ULTIMATE GUIDE TO EXPRESS ENTRY ROUNDS OF INVITATION TRENDS, DATA, AND FUTURE OUTLOOK (2021–2024)

Ultimate Guide to Express Entry Rounds of Invitation: Trends, Data, and Future Outlook (2021–2024)

Ultimate Guide to Express Entry Rounds of Invitation: Trends, Data, and Future Outlook (2021–2024)

 

Updated for 2024

Express Entry is Canada’s flagship immigration management system for skilled workers, overseen by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Since its inception, it has undergone evolutions—including targeted draws by occupation and French language proficiency. Below, we present an in-depth analysis of Express Entry rounds of invitation from January 2021 to December 2024, focusing on CRS score trends, categories invited, and the government’s long-term immigration plans.

  1. Express Entry at a Glance

Express Entry manages applications for three main federal immigration programs:

  1. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
  2. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
  3. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

It also links with Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams that operate under Express Entry, giving provinces the ability to nominate skilled workers for provincial needs. Candidates receive points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and the highest-scoring profiles are invited to apply for permanent residence (PR).

Notable changes since 2022: IRCC began issuing category-based invitations targeting critical sectors like health care, trades, transport, and those with French language proficiency. This strategic shift aligns with Canada’s economic needs and the Immigration Levels Plan.

  1. Express Entry Rounds of Invitations: 2021–2024 Overview
  2. Transition from Pandemic Measures to Targeted Draws
  • Early 2021: Draws heavily focused on Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to prioritize candidates already in Canada during the pandemic.
  • Late 2021 – 2022: Periodic No Program Specified draws resumed, albeit gradually. PNP-focused draws remained frequent as provinces leveraged Express Entry.
  • Mid-2023 to 2024: Introduction of category-based draws for occupations like health care, skilled trades, transport, agriculture, and French-speaking streams.
  1. Invitations Issued & Average CRS Scores

From January 2021 to December 2024, IRCC conducted 330+ Express Entry rounds of invitation. Below are high-level insights:

  • Total Invitations Issued (2021–2024): Over 1 million invitations cumulatively (all programs combined).
  • Lowest CRS Cut-off: A historic low of CRS 75 in February 13, 2021, specifically targeting CEC candidates (a unique policy measure during COVID-19).
  • Recent CRS Trends (2024): Category-based draws and specialized streams often hover in the CRS 400–550 range. Meanwhile, PNP draws typically require higher CRS scores, often 700+ because PNP nominees get an additional 600 CRS points.

Sample Averages (Approx.):

  • CEC Draws (2023–2024): CRS cut-offs ~ 500–540 in most draws.
  • PNP Draws: CRS cut-offs ~ 700–816 after the 600-point provincial nomination bonus.
  • Occupation-Based Draws (Healthcare, Trades, Transport, French Proficiency, STEM): CRS cut-offs vary from ~390 to ~500, depending on the occupation’s popularity and IRCC’s intake capacity.
  • No Program Specified / General Draws: Typically around CRS 480–560 in 2023–2024, though the score fluctuates with each round.
  1. Most Common Categories Invited
  2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
    IRCC regularly holds PNP-specific draws. These candidates have a provincial nomination worth 600 additional CRS points, pushing PNP draw cut-offs above 700. Frequency: ~2–3 times per month in certain quarters.
  3. Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
    Exclusive CEC draws were prominent in 2021–2022 to transition temporary residents to PR. While pure CEC draws have decreased in frequency in 2023–2024, they still appear intermittently.
  4. Occupation-Specific Draws
    Beginning mid-2023, IRCC initiated category-based selection:
  • Healthcare: Physicians, nurses, personal support workers.
  • Trade Occupations: Carpenters, electricians, plumbers.
  • Transport: Truck drivers, transit operators.
  • STEM Occupations: Software developers, data scientists (noted in mid-2023 draws).
  • French-Speaking Proficiency: IRCC aims to increase Francophone immigration outside Quebec. These draws can have cut-offs ~ CRS 360–480.
  1. No Program Specified / General Draws
    Often labeled as “No Program Specified,” these draws invite the highest CRS scores across all Express Entry programs. They resumed regularly from mid-2022 onward.
  2. Detailed Look at Key Draws Since 2021

Below is a brief timeline of notable draws:

February 13, 2021 (CEC Mega Draw)

  • Invitations Issued: 27,332 (largest single draw in Express Entry history)
  • CRS Cut-off: 75
  • Reasoning: Canada sought to transition as many in-Canada temporary residents to PR during the pandemic.

Mid/Late 2022: Gradual return of No Program Specified draws

  • CRS cut-offs hovered 470–557 for these draws.
  • PNP draws continued bi-weekly, requiring CRS 700+.

Mid-2023: Introduction of Occupation-Based Draws (Version 1)

  • Category draws for Healthcare, STEM, Transportation, Agriculture, French proficiency, and Trades.
  • CRS cut-offs varied widely (~390 to 500+).

