On August 14, 2024, Canada invited 3,200 candidates eligible for the Canadian Experience Class program to apply for permanent residence in an Express Entry draw. This draw has the lowest CRS cut-off for CEC draws in 2024, but it shows competition is still high.
Key Takeaways for Express Entry Candidates
- Type of draw: Canadian Experience Class
- Invites issued: 3,200
- CRS score: 509
- Tie-breaking rule: March 01, 2024 at 19:23:21 UTC
- Prediction for the next draw: Category-based draw on August 15
- Learn more about the changes proposed for the 2025 Express Entry categories.
- Learn more about what we expect to see in Express Entry in the next six months.
Watch our weekly recap here:
Our Analysis of This Month’s Express Entry Draws
IRCC has continued its trend of PNP on Tuesdays and CEC on Wednesdays, which shows that it is continuing to prioritize Express Entry candidates who are residing in Canada alongside its targeted category-based draws.
With its CRS cut-off of 509, today’s draw is a slight dip from past draws (the previous one being 510). However, it shows the significant competition in the pool and does reaffirm that the CRS is likely to hover around the 510 mark for the foreseeable future.
With today’s CEC draw completed, we are still expecting a category-based draw this week. At this point, we would predict a STEM, healthcare, or French draw is most likely.
- You can learn about a gender gap in Canada’s category-based draws.
As a reminder, we also saw a PNP draw yesterday — which was the first draw for August 2024. That draw saw a slightly higher CRS than previous rounds and a smaller number of invitations sent out.
CRS Pool Comparison: 13 – 14 August
With two draws this week, we also got a glimpse into what’s happening in the pool. Here are some of the highlights:
- Overall Pool Growth: The total number of candidates in the Express Entry pool increased by 641 candidates from August 13 to August 14, 2024.
- Significant Drop in 601-1200 Range: The number of candidates in the 601-1200 CRS range dropped significantly from 713 to 125, due to yesterday’s targeted draw.
- Increase in 501-600 Range: There was a notable increase in the 501-600 range, adding 553 new candidates.
- Moderate Influx in 451-500 Range: The 451-500 range saw a slight increase, particularly in the upper half (471-500), suggesting more competitive candidates are entering the pool. This reaffirms our messaging that getting your score above 510 for a CEC draw remains a strong tactic.
- Steady Increase in 401-450 Range: This range grew by 269 candidates, reflecting a consistent influx of candidates with moderate CRS scores.
- Minor Fluctuations in Lower Ranges: The 351-400 range saw a slight increase, while the 301-350 range slightly decreased, showing minimal movement in lower CRS ranges.
- Overall Upward Trend: The pool is growing steadily across most CRS ranges, indicating continued interest and entry of new candidates into the Express Entry system.
Express Entry Invitations So Far in 2024
In addition to leading the board for the number of draws, July 2024 saw the most invitations issued for any month in 2024.
Here are the monthly totals so far:
January: 3,280
February 16,110
March: 7,305
April: 9,275
May: 5,985
June: 1,499
July: 25,125
August: 3,963 (after two draws)
While the high numbers of invitations in July is generally good news for Express Entry candidates, this could result in extended processing delays for applicants who received an ITA.
Comparisons to Previous Draws
Number of Invitations in 2024 CEC Draws
- August 14, 2024: 3,200 invitations
- July 31, 2024: 5,000 invitations
- July 17, 2024: 6,300 invitations
- May 31, 2024: 3,000 invitations
The latest draw shows a decrease in the number of invitations compared to the previous draws in July, where 5,000 and 6,300 invitations were issued.
Cutoff Scores in 2024
- August 14, 2024: 509
- July 31, 2024: 510
- July 17, 2024: 515
- May 31, 2024: 522
The cutoff score of 509 is slightly lower than the previous draws in July, continuing the trend of high cutoff scores but showing a small downward adjustment. This could indicate a slightly less competitive pool or a strategic decision by IRCC to lower the threshold marginally.
The highest cutoff score for a CEC draw in 2024 was 522 on May 31, 2024, making the current 509 score slightly lower but still indicative of a highly competitive applicant pool.
For more information:
For up-to-date information about Express Entry draws, consider creating a free Moving2Canada account and subscribing to our newsletter. We share news about the draws and our analysis as it happens, so you’ll never miss the latest results.
About the author
Stephanie Ford
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