Express Entry candidates who were invited to a provincial nomination in the April 29 draw. Canada invited a total of 589 candidates to this Express Entry draw, with a minimum score requirement of 692 in Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) with another 600 points from getting a provincial nomination, that means that the basic requirement for human capital points were only 92.
It is the lowest CRS criterion so far this year for a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)- specific Express Entry draw. It is six points below the April 9 draw, which welcomed provincial nominees with a CRS of at least 698.
The year has begun as a great one for Express Entry, although coronavirus has changed the immigration landscape in Canada. During the first quarter of 2020, there were more Express Entry applicants invited to apply for permanent residency than in the first quarters of the two preceding years.
Although the Canadian government has diverged from scheduled all-program draws following the introduction of special measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, invitations are being given consistently.
The Government of Canada has held seven Express Entry draws since March 18, 2020, inviting applicants from the provinces and candidates from the Canadian Experience Class immigration system.
The preceding draw held on April 16, also saw the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) minimum score drop to 455 — the 2020 lowest score requirement.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has already released 8,389 Invitations to apply (ITAs) in April, so far. In the month of February this year, 8000 invitations were the most ITA’s released by IRCC prior to April.
Since COVID-19 travel restrictions were put in place on March 18, 2020, several of Canada's Express Entry-aligned provincial nomination streams have issued invitations including streams in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and British Columbia. In fact, since the start of 2020, more than 30 draws have been held by the different PNP streams in Canada.
