The much-awaited draw of 6th July 2022 is finally here. Dashing many hopes, the CRS cut off closed at an unthinkable high of 557 with ITA’s being sent out to only 1500 applicants in the pool. This draw was an All-stream draw meaning the cut off was for FSW (Federal Skilled Worker), CEC (Canadian Experience Class), FST (Federal Skilled Trades) and PNP (Provincial Nominee Programme).
Intake size of the draw and the CRS cut off’s have almost forever had a conversely proportional relationship. Pre-Pandemic, the CRS minimum threshold ranged in 470’s with an intake size of 3500 per draw but by the time the draws were restored in August 2020, threshold had gone down in the 460’s. By the end of 2020, the intake size had increased to 5000 applicants being selected in the last three draws at a minimum cut off score of 469.
The reason for keeping the intake small, could be to put less strain on the system, with a huge backlog of applications still being in the processing que. Or the immigration targets might be achieved with many new pathways being announced just like in 2021. Approximately 90,000 new immigrants were taken in as PR’s through three TR (temporary residence) to PR (Permanent Residence) pathways from May to November last year. If the latter is the case, then Immigration Canada might keep the draw sizes small throughout this year which in turn would mean that the minimum CRS scores would remain high. In case of the former reasoning though, there is a huge possibility of intake sizes increasing and scores stabilizing between 470 to 480 in the upcoming months as pressure on the processing systems ease.
The Immigration ministry had been under pressure for long to re-start the intake for Foreign Skilled Workers as the economy was falling short of talent, skills, and hands. From the inception, Express Entry system had eased the inflow of skilled immigrants who could boost the Canadian economy and fill the talent gaps, with immigrants landing in as short a time as 6 months. On the other hand, the Canadian Experience Class is the main pathway for international students to attain permanent residency. This stream had been closed since mid-2021, but only after helping thousands of students attained permanent residency starting February till June, seeing draws with massive intakes and CRS as low as 75. The PNP stream is the only one that continued unabated throughout the pandemic.