2024: Ongoing category-based draws

  • Occupation-targeted draws seeing CRS as low as 394 for French or agriculture streams and as high as 463+ for healthcare.
  • PNP draws remain frequent (~CRS 690–816).
  • Intermittent General draws with CRS cut-offs in the high 400s to mid-500s.
  1. Express Entry’s Role in Immigration Levels Plan (2025–2027)

According to the latest 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada will:

  • Continue focusing on economic immigration (~62% of new permanent residents by 2027).
  • Expand category-based draws to meet specific labor market needs (e.g., health care and trades).
  • Encourage transitions from temporary resident to permanent status (over 40% of PR admissions in 2025 are projected to come from workers/students already in Canada).
  • Target an overall decrease in permanent resident admissions from 395,000 in 2025 down to 365,000 in 2027, marking a short-term slowdown in population growth to manage housing and infrastructure demands.

Impact on Express Entry:

  • We can expect more selective draws focusing on in-Canada applicants and targeted occupations.
  • Category-based draws will likely remain a mainstay.
  • CRS thresholds might moderate as more spots go to in-Canada candidates and occupational streams.
  1. Future Trends & Strategy for Applicants
  2. Greater Importance of Category-Based Selection

Occupations like health care, STEM, agriculture, trades, and French-speaking cohorts have lower CRS cut-offs and are more frequent. Candidates with these skill sets or NOC codes stand a higher chance of receiving invitations.

  1. Maximizing CRS Score

To stay competitive, candidates should:

  1. Boost Language Scores (IELTS/CELPIP or TEF/TCF for French).
  2. Obtain Provincial Nomination for a 600-point boost if possible.
  3. Accumulate Canadian Work Experience (for CEC).
  4. Leverage Spouse’s Credentials if married or in a common-law partnership.
  1. Staying Informed on Round Types

Express Entry draws can be program-specific (CEC, FSTP, PNP) or category-based (occupations/french). Understanding your category aligns your strategy—like applying for a provincial nomination or focusing on a specialized skill set.

  1. Balancing Temporary & Permanent Streams

As the 2025–2027 Levels Plan indicates reduced new permanent resident levels, the emphasis might shift more heavily to transitions from within Canada. If you are studying or working in Canada, keep your profile updated to seize category-based opportunities.

  1. Quick Facts & Statistics (Jan 2021–Dec 2024)
  1. Number of Draws: Over 330 Express Entry draws.
  2. Total Invitations: Surpassed 1 million across all categories.
  3. Lowest CRS Ever Recorded: 75 (Feb 13, 2021, CEC-only draw).
  4. Highest CRS Cut-Off (PNP draws): Often in the 700–816 range due to the +600 nomination points.
  5. Category-Based Invitations: Healthcare draws saw average CRS ~420–460; French-proficiency draws range 360–480; Trade occupations ~388–436.
  1. Summary & Outlook

Express Entry remains Canada’s premier system for selecting skilled immigrants. 2021–2024 saw substantial changes, from historic mega-draws to new category-based draws. The ongoing “targeted draws” approach is helping Canada address critical labour shortages in health care, trades, transport, and beyond.

As the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan indicates a short-term decrease in annual PR admissions, we may see higher CRS cut-offs or more specific draws. Candidates should tailor their immigration strategy to align with the categories IRCC prioritizes (e.g., obtaining provincial nomination, improving language scores, or capitalizing on in-Canada experience).

How Immigration Nation Can Help

At Immigration Nation—Immigration Consultant Edmonton, our mission is to provide up-to-date insights on Express Entry trends and to maximize your profile’s competitiveness. We offer:

  • CRS Optimization: Guidance on improving your language scores, ECA, and profile factors.
  • PNP Support: Assistance in identifying the right provincial streams to secure a 600-point nomination.
  • Category-Based Strategy: We help match your NOC skill set to the targeted draws for healthcare, trades, or other sectors.

Contact us at (780) 800-0113 or [email protected] to discuss your Express Entry journey.

Address:
9038 51 Ave NW, Suite 206
Edmonton, AB T6E 5X4

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  1. What is the difference between “No Program Specified” and “Category-Based” draws?
  • No Program Specified: Invites the top CRS-scoring candidates from any Express Entry program.
  • Category-Based: Specifically targets certain occupations or attributes (e.g., trades, French proficiency).
  1. What’s the significance of a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw?
  • Candidates nominated by a province receive 600 additional CRS points, virtually guaranteeing an ITA in subsequent Express Entry draws.
  1. Why did the CRS cut-off drop to 75 in February 2021?
  • IRCC introduced a one-time CEC mega-draw to transition a high number of in-Canada temporary workers/students to PR. This was a unique pandemic-era measure.
  1. Will CRS scores keep rising?
  • Possibly, given Canada’s plan to reduce total PR levels. However, category-based draws often have lower cut-offs for targeted skill sets or French language proficiency.
  1. How can I stay informed on changes to Express Entry?
  • Regularly check IRCC’s official website or consult immigration experts like Immigration Nation for the latest news and draw results.

Ready to Make Canada Your Home?

Immigration Nation—Immigration Consultant Edmonton is here to navigate you through Express Entry. Call (780) 800-0113 or Book a Consultation today for personalized guidance based on the latest Express Entry draw trends and criteria!

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