The Government of Canada drew for the eighth round of Express Entry invitations in 2019. The Government of Canada issued 500 invitations to applicants for the Federal Skilled Trades program with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores as low at 332.
Both the number of ITAs issued and the CRS cut-off score in this draw appears lower in comparison to previous Express Entry draws in 2019. However, it’s important to note that this draw was program-specific. In other words, invitations were issued only to those interested in the Federal Skilled Trades program. This was the first program-specific draw held since September of 2018.
According to Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC) system, skilled work experience eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Class falls under the following categories:
Major Group 72: Industrial, electrical and construction trades
Major Group 73: Maintenance and equipment operation trades
Major Group 82: Supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
Major Group 92: Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
Minor Group 632: Chefs and cooks
Minor Group 633: Butchers and bakers
At this point in 2019, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued a total of 31,750 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Express Entry applicants.
QUICK FACTS
This was the first program-specific Express Entry draw in 2019
A total of 31,750 Express Entry ITAs have been issued in 2019
CRS cut-off scores may continue to decrease in upcoming Express Entry draws in order to meet the Government of Canada’s economic immigration targets for 2019
WILL I RECEIVE AN ITA IF MY CRS SCORE IS BELOW THE CUT OFF?
In many of the Express Entry draws held this year, CRS scores have remained steady at approximately 450 points. This has left many prospective applicants unsure about their likelihood of receiving an ITA. It is possible that in future Express Entry draws, IRCC will invite those with fewer than 450 CRS points. For those who are familiar with Express Entry, you may recall that candidates with scores ranging between 430 and 440 points received ITAs as recently as January of this year.
If you are seeking out methods to improve your ranking in the Express Entry pool or you’re unsure about whether you would be competitive in the Express Entry stream, you can contact our firm. We can assess your eligibility and determine whether or not you would be competitive in Express Entry. For those whom we deem non-competitive, we assess their eligibility for other immigration programs to ensure their best of odds of successfully coming to Canada.
EXPRESS ENTRY TARGET FOR 2019
According to Canada’s new immigration plan, almost a quarter of those coming to Canada will do so through one of the three economic immigration classes managed by the Express Entry system. Economic immigration is one of the largest targets as a whole. As such, some key streams of entry are through the Provincial Nominee Program and include the Federal Skilled Worker Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, and the Business Stream. Canada aims to admit 330,800 immigrants in 2019.
EXPRESS ENTRY PROGRAM
Immigration Canada uses a federal system, referred to as Express Entry, to manage applications for permanent residency from individuals in these programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, or the Canadian Experience Class. The Government of Canada holds an average of two to three Express Entry draws per month.
EXPRESS ENTRY PROFILE
Candidates must create an Express Entry profile online where they enter information about their skills, education, language ability, work experience, and more. Candidates are then assigned a CRS score out of 1200 points. Every two to three weeks, the Canadian government will conduct an Express Entry draw where applicants with the highest CRS score receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. Those who are extended an ITA have 90 days to complete an application.
EXPRESS ENTRY POINTS CALCULATOR
Determine your eligibility for Express Entry to Canada using the Express Entry Points Calculator.
THE COMPREHENSIVE RANKING SYSTEM
Prospective immigrants are then ranked in a point system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Points are given for each piece of information in your Express Entry profile. Some different factors that play into your CRS score include your age, level of education, English and French language proficiency, work experience, and connections to Canada (e.g. education, work experience, siblings, etc.). The number of points allotted for each factor differs if you have a spouse or common-law partner or not.
Our Services
Calver and Associates is a leading provider of Canadian Immigration services in Durham Region. We serve clients in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, and beyond. Our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant has over 10 years of experience in Canadian Immigration law and over four years of experience serving those in the Oshawa area.
We can provide assistance with applications for both temporary and permanent residency in Canada. We handle applications for study permits, permanent residency, family class sponsorship, visitor visas, work permits, and Canadian citizenship. We also handle criminal inadmissibility cases by developing remedies for refusal.
