Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) made a draw today and invited 1,936 candidates to apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry system.  The lowest scoring candidate had 497 points.  This draw is first non-specific draw since IRCC made changes to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).  All candidates who were in the Express Entry pool with a score of 497 or higher received an invitation, regardless of the program in which they were eligible or whether they had a provincial nomination certificate.

Several changes were made to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) on November 19, 2016.  This draw, for many, will indicate the affect of the changes, and how candidates may benefit (or not benefit) from the changes.  Points are now being awarded to those who have completed studies in Canada, and to those candidates who have a spouse that completed an English test and has post-secondary education.  Other changes include the number of points awarded for possessing a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).  In the past, 600 points would be awarded.  Under the new CRS, 200 points are awarded to candidates who possess a positive LMIA for a job position that is in a NOC 00, while only 50 points awarded for any other skilled position.  Points are now being awarded to candidates who are working in Canada on some specific LMIA-Exempt work permits (ie; NAFTA, Intra-Company Transferees, GATS).

Given the changes, and the numbers of the most recent draw, it is highly expected that the points threshold will decrease in the subsequent draws.  IRCC has been making an effort to put greater weight on human capital, skills and experience.

Express Entry – How to apply

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