On March 26, 2024, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sent invitations to candidates in the second Express Entry draw of the week.
IRCC sent 1,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a ‘French language proficiency’ draw to profiles with a CRS score of 388 or above.
Yesterday, on March 25, IRCC sent 1,980 invitations to apply for permanent residency in a general round of invitations to candidates with a CRS score of 524 or above.
Previously On March 13, the first targeted Express Entry draw of 2024 for transport occupations sent 975 invitations to apply for permanent residency in Canada. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 430.
On March 12, the First Express Entry draw of March 2024 sent out 2,850 invitations to apply for permanent residency in a general draw.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 525. This means that everyone with a score above 525 in the pool will receive an invitation for Canadian permanent residency.
Latest Express Entry Draw – March 25, 2024
- Round of Invitation #289
- Express Entry Program: General or All program
- Number of invitations issued: 1,980
- Rank required to be invited to apply: 1,980 or above
- Date and time of round: March 25, 2024 at 17:45:49 UTC
- CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 524
- Tie-breaking rule: February 25, 2024 at 14:42:38 UTC
Tie-breaking rule: If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.
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Below are the details of Express Entry rounds of invitations in March 2024:
CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool as of March 24, 2024
Summary of Express Entry Draws in 2024
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 25 | General | 1,980 | 524 |
| March 13 | Transport occupations | 975 | 430 |
| March 12 | General | 2,850 | 525 |
| February 29 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 336 |
| February 28 | General | 1,470 | 534 |
| February 16 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 150 | 437 |
| February 14 | Healthcare occupations | 3,500 | 422 |
| February 13 | General | 1,490 | 535 |
| February 1 | French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
| January 31 | General | 730 | 541 |
| January 23 | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| January 10 | General | 1,510 | 546 |
Click here to see the updated list of 100 professions that, as of September 8, 2023, are eligible to receive an additional 50 CRS points for a qualification certificate, according to IRCC.
What is category-based selection?
Category-based selection is an approach taken by Canada’s Express Entry in selecting candidates with particular skills that the labour market is in dire need of. Unlike the regular draws, in which candidates are targeted and invited at random, according to the CRS, category-based draws are used to pinpoint those with certain in-demand qualities.
These draws started in May 2023, against the drastic job shortages being experienced in Canada. There are 6 categories under which eligible Express Entry candidates may receive an ITA:
- Healthcare Occupations:
- STEM Occupations: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math:
- Trade Occupations:
- Transport Occupations:
- Agriculture and Agri-food Occupations:
- Strong French language skills
Being selected in these draws can be beneficial for candidates already in the Express Entry pool. This year, the average CRS score required in category-based draws has been lower than in general draws.
For instance, in the four category-based selection draws held, the highest minimum CRS score was 437, and the lowest was 336. In contrast, no general draw in 2024 has had a minimum CRS score lower than 534.
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry is a computerized system in Canada that handles applications from skilled professionals who want to become permanent residents. It manages three programs:
To check if someone qualifies for Express Entry Draws, they need to create an online profile. Eligible candidates are placed in the Express Entry pool and ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
The CRS is a points-based system that considers age, education, work experience, language skills, and more. The higher the score, the better the chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.
The Canadian government then selects the top-scoring candidates from the Express Entry pool and invites them to apply for permanent residency through an ITA. Additionally, specific categories are available for individuals with particular qualifications.
