In Canada’s most recent Express Entry lottery, Invitations to Apply (ITAs) have been released by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
In a draw limited to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) participants, the department issued 1,499 ITAs.To be considered, candidates had to receive a minimum of 663 points on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).Two drawings on May 30 and 31 precede this one. The fact that they were both program-specific draws made them special. Since category-based selection drawings were introduced in May 2023, there have been no draws that are exclusive to any particular program.
Candidates with a provincial nomination through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were the only ones taken into consideration for the May 30 draw; candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) were the ones eligible for the May 31 draw. A total of 5,985 Express Entry candidates received ITAs as a result of these lotteries.
The draw held by CEC was the initial one since September 2021. The draw aligns with Canada’s recent announcement that more domestic drawings will be held in an effort to reduce the country’s overall temporary resident population and convert more temporary residents to permanent residents—a move that is supported by the fact that many CEC candidates presently reside and work in Canada. This holds true for the PNP draw as well.
