Express Entry Draw 279 | 1,510 Invited in General Draw

The first Canadian Express Entry draw of 2024 was held yesterday! Express Entry draw 279 saw a Lowest CRS score of 546 and invited 1,510 candidates from all programs to apply.

Express Entry Draw 279

Date of Draw: January 10, 2024 at 16:59:13 UTC

Number of Invitations Issued: 1,510

Minimum CRS: 546

Program Specified:  General

Tie-breaking rule:December 31, 2023 at 18:23:22 UTC

General Express Entry Draw

Express Entry draw #279 issued 1,510 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of 546. There was no program specified for this draw, meaning that invitations to apply may be issued to candidates from the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and Provincial Nominee Program.

Today’s draw is the first of the category  “General” of 2024. The last draw of 2023 for the same category was held on December 18, which invited 1,325 candidates from all programs without any specific category restrictions. The CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited was 542. This means that if your Express Entry profile had a CRS score of 542 or higher, you could have been eligible for an invitation in that draw.

In the previous draw, #278, which was a “Agriculture and agri-food occupations Category (2023-1)” draw, 400 invitations were issued and the CSR score saw a minimum threshold of 386 points.

Previous Express Entry – General Draws

• Express Entry Draw 275 | 1,325 Invited
• Express Entry Draw 272 | 4,750 Invited
• Express Entry Draw 268 | 3,725 Invited
• Express Entry Draw 265 | 3,000 Invited
• Express Entry Draw 263 | 3,200 Invited 
• Express Entry Draw 262 | 4,300 Invited 
• Express Entry Draw 259 | 2,000 Invited 

How Does Express Entry work?

The Express Entry System is a Canadian immigration method that uses points to manage applications from skilled workers seeking permanent residency. It oversees three main programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The system includes draws for specific categories with yearly targets matching Canada’s immigration plan.

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) assigns scores to candidate profiles, determining their rank in the Express Entry pool. This approach ensures a straightforward and clear selection process in line with Canada’s immigration goals.

Number of Candidates in the Current Express Entry Pool

The IRCC updates the number of people in the Express Entry pool a few days before an invitation round takes place. Numbers change as new profiles are submitted, profiles expire or are issued an ITA.

As of today the composition of the Express Entry pool is:

Are You Eligible?

The Express Entry points system assigns a score to your profile, depending on different factors such as age, education degrees, skilled work experience, proficiency in English and/or French, siblings in Canada, and others.

You can get an estimate of the score you will get based on your profile using our CRS Score Calculator.

You must also make sure you meet the requirements of at least one of the following Federal programs in order to submit a profile through the Express Entry system:

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

How to Apply?

The first step to apply is submitting your profile with the required documents. Required documents usually consist of language test results, educational credentials, and passport or travel documentation.

After you submit a profile and receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence, you can submit your complete application for the IRCC to review. Your complete application should include supporting documents such as reference letters, additional identity documents, police clearance certificates, and results of a medical examination.

Latest Express Entry Draw for All categories!

Check here the full list of the Express entry draws that were held this year:

Interested in discover your options to apply through Express Entry?  Complete our free online assessment today!