On January 20, 2020 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 3,400 applicants with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 471 or higher to apply for Canadian Permanent Residence. The minimum CRS score required decreased 2 points from the previous draw held on January 8th, 2020. The most recent draw marks the 135th round of invitations since IRCC launched Express Entry five years ago in January 2015.
Looking back at 2019, candidates in the Express Entry pool who had a CRS score of 438 were issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Permanent Residence in the general round of invitations on January 30, 2019. However, candidates with scores in the 430 and 440 range did not fare well for the rest of 2019. From February onwards, no one with a CRS score of 450 or less was issued an ITA; since August, general draws have required a CRS score of 460 or more.
Yet, despite rising minimum scores in 2019, the Canadian government issued approximately 85,000 invitations - a significant increase from just over 30,000 invitations in 2015.
Looking forward, the government has indicated that it plans to increase the level of immigration to Canada in the next few years. However, the first and second draws for 2020 have required candidates to have a minimum CRS score of 473 and 471 respectively. Thus, it seems that despite over all increases in immigration, interest in immigrating to Canada remains strong. As such, it is likely that CRS scores will remain high relative to prior years notwithstanding a growing number of candidates (over 140,000) in the Express Entry pool waiting for an ITA.
Should you wish to discuss the competitiveness of your Express Entry Profile, find ways to increase your CRS score, or explore other ways to apply for Canadian permanent residence, please consider scheduling a preliminary consultation.
This update has been compiled with the latest available information for the general information of Border Law clients and other interested parties. This Update is not comprehensive and should not be relied upon without appropriate legal advice.