Canada announced its third-largest PNP draw under Express Entry

The latest Express Entry draw is the fourth round of invitations, solely to PNP applicants in a row

On October 27, Canada welcomed 888 Express Entry applicants to apply for permanent residency. Candidates with a minimum score of 744 were invited by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). If a candidate is nominated under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), he or she will get an automatic 600 points. Without the nomination, the lowest-scoring candidates would have just 144 points.

This is the year's third-biggest PNP draw. The most were 1,002 Express Entry candidates invited on June 23, followed by 940 on June 9. IRCC invited 681 applicants with scores of at least 720 in the last PNP draw.

Since September, the only draws have been PNP. Canada held Express Entry draws for PNP and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates throughout the epidemic. IRCC, on the other hand, has not held a CEC draw since September 14. As a result, the number of Express Entry candidates invited in the last month has been drastically reduced. Since there are so many contestants, CEC draws are often bigger than PNP draws.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

Despite issuing fewer invites this month, Canada has welcomed a record number of Express Entry aspirants this year. Canada has invited 111,265 Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence so far in 2021. In addition, Canada welcomed a total of 107,350 immigration hopefuls last year, a record at the time.

The average score cut-offs have also stayed relatively high due to the PNP draws. This is entirely because of the 600-point bonus that comes with the provincial nomination. In response to a media request from CIC Times, IRCC did not specify why there hasn't been a CEC draw since September. "IRCC intends to organize frequent invitation rounds," a media spokesman stated. However, to match application intake with the Multi-Year Levels plan, we may need to change the timing of when Invitations to Apply are given at times."

Fraser was appointed as Canada's next immigration minister on October 26. Marco Mendicino, the former immigration minister, was appointed as the next minister of public safety. The function of the immigration minister is to supervise IRCC. In addition, Fraser will be the department's public face, approving new regulations and making announcements about government immigration programs.

Now that a new minister has been appointed, the IRCC may resume making essential decisions on the Express Entry policy. For example, during a meeting with IRCC on October 21, immigration lawyers questioned when the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) draws would restart. Prior to the pandemic, these applicants were the most likely to get Express Entry invites.

According to a recent media briefing, the IRCC official stated that they were waiting for the cabinet to be moved. Now that Fraser is the immigration minister, he will decide how to proceed with Express Entry in the following months.

The Express Entry online application system is used to manage applications for Canada's most popular immigration programs. For example, the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program are managed under Express Entry. As a result, candidates in the Express Entry pool for the PNP have previously qualified for one of these programs.

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is a point-based system used by Express Entry to rate candidate profiles. Individuals with the highest scores are awarded an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and may subsequently apply for permanent residency. An IRCC officer then assesses their application and renders a decision. They will want biometrics, as well as an interview or further evidence.

If your application is approved, IRCC will provide you a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). Approved permanent residents can thereafter complete the landing procedure. If they are not currently in Canada, they can take advantage of pre-arrival programs to help them with the first steps in establishing themselves in the country.