Explore everything you need to know about Express Entry draws, including the various categories, the scoring system, and details on the latest draws, such as the number of invitations issued and required scores. Dive into one of the most crucial steps on your journey towards Canadian residency with clarity and confidence.
Find out if you qualify to immigrate to CanadaThe Canadian government routinely conducts Express Entry draws, also referred to as rounds of invitations, during which they extend invitations to candidates from the Express Entry pool to apply for permanent residence. In these draws, candidates undergo a ranking process based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. This score takes into account factors such as age, education, work experience, language proficiency, and other criteria, assigning each candidate a CRS score out of a total of 1200 points.
Express Entry draws typically occur at regular intervals, approximately every two weeks. However, this has changed since the integration of the new categories in 2023.
Each Express Entry draw has a CRS cut-off score, which can vary depending on the number of candidates in the pool, the immigration targets set by the Canadian government, the program or even the specific category. The draws aim to select candidates most likely to succeed and contribute to the Canadian economy. This CRS cut-off score also represents the score of the lowest-ranking candidate to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the draw.
Those who receive an ITA, are given 60 days to complete and submit an official electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR).
It’s essential for potential immigrants to monitor Express Entry draws and stay informed about the latest updates to understand their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada.
Understanding the structure of an Express Entry draw is crucial for anyone looking to immigrate to Canada through this competitive pathway. Below is a detailed breakdown of the key components that define each draw, this list will help you grasp the essential elements that influence the outcome of each draw and better prepare your application accordingly.
There is no set schedule for Express Entry Draws to happen. Typically, you can expect a new Express Entry Draw at least every 2 weeks, though sometimes they are more frequent draws or draws can be paused.
For more information about trends and predictions, please visit our dedicated article When is the Next Express Entry Draw?
Below are the results from the most recent rounds of invitations issued during Express Entry:
| Draw | Date | Category | Number of ITAs | CRS Cut Off | Tie-Breaking Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 329 | December 3, 2024 | French language proficiency (Version 1) | 800 | 466 | November 26, 2024 at 02:44:59 UTC |
| 328 | December 2, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 676 | 705 | November 27, 2024 at 18:15:17 UTC |
| 327 | November 20, 2024 | Healthcare occupations (Version 1) | 3,000 | 463 | October 21, 2024 at 16:12:39 UTC |
| 326 | November 19, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 539 | July 08, 2024 at 01:41:37 UTC |
| 325 | November 18, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 174 | 816 | August 28, 2024 at 05:12:34 UTC |
| 324 | November 15, 2024 | French language proficiency (Version 1) | 800 | 478 | November 07, 2024 at 13:12:03 UTC |
| 323 | November 13, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 547 | April 10, 2024 at 03:58:05 UTC |
| 322 | November 12, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 733 | 812 | March 02. 2024 at 01:58:34 UTC |
| 321 | October 23, 2024 | Trade occupations (Version 1) | 1,800 | 433 | March 12, 2024 at 14:30:36 UTC |
| 320 | October 22, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 539 | October 19, 2024 at 21:53:18 UTC |
| 319 | October 21, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 648 | 791 | August 13, 2024 at 20:04:52 UTC |
| 318 | October 10, 2024 | French language proficiency (Version 1) | 1000 | 444 | September 27, 2024 at 18:56:32 UTC |
| 317 | October 9, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 500 | 539 | February 20, 2024 at 02:57:40 UTC |
| 316 | October 7, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,613 | 743 | March 22, 2024 at 18:36:54 UTC |
| 315 | September 19, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 4000 | 509 | November 06, 2023 at 07:17:35 UTC |
| 314 | September 13, 2024 | French language proficiency (Version 1) | 1000 | 446 | August 28, 2024 at 17:07:19 UTC |
| 313 | September 9, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 911 | 732 | March 13, 2024 at 19:56:16 UTC |
| 312 | August 27, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 3300 | 507 | June 05, 2024 at 01:08:58 UTC |
| 311 | August 26, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1121 | 694 | August 03, 2024 at 18:54:27 UTC |
| 310 | August 15, 2024 | French language proficiency (Version 1) | 2,000 | 394 | July 07, 2024 at 09:46:10 UTC |
| 309 | August 14, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,200 | 509 | March 01, 2024 at 19:23:21 UTC |
| 308 | August 13, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 763 | 690 | April 26, 2024 at 10:59:30 UTC |
| 307 | July 31, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 5,000 | 510 | June 30, 2024 at 20:39:14 UTC |
| 306 | July 30, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 964 | 686 | May 27, 2024 at 07:07:21 UTC |
| 305 | July 18, 2024 | French language proficiency (Version 1) | 1,800 | 400 | March 08, 2024 at 19:51:40 UTC |
| 304 | July 17, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,300 | 515 | February 03, 2024 at 13:01:06 UTC |
| 303 | July 16, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,391 | 670 | May 04, 2024 at 13:27:31 UTC |
| 302 | July 8, 2024 | French language proficiency (Version 1) | 3,200 | 420 | May 30, 2024 at 03:37:43 UTC |
| 301 | July 5, 2024 | Healthcare occupations (Version 1) | 3,750 | 445 | May 07, 2024 at 21:27:04 UTC |
