August 2017 Draws so far
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited 2,991 candidates in the Express Entry pool to apply for permanent residence in the second draw to take place so far this August.
Candidates with 433 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) as a result of the August 9 draw. This is the lowest CRS cut-off threshold since May, and therefore the lowest since changes to the CRS — including the introduction of additional points for French speakers and candidates with a sibling in Canada — were implemented in early June.
The three previous draws that took place since those changes came into effect all had a CRS cut-off threshold in the 440’s. The fact that the latest draw followed quickly after the previous draw, which took place exactly a week ago on August 2, would have been a contributing factor to the decrease in the threshold this time around, as longer gaps between draws allow more candidates to enter the pool.
*Note: Draws of May 26 invited provincial nominees with a minimum CRS score of 775, and candidates in the Federal Skilled Trades Class with a minimum score of 199.
Following today’s draw, the total number of ITAs issued since Express Entry was launched in January, 2015 stands at 125,587. Of these, 60,742 have been issued so far this year; this is significantly more than the total number issued in all of last year.
*Note: Draws of May 26 invited provincial nominees with a minimum CRS score of 775, and candidates in the Federal Skilled Trades Class with a minimum score of 199.
How low may it go?
“Following the changes introduced in June it may have appeared, at least on the surface, that there was a lull in activity with respect to Express Entry. For a short time, draws were fewer and further between. However, IRCC was busy ensuring that the necessary updates to the pool were being made, and now we are seeing what may very well be the beginning of more regular draws and a decrease in CRS cut-off thresholds over time.
“Whether the minimum points requirement continues to decrease remains to be seen, but IRCC has been clear that Express Entry is now the main driver of economic immigration to Canada. For candidates in the pool, there may be ways to improve your ranking; for individuals and families who want to immigrate to Canada but who are not yet in the pool, it is important to check your eligibility first, then go from there.”