In a significant move, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 2,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) in its latest Express Entry draw, specifically targeting candidates with proficiency in the French language. This draw required candidates to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 394.
This marks the third Express Entry draw of the week, following a program-specific draw for 3,200 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates on August 14 and a draw for 763 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates on August 13, where a minimum CRS score of 690 was needed.
These draws come on the heels of an unprecedented July, which saw IRCC issue over 25,000 ITAs in nine separate rounds, the most in a single month since Express Entry’s inception in 2015. The increase in draws signals IRCC’s commitment to addressing Canada’s immigration needs, with a focus on domestic candidates and those with high-demand skills.
Express Entry is Canada’s primary system for managing economic immigration applications, selecting candidates most likely to contribute to the Canadian economy based on their CRS scores. The French-language draw aligns with IRCC’s goal of increasing linguistic diversity, while other category-based draws target healthcare, trade, and STEM professionals, ensuring a broad range of skills in the applicant pool.