Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 4,300 candidates in the fifteenth Express Entry draw of 2023. To qualify, the candidates were required to score a minimum of 486 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Previously, a similar draw was held on June 8, inviting 4,800 candidates with the same CRS cut-off score. Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System is used to manage skilled worker applications. The candidates are ranked according to their scores in CRS. It evaluates the candidate (and if applicable, their spouse or partner) based on their human capital. The highest-scoring candidates are invited by the Canadian Government to immigrate there.
n a positive turn of events, IRCC announced in May 2023 introducing the addition of a category-based selection of Express Entry candidates. These are meant to help meet specific economic goals. They will likely vary from year to year depending upon the evolving priorities of the Canadian immigration system. Specific, category-based draws will be held starting in late summer.
The categories chosen for 2023 are as follows:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
- Trade occupations
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
In the new draws, candidates possessing the required work or language experience for the occupations within these categories will receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs). A significant portion of the eligible categories is made up of Healthcare and STEM occupations. Nearly half of the occupations are represented by Healthcare alone.
On July 28, the first category-based selection round issued 500 invites under Healthcare. The second round for Healthcare will issue 1,500 more invites on July 5. Skilled workers with experience in STEM occupations
