Canada invited CEC candidates with scores as low as 369

On July 8, Canada invited 4,500 Express Entry candidates to apply for permanent residence.

The invitation round was only for candidates who are eligible for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The score requirement was 369.

The cutoff score rose compared to the previous CEC round when the cutoff score was 357 and 6,000 invitations were issued. This was also the smallest CEC draw since May 20.

In this invitation round, the tie-break rule applied to candidates with the lowest score who submitted their profiles before June 10, 2021 at 22:46:37 UTC. CEC candidates who applied after this time and who had the minimum score were not included in this draw.

Twice as many ITAs issued compared to last year

IRCC has invited about twice as many Express Entry candidates compared to the same time last year. So far in 2021, Canada has invited 93,842 Express Entry candidates.

The federal government has a goal of landing 108,500 permanent residents through the Express Entry system in 2021. IRCC aims to process these applications in six months, though it is currently taking longer on average due to coronavirus-related disruptions.

Not all candidates who receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) will get permanent residency status. Some may not apply, others may be rejected.

Since the start of the year, IRCC has been holding a CEC draw following a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw. This is why the score requirements have fluctuated so much since the start of the year. PNP candidates have higher Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score cutoffs because they have all received 600 points thanks to their provincial nomination.

The reason IRCC has been focusing on these candidates is because during COVID times it is easier to admit immigrants who are already in the country. CEC and are most likely already in Canada. PNP candidates also have high numbers of domestic candidates, and those who are abroad have demonstrated to a provincial government that their presence in Canada will support regional labour market goals.