Canada invited 671 Express Entry candidates to send in their applications for permanent residence on March 8.

Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited candidates who had a minimum score of 739. This score requirement seems high, but that is because everyone invited had previously received a nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Express Entry candidates who get a provincial nomination are automatically given 600 points on top of their original human capital score. Meaning those who had the minimum score of 739, had a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 139 without the provincial nomination.

“Provincial nominees have demonstrated that they will benefit provincial labour markets,” said Attorney David Cohen, Senior Partner of Campbell Cohen. “In turn, provinces support their Express Entry application with an award that guarantees they will be invited to apply for permanent residence.”

Candidates who had the minimum score of 739 were only included if they submitted their Express Entry profile before February 16, 2021 at 19:10:25 UTC, as per the tie-break rule.

So far this year, Canada has issued 38,657 Invitations to Apply (ITA).  This is more than three times greater than the number of ITAs that IRCC issued at the same time last year. Due to the low numbers of new immigrants admitted in 2020, Canada has set the ambitious target of welcoming 401,00 newcomers in 2021. Most of these are allocated to come through the Express Entry system.