In the new round of invitations, Express Entry applicants who have obtained a provincial nomination have been invited.

On February 10, 2021, Canada invited 654 Express Entry applicants to apply for permanent residence.

Candidates who had a minimum score of 720 were invited by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

In the latest draw, only candidates receiving a nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were invited, which is why the cut-off of the Detailed Ranking System (CRS) was so high. Candidates who have been nominated by an Express Entry-aligned PNP automatically receive a cumulative score of 600 points.

The CRS score for today’s draw was 21 points lower than that of the previous PNP-specific invitation round held on January 20, 2021.

Candidates are given a score dependent on the CRS in these services, as well as some PNPs. These points are awarded based on the human capital factors of the applicant, such as age, education, work experience, and English or French language skill.

A person or a couple can be awarded the points. To be invited to apply for permanent residency, Express Entry applicants do not need to have any experience in Canada. They don’t need a work offer, but some extra points could be granted to them.

When an application has been submitted, the IRCC will take a final decision and, if the application is approved, will give a confirmation of permanent residence. For licensed permanent residents, the final move is to settle in Canada and to apply for a PR Passport. These individuals have legally immigrated to Canada at this point and will ultimately apply for citizenship.

The tie-breaking rule is enforced by the IRCC in the event of a tie between candidates. In order to obtain an invitation, candidates who had a CRS score of 720 or more had to apply their Express Entry profile before August 14, 2020, at 6:51:00 UTC in the most recent draw.

It is projected to be even bigger this year, as the IRCC has increased immigration targets to compensate for the decreased number of new permanent residents admitted last year to Canada.

In four program-specific draws, IRCC has now released 10,654 ITAs to begin in 2021.

As the IRCC has raised immigration targets to compensate for the decreased number of new permanent residents admitted to Canada last year, the year 2021 is projected to see more increases. In order to achieve these goals, IRCC is also likely to rely more heavily on potential immigrants and skilled staff already in Canada, in part because of the ongoing coronavirus initiatives and the existing difficulties associated with border closures and restrictions.

In 2021, the IRCC has not yet held an all-program draw.

This year, Canada is expected to accept 401,000 new immigrants, of which 108,500 are assigned to come through a program operated by Express Entry.