Canada invites 940 PNP candidates with CRS scores of at least 711.
Canada held a new Express Entry draw, inviting 940 candidates to apply for permanent residence on June 9.
All invited candidates had previously received a nomination from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This is why the score cutoff was relatively high at 711, because all PNP candidates in the Express Entry pool automatically get 600 points added to their score. Without the nomination, the lowest-scoring candidate would have had just 111 points.
As per administrative requirements, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published a cutoff time for the tie-break rule, whether or not there was any actual tie. In the new draw, candidates who had the minimum score were only invited if they submitted their Express Entry profile before February 16, 2021 at 09:06:30 UTC.
In the previous PNP-only draw, Canada invited 500 candidates, and the score requirement was 713 points. This draw almost doubled the number of invites, and the cutoff score dipped two points.
Pandemic still affecting Express Entry draws
Since the start of 2021, IRCC has only held Express Entry draws that target candidates who are likely already in Canada. This strategy is one part a function to meet Canada’s immigration targets for the year, and another part to avoid coronavirus-related travel restrictions and other service closures that affect international candidates.
Canada has issued a greater number of invitations this year compared to the same time in 2020, thanks to the 27,332 principal applicants invited on February 13. Of these candidates, IRCC told CIC News in an email that about 87 per cent filled out applications within the 90-day timeline. So far in 2021, Canada has issued 75,713 invitations.
PNP candidates and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates are found in Canada in large numbers. This is because PNPs oftentimes require work experience or education from the nominating province, and CEC candidates must have at least one year of Canadian work experience.
PNP draws will always have much higher score requirements as a result of the 600-point award. CEC draws will have lower score cutoffs, due to large draw sizes in a relatively small pool of candidates.
