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Express Entry

Alberta gives provincial nominations to 374 Express Entry candidates  

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) held a draw for provincial nominations on September 25. The results saw 374 Express Entry candidates drawn, with their profiles having Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of 400 points or above. These candidates will be invited to apply for provincial nominations. If accepted they will receive a nomination, along with 600 points added to their Express Entry scores. Having such a high score on their Express Entry profiles will bring the candidates to the top of the draw, effectively guaranteeing their selection in a federal draw for Canadian permanent residence.   

The AINP is just one of many Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) across Canada. These programs utilize immigration streams like Express Entry to select Economic-Class immigrants for provincial nominations. Express Entry candidates are selected from three programs: Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Class.

The AINP selects foreign workers from the stream who have strong connections to Alberta, such as educational background, work history, or close family in the province. It also considers applicants who currently work in a career that is currently in-demand for the province. Additionally, the program looks for candidates that would contribute to Alberta’s diversification and economy. Although the candidates do not require an outstanding job offer from an Albertan employer, it may increase their chances of being selected.    

Lowest CRS Scores of Any Province 

Many Provincial Nominee Programs select their candidates based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in their Express Entry profile. CRS scores rank skilled workers based factors such as their educational background, work experience, and language skills (in English or French). Alberta has had a reputation for having the lowest minimum score requirements in Canada for provincial nomination draws. The province has previously had draws where the scores were as low as 300 points. However, the September 25 draw was significantly higher at 400 points. Nevertheless, this is still lower than the most recent federal Express Entry 464 point minimum score. 

Just in September, Alberta selected 853 candidates and awarded them provincial nominations. So far in 2019, the AINP has awarded a total of 6,088 invitations for provincial nominations.

Express Entry

Manitoba sends provincial nominations to 193 candidates

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) held a draw on October 10, resulting in 193 invited candidates. They will receive Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) for a provincial nomination, which will greatly increase their odds of gaining Canadian permanent residence. So far this year, Manitoba has sent a total of 6,574 LAAs to eligible workers. 

The draw chooses applicants from Manitoba’s three immigration streams. The results were as follows: 

  • 24 candidates from the International Education Stream
  • 147 candidates from the Skilled Worker in Manitoba Stream
  • 22 candidates from the Skilled Worker Overseas stream. 

Out of all three streams, 24 of the candidates also had profiles in Express Entry. 

MPNP Immigration Streams

The International Education Stream assists Manitoba’s international student graduates. It invites graduates who have skills and experiences that are in-demand in the province. The stream also has three sub-categories, which are the Student Entrepreneur Pathway, the Career Employment Pathway, and the Graduate Internship Pathway. The draw on October 10 saw 24 candidates from the International Education Stream selected.  

The Skilled Worker in Manitoba Stream was the largest demographic in this draw, with 147 candidates from the stream chosen. Evidently, the program focuses on Manitoba’s international graduates and temporary workers, with the objective of helping these individuals obtain their Canadian permanent residence. This stream requires the candidates to have a full-time job in Manitoba as well as a permanent employment offer. Additionally, the Skilled Worker in Manitoba stream uses the Expression of Interest (EOI) scoring system, which ranks candidates out of 1,000 points based on various criteria.

Finally, Manitoba’s Skilled Worker Overseas Stream is a branch of the Strategic Recruitment Initiative, which seeks to recruit skilled foreign workers. The program cooperates with Manitoba employers, seeking potential employees to fill gaps in the labour market. What’s more, the latest draw had 22 candidates with EOI scores of 718 and up given LAAs.  

Express Entry

Manitoba invites 224 students and workers in Expression of Interest draw

Manitoba held the last draw on September 25, where 224 candidates received invitations for provincial nomination. This was the Expression of Interest (EOI) draw, the 73rd for the province. So far in 2019, the province of Manitoba has sent 6,381 Letters of Advice to Apply to applicants in the provincial immigration streams.

The EOI draws examines profiles in three streams in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). The full results of the selection in this stream are as follows: 

  • 25 candidates from International Education Stream
  • 140 candidates from Skilled Worker in Manitoba 
  • 59 candidates from Skilled Worker Overseas 

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program Categories 

The MPNP has three main immigration categories for applicants: the International Education Stream, the Skilled Worker in Manitoba category, and Skilled Worker Overseas category. 

