First Express Entry draw for April 2023 held by IRCC

Nationwide Visas
[Published 13 Apr, 2023 | 04:55 AM]
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The First Express Entry draw for April 2023 was held by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada on April 12. This latest Express Entry draw offered a total of 3,500 ITAs - Invitations to Apply for Canada PR Visa and it was an all-program draw. Candidates who received the ITAs had a minimum CRS - Comprehensive Ranking System score of 486 and above.

The Highlights of the Draw are as follows:

• Program – No Program Specified (means all-program)
• Number of invitations offered  - 3,500
• Rank required to receive ITA – 3,500 and higher
• Time and date of the round: 14:12:15 UTC; April 12, 2023
• Lowest ranking candidate’s CRS score – 486
• Rule for breaking tie - 11:05:24 UTC; July 19, 2022*

* If multiple candidates in the Express Entry pool have the least CRS score, the cut-off is decided by the time and date they submit their profiles in Express Entry System.

All program draw means that candidates were considered from all three economic immigration programs under Express Entry:

• Canadian Experience Class 
• Federal Skilled Worker Program 
• Federal Skilled Trades Program 

Express Entry pool candidates’ CRS score distribution as of April 12, 2023

The figures in the above table reflect the sum of the number of overall individuals in the pool just some days prior to the selection round. The distribution of scores can alter as new profiles are submitted by people and older profiles are expired.

The numbers in the table that are not in bold are an exhaustive break-up of the numbers in bold immediately above.

More ITAs already issued in 2023 than in the entire 2022

The most ambitious Plan for Immigration Levels to date was launched by IRCC in November 2022. It outlines the immigration targets for PR Visa holders across all business lines in the next 3 years. In 2023 Express Entry will offer PR Visas to 82,800 eligible candidates.

The month of March was unprecedented in the history of Express Entry. 21,667 ITAs were offered by IRCC through 4 selection draws. It was the monthly 2nd maximum total after the launch of Express Entry in 2015.

The highest numbers of ITAs in one month were offered in the year 2021 in February. IRCC offered 27,332 ITAs to eligible candidates in just one draw and targeted CEC candidates.

The latest Express Entry draw was preceded by the second biggest draw in Express Entry held so far. The first biggest draw was held on 15th March when ITAs were offered to 7,000 candidates having a score of 490.

Normally, draws in Express Entry are held once in 2 weeks on a Wednesday. But the next draw was conducted only 1 week later on 23rd March and 7,000 candidates were offered ITAs with a CRS score of 484. Additional 7,000 candidates received ITAs in the next draw held on 29th March. The minimum CRS score of candidates who received ITAs was 481.

So, a total of 21,000 candidates received ITAs in 3 consecutive weeks. The rest of the 667 ITAs were offered on 1st March in a draw that was aimed at only Provincial Nomination Program candidates.

PGWP extension accessible as of 6th April

The huge all-program draws can be of advantage for CEC candidates. Many of them have expressed increasing concerns even as their PGWP - Post-Graduation Work Permits will be shortly expiring.

Sean Fraser the Immigration Minister of Canada made an announcement recently to help qualified PGWP holders. Accordingly, from April 6 PGWP holders are qualified to file an application for an 18-month extension for Open Work Permit.

PGWP is a 1-time Open Work Permit for overseas students graduating from a Canadian post-secondary institution. They are not qualified to apply for PR Visa if their PGWPs expire prior to receiving the ITA. It can be time-consuming and expensive to get an alternative Work Permit or get a Visitor Record.