Express Entry Draw #226 | 1,500 Candidates Invited in All-Program Draw

The 226^th Express Entry draw just targeted the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program for the first time since December 2020.

Canada invited 1,500 candidates in the latest all-program Express Entry draw. The lowest ranking candidate had a CRS score of 557.

Draw Summary

Draw Number: 226
Date of Draw: July 6, 2022
Number of Invitations Issued: 1,500
Minimum CRS: 557
Program Specified: Non-specified
Tie-breaking rule: November 13, 2021

After a nearly two-year pause, Canada has finally held a draw for all candidates in the Express Entry pool. The latest draw had a CRS cut-off of 557.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is a system used by Canada to manage applications for permanent residency. The Express Entry system manages three main economic programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW);
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST); and
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

What does this all-program draw mean for Express Entry candidates?

For most of the pandemic, Canada only invited Provincial Nominees (PNP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. Due to a backlog of applications, the government also paused CEC draws in September 2021.

Following a nearly two-year hiatus, today marks Canada’s return to Express Entry draws for foreign workers and those with Canadian work experience alike.

Targeted draws

Canada’s immigration minister now has the authority to invite candidates based on occupation.

The Canadian government recently passed Bill C-19. The bill gives the immigration minister the ability to invite candidates based on groupings. The groupings will be chosen based on their ability to meet Canada’s economic goals at the time.

This may be any combination of work experience, language proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages, or educational background. Since individuals will be ranked against other candidates in their grouping rather than the entire pool of candidates, the CRS cut-off will likely be much lower in targeted draws.

It has not been confirmed when targeted draws will begin. The minister will need to consult with multiple stakeholders before determining the groupings that are targeted in a draw.

Due to the high volume of candidates in the Express Entry pool, the CRS cut-off will likely remain high while general draws are in place. In an internal memo, IRCC expressed concerns that this would result in a very homogenous group of candidates invited, that are unable to meet Canada’s labour demands. Moving to occupation-specific draws will help Canada to better respond to labour market needs.

Record-high job vacancy

Canada is facing a record-high job vacancy rate in nearly all industries and relies on newcomers to fill these gaps.

According to a recent study, high levels of immigration are critical to the Canadian labour market.

Now that Express Entry draws are reopening to foreign workers, Canada can fast-track the admittance of newcomers that can respond labour market and demographic needs.

Immigration targets

Canada aims to welcome over 1.3 million newcomers over the next three years. These are the highest levels ever targeted in Canadian history. Included in this total, Canada plans to target 762,600 economic newcomers, including:

• 243,150 Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades, and Canadian Experience Class candidates; and
• 262,500 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates

In 2021, Canada welcomed a record number of new permanent residents. As Canada dedicates significant funds and effort toward modernizing the immigration system,  processing times are expected to return to normal for most applications.

With record immigration targets and a return to FSW draws, now is the time to immigrate to Canada.

It is wise to enter the Express Entry pool now to avoid potentially missing out on an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Due to the unpredictable nature of Express Entry draws, having a profile in the pool ensures you don’t miss a draw that is to your advantage.

Are you eligible for Express Entry? Find out today by completing our free online assessment form.