Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its first Express Entry draw of August 2023 on August 1, 2023. In this draw, IRCC invited 2,000 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 517.
This draw marks IRCC’s first Express Entry selection round of August, as IRCC continues both program-specific and category-based selection draws. Today’s draw is also the first since a run of six draws in nine days between July 4th and July 12th, 2023.
During the week of July 10-14, IRCC issued 4,600 total Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued in two Express Entry draw rounds: an all-program draw (with a minimum CRS of 505), and a targeted French language proficiency draw (with a minimum CRS of 439). Recent weeks have also seen category-based draws for Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and healthcare professionals.
The continuation of weekly Express Entry draws is a positive sign for candidates who are hoping to immigrate to Canada through this program. The high minimum CRS score of 517 in this latest draw suggests that the competition for Express Entry invitations remains fierce. However, candidates who have strong profiles, such as high CRS scores, work experience in Canada, and in-demand skills, should still be confident in their chances of success.
Other Targeted Categories
There are still three other categories that IRCC has not yet used for targeted draws:
- Trade Occupations (like welders, carpenters, plumbers, etc.);
- Transport Occupations (like truck drivers, air pilots, railway traffic controllers, deck officers, etc.); and
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Occupations (like butchers, contractors, and farm supervisors).
If you are interested in immigrating to Canada through Express Entry, it is important to keep an eye on the latest draw results and eligibility requirements. You can also create an Express Entry profile and start accumulating points. This will give you a head start when new draws are announced.