The International Education Stream is aimed at former students who attended post-secondary school in Manitoba. In other words, the Manitoba draw focuses mainly on international students who studied in the province and who have in-demand skills.

The Skilled Worker in Manitoba category is used by immigration candidates currently working full-time in Manitoba. Because of this, the bulk of this category consists of international graduates and temporary foreign workers currently living in the province.

Finally, the Skilled Worker Overseas category, linked with the Strategic Recruitment Initiative, invites immigration candidates who have previously lived in Manitoba. Candidates residing outside of Canada are still eligible, so long as they can provide documentation that they have lived in the province for two or more years.

Manitoban Connections to the Federal Express Entry 

Manitoba gave 15 out of the 224 invitations to applicants with federal Express Entry profiles. The federal Express Entry system takes applications of candidates from Canada’s federal economic immigration classes. These categories are the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class, Federal Skilled Worker Class. Candidates drawn in through Express Entry receive invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Express Entry ranks the profiles of its candidates based on their scores in the Comprehensive Ranking System. Evidently, the system gives the applicants scores based on several factors. These factors including their age, educational background, work history, and English or French language skills. Subsequently, the profiles with the highest scores are placed at the top of the Express Entry list. The highest scoring profiles are the most likely to be selected in the federal draw.

Selected immigration candidates are given a provincial nomination and receive 600 points on their Express Entry Profiles. Subsequently, their high score places them at the top of the draw and just about guarantees they will be picked in a federal Express Entry draw. As a result of being chosen in the draw, the candidates receive an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence.


Express Entry

Saskatchewan draws 769 immigration candidates from Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand 

In a draw on September 25 that yielded 769 selections, Saskatchewan sent invitations to apply for provincial nominations to Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand candidates. 

If successful, the provincial nominations will get the candidates 600 points added to their federal Express Entry profiles. Such high reaching scores will put the applicants extremely high on the list for a federal draw, and all but guarantees an opportunity at Canadian permanent residence.  

Several weeks ago, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) expanded their list of in-demand high-skilled occupations. This list is used by the provincial Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand programs to select the most qualified immigration candidates. The list formerly only had 19 positions, but it now encompasses 218 occupations.

In this draw, 404 of the invitation were sent through Express Entry, while the remaining 365 were from the Occupations in Demand stream. According to the SINP, those chosen this round have experiences that span across more than 100 occupations. Their expertise ranged from professions like chemical engineers to psychologists. 

To qualify, applicants needed to have at least one year of experience in an occupation from the list. However, they did not require a job offer from a Saskatchewan employer.

Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program 

Saskatchewan’s Express Entry program is now slightly different from the federal version in how it ranks the candidates for the draws. SINP requires its applicants to register through the Expression of Interests (EOI) System, and they are given a score out of 100 based on how well they meet the system’s credentials. However, the criteria are very similar to Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System score. Both systems give points based on the applicants English or French language proficiency, skilled work experience, and educational background.

The draw on September 25 had separate minimum score requirements for both streams. The Express Entry required an EOI score of at least 70 for its candidates, while the Occupation In-Demand applicants needed a minimum score of 79.

Express Entry

PEI sends out 122 provincial nomination invitations 

In a draw held on September 19, Prince Edward Island sent out provincial nomination invites to 122 immigration candidates. The candidates were from selected from three categories: Labour Impact, Express Entry, and the Business Impact Work Permit Stream.   

The province said that 109 of the invitations were given to Express Entry and Labour Market candidates, while 13 were given to Business Impact applicants. However, the province did not release any minimum scores used to evaluate the candidates for this draw. 

The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program has sent out a total of 1,031 invitations so far in 2019. The recipients of the invitations are able to apply for a provincial nomination. As a result, they are rewarded with an additional 600 points to the CRS scores on their Express Entry profile.

