Express Entry Draw #205 | 521 PNP Candidates Selected

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held another Express Entry draw, inviting 521 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residency. In the 205^th round of invitations, provincial nominees with a score of at least 732 were selected from the Express Entry pool of candidates.

Candidates selected in today’s draw had previously been nominated by a province through a nominee program aligned with the Express Entry system.

Individuals invited required a CRS score of at least 732. The score requirement is higher for PNP draws due to the additional 600 points given to nominee candidates. Before receiving a nomination, the lowest ranking candidate in today’s Express Entry draw had an CRS score of just 132.

Draw Summary

Draw Number: 205
Date of Draw: September 15, 2021
Number of Invitations Issued: 521
Minimum CRS: 732
Program Specified: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Tie-breaking rule: February 24, 2021

How can I be nominated by a province?

Each province has their own criteria for nominee programs; many require some type of connection to the province to be eligible to apply. For example, work experience, a job offer, a family member, or education in the province.

Some programs require candidates meet the minimum requirements to apply to the province for nomination. Other programs operate with an Expression of Interest (EOI) system. Provincial Expression of Interest systems operate similar to Express Entry; like Express Entry, candidates submit a profile that the province scores with their unique points system. Provinces use a candidate’s scores to decide who receives an invitation in their draws; those who meet the minimum points cut-off (often in addition to other criteria) will receive an invitation to apply for nomination.

Many PNPs also hold draws and invite candidates directly from the Express Entry pool to apply for nomination. These draw requirements often change from draw to draw in response labour market needs. Therefore, just by having an Express Entry profile, there is always a chance of receiving an invitation to apply for nomination.

Candidates that successfully receive a provincial nomination that is aligned with Express Entry will receive an additional 600 points toward their CRS score. As a result, a provincial nomination essentially guarantees an invitation to apply for permanent residency.

Throughout the pandemic, provinces have continued to use their nominee programs to meet labour market demand. These provincial nominee programs can also give candidates without any ties to Canada the chance to receive a provincial nomination and Canadian permanent residency.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is the fastest and most popular pathway for newcomers seeking to settle permanently in Canada. Express Entry organizes three main federal economic programs for people who wish to acquire Canadian permanent residence: Federal Skilled Worker (FSW), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades (FST).

Candidates who are eligible to submit an Express Entry profile are given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. The score is used to rank candidates against one another in the Express Entry pool. Only the highest ranking candidates will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian Permanent Residence. The Comprehensive Ranking System assigns points based on factors such as age, skilled work experience, education, knowledge of the official languages, and connections to Canada.

After receiving an ITA, a candidate has 60 days to apply for Canadian permanent

How Express Entry draws work

Approximately every two weeks, Canada holds an Express Entry draw, inviting the most competitive candidates to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence.

In each round of invitations, Canada will target both a minimum CRS score and immigration program. Prior to the pandemic, most Express Entry draws did not specify an immigration program. This means that anyone who met the CRS cut-off received an invitation, regardless of the program they had applied under. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Canada has mainly targeted candidates who were likely to already be in Canada. Since March 2020, aside from a brief period between September and December 2020, most draws have targeted candidates eligible under the Canadian Experience Class or a Provincial Nominee Program.

Each Express Entry draw will also specify a tie-breaking rule. This means that if an individual’s CRS score matches that of the lowest ranking candidate, they must have also submitted their profile before the tie-breaking rule date.