In 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 110,266 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through Express Entry draws, marking a 136% increase from 2022’s total of 46,539. These ITAs were distributed across 42 draws held between January 11 and December 21, 2023.
A total of 488,571 profiles were submitted to the Express Entry system, with 67% (343,875) deemed eligible. The remaining 33% (144,696) were not eligible for further consideration.
Express Entry is a streamlined system for processing economic immigration applicants under programs like the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Candidates are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), with scores up to 1200, and higher-ranked candidates are more likely to receive an ITA.
Notably, 2023 introduced category-based selection draws, targeting candidates from specific occupations or with language proficiency, regardless of their Express Entry program.
Program Breakdown and ITAs by Category
The majority of ITAs (40,052) were issued to candidates in the CEC program, followed by 26,445 ITAs under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and 17,898 ITAs under the FSWP. Only eight ITAs were given to FSTP candidates, likely due to IRCC’s processing hierarchy, which prioritizes other programs for candidates eligible under multiple streams.
Since the introduction of category-based draws in June, 25,870 ITAs (23% of the total for 2023) were issued. This included 12,073 CEC candidates, 13,790 FSWP candidates, and 7 FSTP candidates.
CRS Scores
Most candidates’ CRS scores ranged between 300-550, representing 93% of all applicants. Following the introduction of category-based draws, the average CRS score for generic draws rose above 500.
Gender Representation and Occupations
In terms of gender distribution, men received 57% of the total ITAs, while women received 43%. CEC and PNP programs saw more men, while the FSWP had a slightly higher percentage of women applicants.
Software engineers and designers continued to dominate ITAs, with 7,259 invitations issued to these professionals. Other highly-represented occupations included software developers (5,183 ITAs) and food service supervisors (3,277 ITAs).
Conclusion
The substantial increase in ITAs issued in 2023, coupled with the introduction of category-based selection, indicates Canada’s continued commitment to meeting labor market needs while attracting skilled immigrants from various sectors.