PEI Provincial Nominee Program

Like most provinces, PEI has a provincial Express Entry category wherein it accesses profiles in the federal Express Entry. In particular, PEI Express Entry prioritizes candidates currently residing in the province. However, PEI does require the Express Entry applicants to create a separate profile through Expression of Interest (EOI) to qualify for provincial nominations. 

The EOI scores are similar to the federal Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores. EOIs score points out of 100 based on specified credentials. Candidates with the highest scores based on these credentials are selected in the PNP draws. These credentials include English and French language proficiency, educational background, and employment history.

PEI Immigration Categories

As previously stated, there are three categories from which PEI PNP draws their nomination candidates. These are Labour Impact, Express Entry, and the Business Impact Work Permit Stream.   

The first category, Labour Impact, looks at candidates who are working in PEI or who have a job offer from a PEI employer. It pulls its candidates from three streams: Critical Workers, Skilled Workers, and International Graduates. Candidates in these streams are all ranked based on their EOI scores.  

The second category that the PEI PNP draws from is the Express Entry stream. This is simply the province’s access to the profiles of the Express Entry system.

Finally, there’s the Business Impact: Work Permit Stream. This stream is for foreign business owners or managers who plan to open a business on Prince Edward Island or would like to invest in a business in the province. Recently, the province has worked to encourage an influx of entrepreneurial immigrants into the province. This stream is also based around the EOI points system and in the last provincial draw, the lowest score was 115 points.

Express Entry

Alberta Express Entry sends out 294 invitations to hopeful candidates

On August 28 Alberta government sent out invitations for 294 Express Entry candidates to apply for provincial nominations. 

This draw sent almost twice as many invitations as the previous draw on August 15, which had 121 invitations.

This draw required candidates to have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) of at least 400 points to qualify. That score is notably lower than the lowest federal Express Entry draw this year, which was 438 January 30. Several Alberta Express Entry draws have had much lower minimum scores in the past. The scores have been 300 at their lowest (for four draws), with four more draws having 301 as the minimum, and another four having 302 as the minimum.  

Candidates whose provincial nominations are accepted receive an additional 600 points for their CRS scores. Such a high score will place them at the top of the federal Express Entry stream and to receive invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

How to Qualify for Alberta’s Express Entry

Hopeful Albertans have to receive an invitation from the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) to be eligible for the Alberta Express Entry Stream

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program is primarily focused on candidates with connections to the province. This could mean past experience living in the province, either for work or for school. It also considers people with family members currently living in Alberta.

The AINP also focuses on candidates who fulfil Albertan labour market requirements. That means anyone who has worked in or is currently working in a career that the province has significant job openings for. However, it does not usually consider applicants with experience in a career from the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list. Conversely, the province does not have a public list of eligible occupations.

So far in 2019, Alberta’s stream for Express Entry has had 23 draws, issuing a total of 5,236 invitations.

Express Entry

October 2 Express Entry

October 2 Express Entry draw sends 3,900 Invitations

Canada’s latest Express Entry draw saw it’s largest distribution of invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence since January this year. The most recent draw, held October 2, issued 3,900 invitations to Express Entry candidates. This draw required candidates to have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 464 or higher.

The previous draw, held on September 18, had 3,600 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) sent to eligible candidates. In comparison, this draw had an increase of 300 invitations. The last draw of this size was on January 23, 2019, which also drew 3,900 invitations. As of this draw, Express Entry has issued a total of 67,300 ITAs this year. 

About Express Entry

Canada’s federal Express Entry system is run by the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is one of the country’s most popular methods for recruiting skilled foreign workers. Although candidates do not require a job offer in Canada to be eligible, they do need to register a career profile in the Express Entry system.

The federal Express Entry holds about two draws a month, wherein it selects from the top-ranking profiles in the system. The system ranks candidates based on their CRS scores. Subsequently, it assesses the applicant on work history, educational background, English or French language skills, and more. If selected, candidates are sent an ITA, inviting them to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

The Express Entry pulls from three economic class categories of immigration: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, and the Federal Skilled Worker Class.

As it stands now, the federal Express Entry stream could potentially break last year’s record of 89,800. In addition, the frequency of the draws has had an effect on the minimum score requirements. If there is a shorter wait between draws, the minimum score stays the same or decreases. When there is a long wait the scores tend to increase.