| 300 | July 4, 2024 | Trade occupations (Version 1) | 1,800 | 436 | July 16, 2023 at 15:44:59 UTC |
| 299 | July 2, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 920 | 739 | February 02, 2024 at 11:38:43 UTC |
| 298 | June 19, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,499 | 663 | January 19, 2024 at 10:10:40 UTC |
| 297 | May 31, 2024 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 522 | March 19, 2024 at 18:58:58 UTC |
| 296 | May 30, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 2,985 | 676 | January 19, 2024 at 18:32:21 UTC |
| 295 | April 24, 2024 | French language proficiency | 1,400 | 410 | April 07, 2024 at 02:06:46 UTC |
| 294 | April 23, 2024 | General | 2,095 | 529 | November 08, 2023 at 17:50:29 UTC |
| 293 | April 11, 2024 | STEM occupations (2024-1) | 4,500 | 491 | February 25, 2024 at 11:55:12 UTC |
| 292 | April 10, 2024 | General | 1,280 | 549 | March 21, 2024 at 03:37:24 UTC |
| 291 | March 26, 2024 | French language proficiency | 1,500 | 388 | March 10, 2024 at 20:06:26 UTC |
| 290 | March 25, 2024 | General | 1,980 | 524 | February 25, 2024 at 14:42:38 UTC |
| 289 | March 13, 2024 | Transport occupations | 975 | 430 | July 31, 2023 at 13:27:26 UTC |
| 288 | March 12, 2024 | General | 2,850 | 525 | March 12, 2024 at 15:56:42 UTC |
| 287 | February 29, 2024 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 336 | January 18, 2024 at 09:15:46 UTC |
| 286 | February 28, 2024 | General | 1,470 | 534 | January 16, 2024 at 03:51:05 UTC |
| 285 | February 16, 2024 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 150 | 437 | January 29, 2024 at 03:32:58 UTC |
| 284 | February 14, 2024 | Healthcare occupations | 3,500 | 422 | January 30, 2024 at 02:39:54 UTC |
| 283 | February 13, 2024 | General | 1,490 | 535 | February 11, 2024 at 15:26:56 UTC |
| 282 | February 1, 2024 | French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 | September 08, 2023 at 09:47:27 UTC |
| 281 | January 31, 2024 | General | 730 | 541 | July 15, 2023 at 10:52:08 UTC |
| 280 | January 23, 2024 | General | 1,040 | 543 | January 21, 2024 at 07:43:47 UTC |
| 279 | January 10, 2024 | General | 1,510 | 546 | December 31, 2023 at 18:23:22 UTC |
IRCC published information regarding the composition of the Express Entry pool in the days shortly before each draw. Below is the CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool:
| 601-1200 | 738 |
|---|---|
| 501-600 | 18,673 |
| 451-500 | 62,985 |
| 491-500 | 12,316 |
| 481-490 | 11,905 |
| 471-480 | 14,371 |
| 461-470 | 12,521 |
| 451-460 | 11,872 |
| 401-450 | 57,590 |
| 441-450 | 11,219 |
| 431-440 | 12,313 |
| 421-430 | 11,217 |
| 411-420 | 11,602 |
| 401-410 | 11,239 |
| 351-400 | 50,609 |
| 301-350 | 22,280 |
| 0-300 | 5,615 |
| Total | 218,490 |
| Updated | December 3, 2024 |
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) holds different types of rounds of invitations throughout the year. There are 3 different types of Express Entry draws that are held:
Categories are chosen based on labour market information and projections, as well as input received from provinces and territories. Each year IRCC will report to Parliament about the categories chosen the previous year and assess future categories.
Most Express Entry Draws focus on an applicant’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. For this reason, once you have submitted your Express Entry profile to the pool, you should examine all the ways you may increase your CRS score ranking within the pool.
The lowest accepted CRS score varies with each Express Entry draw.
Since the Express Entry system was introduced in 2015, the lowest ever accepted CRS score has been 75. This was from a CEC Draw that took place in February 2021.
The lowest CRS score from an all-program draw, targeting Federal Skilled Workers was 413.
There is no set number of Express Entry Profiles selected in each Express Entry draw. How many profiles are selected with each Express Entry draw depends on the number of candidates in the pool, the quality of candidates in the pool and the Canadian labour market needs at the time of the draw.
If your profile has been selected from an Express Entry Draw, you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). With an ITA, you have 60 days to submit a full Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR). Please refer to our guide to receiving an ITA and submitting an eAPR for more information.
Having an approved Canadian job offer does not guarantee that you will receive an ITA from an Express Entry Draw. It will however increase your chances. When you apply to the Express Entry pool with an approved Canadian job offer, you will receive either 50 or 200 points CRS points depending on the type of job you have been offered.
In addition to this, a Canadian job offer may make your profile more desirable to the province where the job offer is located.
If a candidate’s CRS score is significantly lower than the minimum cut-off in the pool, they should consider trying to improve their score. They could also update their profile to appeal to one of the specific category-based draws where the pool is likely to be a lot lower. For example, updating your French language scores to reflect those to meet the French-language proficiency category, could give you a better chance at selection compared to a general round of invitations.
For more information on improving ranking, please refer to Canadim’s guidelines for improving the CRS score and ranking.
In recent times, there has been a noticeable delay in the regular scheduling of Express Entry draws by the Canadian government. Several factors contribute to these delays, such as the introduction of new categories draws, adjustments in immigration policies, shifts in governmental priorities, or the plan of the new immigration targets. Prospective candidates need to stay informed about these delays and monitor official announcements for updates on the resumption of Express Entry draws.
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