincial nomination without a job offer so it is best to get your profile in if you can. 

Once in the pool, you can job search and update your profile if you secure a job offer. Remember though, to get points for a job offer, it may need to be approved by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or if the position is LMIA exempt, you will need to be working in Canada to get job offer points.

If you have a Moving2Canada account, you will find lots of handy job search tools there. If you don’t have an account, consider signing up for one to access these tools. It is free and only takes a few minutes. 

Are Category-Based Draws More Simple Than Skilled Trades? Wondering If I should Apply For Category-Based Or Skilled Trades As An Accountant? 

To qualify for either Category-Based Or Skilled Trades, your occupation needs to be eligible under each program. Unfortunately, Accountants do not appear on the list for  Category-Based draws or Skilled Trades.

Accountants are only eligible for selection under general / all program draws (unless they have in Canada work experience or a provincial nomination). 

If A Paid Externship Work Experience Counts As Work Experience For Express Entry? 

Paid internship can be counted towards work experience under the Federal Skilled Worker category. 

I Will Have A CRS Of 512 In October After 2 Years Work In Canada. Is There A Chance Of An ITA This Year? 

A chance, yes – but there are no guarantees at this point. The most recent Canadian Experience Class draw on July 31, 2024 had a CRS cut off of 510 and it’s possible the score will decrease throughout the year. But it’s likely going to be better to wait and see what the trends in CRS are doing around October and otherwise seeing if there’s anything else you can do to increase your CRS, given the high competition this year. 

My CRS Score Is 385. Can I Get An NOI From AAIP?

The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program does have an Express Entry aligned program which selects applicants from the Express Entry pool an invites them to apply for Alberta nomination, through what is referred to as a notification of interest or NOI.

To be eligible to receive an NOI, applicants must have an active Express Entry, have listed Alberta OR all of Canada as a your intended destination, have a CRS score of at least 300 and have work experience that does not appear on the Alberta ineligible occupations list.

This doesn’t mean that everyone that satisfies this criteria is going to receive an NOI. There are certain factors that increase your chances of receiving a NOI. These are: 

• you have an Alberta job offer;
• you are a graduate of a Canadian post-secondary institution;
• you have a parent, child, or sibling who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Alberta with a primary occupation in demand;
• French is your first language;
• your Express Entry profile is valid for more than 5 months.