Express Entry

Nova Scotia draws 204 Express Entry profiles for Labour Market Priorities 

On September 4, 204 candidates were invited to apply for provincial nominations through Nova Scotia’s new Labour Market Priorities Stream.

The last draw for the Labour Market Priorities Stream was on June 3, and so far this year there have been four draws in total.  

A branch of the Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP), the Labour Market Priorities Stream aims to fill gaps in provincial the job market. The program looks at Express Entry profiles to find potential applicants for the province’s empty positions.

Drawn candidates have 30 days to apply to the NSNP. Accepted applicants then receive 600 points for their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. As a result, successful applicants have a substantially higher chance of receiving invitations for Canadian permanent residence.

So far, the stream has prioritized candidates who have proficiency in French. For example, this most recent draw chose many candidates whose first language was French. Additionally, the program utilizes the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) evaluation. The CLB scores based on English or French language proficiency, grading speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The September 4 draw prioritized applicants with French CLB scores of 8 or more.

Unlike other draws through Express Entry, Labour Market Priorities does not consider applicants’ CRS scores in their draws. 

Express Entry


Latest Express Entry draw on September 18 sends 3,600 invitations for permanent residence 

The Canadian government held another Express Entry draw this past Wednesday, September 18. As a result, 3,600 invitations were drawn and sent to candidates for Canadian permanent residence. 

A limited number of the highest-ranking candidates are drawn from pools managed by Express Entry. These pools consist of profiles from Canada’s skilled worker’s economic immigration classes: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Trades Class, and the Federal Skilled Worker Class. The draws are usually bi-weekly, taking place at least twice a month.

This week, Express Entry drew candidates with a minimum score of 462 on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS awards points based on a candidate’s skilled work and education experience, age, and language proficiency in French or English. Incidentally, the minimum requirements for the last draw on September 4th was one point higher at 463.

Canda has sent a total of 63,400 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) this year, surpassing the numbers achieved this time last year of 58,600. The federal government’s goal for 2019 is to send 81,400 ITAs through the Federal High Skilled class. However, the end of 2018 saw a record-breaking total of 89,800 ITAs sent, and it is possible that more than that will be sent by the end of this year. 

This latest Express Entry draw also used the tie-break procedure. This meant that any candidates who had a score above 462 that created Express Entry profiles before the designated cut off time (August 29, 2019, at 07:57:13 UTC) received an ITA.

For anyone with CRS scores that are too low for Express Entry, there are numerous Provincial Nominiee Programs (PNPS) to help increase CRS scores. PNPs require much lower CRS scores to apply and they award 600 points to the selected applicants. Some provinces do not even consider CRS scores at all when looking at applicants.

Express Entry

September Express Entry draw issues 3,600 invitations for Canadian ResidenceThe September 4th Express Entry draw saw 3,600 invitations sent out to applicants looking to apply for Canadian permanent residence. This month’s draw called for a score of at least 463 points on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

The Government of Canada’s Express Entry program extends permanent residence invitations to eligible applicants. Candidates are evaluated based on their CRS score, which awards points based on skilled work and education experience, age, and language proficiency in French or English. During regular Express Entry draws a limited number of the highest scoring applicants are sent invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

There have been more Express Entry draws so far in 2019 compared to this time last year. A total of 59,800 ITAs have been sent this year, with 54,700 awarded by September in 2018.

Although more invitations have been issued at each Express Entry draw, there have been longer wait times between the draws. Because of this, the minimum score requirements have been higher on average.

Longer wait times allow more time for new applicants to enter the draw. If the new applicants have higher scores that means the minimum score requirements will increase. Shorter wait times have the opposite effect, lowering the CRS score requirements.

The September 4th draw needed to apply the tie break procedure. This procedure is used when multiple candidates have the same score. It gives priority to the candidates who have had their profiles in the system longer.

Hopeful applicants with low CRS scores can find ways to increase their points. One way is through provincial nomination programs, which can award up to 600 additional points. Provincial nomination streams also happen more frequently than Express Entry.