IRCC invites 7,000 Express Entry candidates in category-based draw for French language proficiency

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued invitations to apply (ITAs) in the latest Express Entry draw.

The department invited 7,000 candidates in category-based  selection draw for candidates with French language proficiency.

Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 365. The lowest minimum CRS score of the year so far.

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Today’s draw is the second of the week following the January 31 draw in which 730 candidates were invited in a general draw. They required a minimum CRS of 541.

There were two other draws in January. The first was on  January 23 and invited 1,040 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 543 were invited in a general draw. The draw before that took place on January 10 and was also general and invited 1,510 candidates with a CRS score of 546.

It is still too early in the year to predict how Express Entry draws will unfold throughout 2024. In 2023, IRCC held 42 draws and issued ITAs to more than 110,000 candidates to help meet both the 2023 and 2024 admissions targets set out in the Immigration Levels Plan.

Summary of Express Entry draw results in 2024

Date	Draw Type	Number of ITAs	Minimum CRS
November 20	Healthcare occupations	3,000	463
November 19	Canadian Experience Class	400	539
November 18	Provincial Nominee Program	174	816
November 15	French language proficiency	800	478
November 13	Canadian Experience Class	400	547
November 12	Provincial Nominee Program	733	812
October 23	Trade occupations	1,800	433
October 22	Canadian Experience Class	400	539
October 21	Provincial Nominee Program	648	791
October 10	French language proficiency	1,000	444
October 9	Canadian Experience Class	500	539
October 7	Provincial Nominee Program	1,613	743
September 19	Canadian Experience Class	4,000	509
September 13	French language proficiency	1,000	446
September 9	Provincial Nominee Program	911	732
August 27	Canadian Experience Class	3,300	507
August 26	Provincial Nominee Program	1,121	694
August 15	French language proficiency	2,000	394
August 14	Canadian Experience Class	3,200	509
August 13	Provincial Nominee Program	763	690
July 31	Canadian Experience Class	5,000	510
July 30	Provincial Nominee Program	964	686
July 18	French language proficiency	1,800	400
July 17	Canadian Experience Class	6,300	515
July 16	Provincial Nominee Program	1,391	670
July 8	French proficiency	3,200	420
July 5	Healthcare occupations	3,750	445
July 4	Trade occupations	1,800	436
July 2	Provincial Nominee Program	920	739
June 19	Provincial Nominee Program	1,499	663
May 31	Canadian Experience Class	3,000	522
May 30	Provincial Nominee Program	2,985	676
April 24	French proficiency	1,400	410
April 23	General	2,095	529
April 11	STEM occupations	4,500	491
April 10	General	1,280	549
March 26	French language proficiency	1,500	388
March 25	General	1,980	524
March 13	Transport occupations	975	430
March 12	General	2,850	525
February 29	French language proficiency	2,500	336
February 28	General	1,470	534
February 16	Agriculture and agri-food occupations	150	437
February 14	Healthcare occupations	3,500	422
February 13	General	1,490	535
February 1	French language proficiency	7,000	365
January 31	General	730	541
January 23	General	1,040	543
January 10	General	1,510	546

Changes to Post Graduation Work Permits

Many Express Entry candidates gain the work experience required for their programs by working in Canada after graduation from a Canadian post-secondary institution. One of the most common work permits for new graduates is the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).

On January 22, IRCC announced changes to eligibility criteria for PGWPs. Effective September 1, international students in a program at a private college that is part of curriculum licensing agreement with a public college will no longer be eligible for a PGWP.

Also, graduate-level students in a program shorter than the requisite eight months will now be eligible for a three-year PGWP. Currently, graduates are not eligible for a PGWP if their program is shorter than eight months and the length of time a PGWP is valid is tied to length of the graduate’s academic program. For example, a one-year program would be valid for a one-year permit.

This means that more graduate-level students will be able to get enough work experience in Canada to apply for a spot in the Express Entry application pool.

What is Express Entry?

The Express Entry application management system oversees the applications from three of Canada’s most prominent economic immigration programs; the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

Candidates in these programs are given a score using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Scores are based on human capital attributes such as work experience, education, age, occupation and language ability. For example, a candidate between the ages of 20-29 receives 100 CRS points and less from age 30 and up.

In May 2023, IRCC announced that it was introducing category-based selection draws for Express Entry candidates who could demonstrate they had work experience in an in-demand occupation. One is for candidates with strong French-language proficiency and the remaining five categories are occupation based for:

• Healthcare occupations
• Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
• Trades occupations, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors
• Transport occupations
• Agriculture and agri-food occupations

Applying for Express Entry is a multi-step process. First, an applicant must self-evaluate if they are eligible for an Express Entry program. All three Express Entry programs have different eligibility criteria.

The second step is creating a profile in the Express Entry pool and obtaining a CRS score. From here, candidates must wait to receive an invitation to apply in an Express Entry draw.

Once a candidate receives an ITA, they have 60 days to gather their documents and submit their final application for permanent residence to IRCC.

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