Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its 5th Express Entry raffle this year. They sent out invitations to 699 candidates who had a minimum CRS score of 791. Only candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were eligible for the program. It was the third program-specific draw of 2023.
On the 1st of February, the Express Entry Draw was only for candidates who had a provincial nomination, while the draw on the 2nd of February was only for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).
What is Express Entry?
Express Entry refers to an application management system the IRCC uses for three Canadian immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).
If you are a candidate in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and enter the Express Entry pool, you are automatically eligible for at least one of the programs.
Express Entry is a point-based system. The IRCC uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to classify candidates’ profiles and determine who gets to enter the pool.
Only candidates with the highest scores get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and can apply to become permanent residents in Canada.
After the candidate sends their application, a representative from IRCC will review the application and determine if it is approved. If approved, the candidate can apply for permanent residency, which means they are one step away from becoming a Canadian citizen.
