The most recent Express Entry draw, which took place on March 26, saw 1,500 invitations issued for permanent residency. These invitations were specifically aimed at candidates with strong French proficiency and a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 388 or higher.
Just the day before, on March 25, another round of invitations was sent out, totaling 1,980 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). These invitations were offered to candidates with a CRS score of 524 or higher, in a more general draw.
Earlier in the month, on March 13, Canada announced its first transport-targeted Express Entry draw for 2024. A total of 975 ITAs were issued to candidates with a CRS score of 430 or higher, provided they had at least six months of experience in one of the ten specified transport occupations.
Going back to March 12, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a general draw, issuing 2,850 ITAs to all candidates in the pool with a CRS score of 525 or above.
Overview of the Express Entry Draws Conducted in March
| Description | March 25, 2024 | March 13, 2024 | March 12, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draw type | General or all program draws | Targeted draw for 10 transport occupations | General or all program draws |
| Invitations | 1,980 | 975 | 2,850 |
| CRS Cutoff | 524 | 430 | 525 |
| Tie-breaking rule | February 25, 2024 at 14:42:38 UTC | July 31, 2023 at 13:27:26 UTC | March 12, 2024 at 15:56:42 UTC |
Here are the comprehensive particulars of the most recent Express Entry draws held in February 2024. Furthermore, the latter section of this page catalogues all draws dating back to 2015, along with a forecast for the upcoming draw.
| Description | February 29, 2024 | February 28, 2024 | February 16, 2024 | February 14, 2024 | February 13, 2024 | February 1, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draw type | Targeted draw for profiles with high proficiency in French | General or all program draws | Targeted for Agriculture and agri-food occupations | Targeted for 35 healthcare occupations | General or all program draws | Targeted draw for profiles with high proficiency in French |
| Invitations | 2,400 | 1,470 | 150 | 3,500 | 1,490 | 7,000 |
| CRS Cutoff | 336 | 534 | 437 | 422 | 535 | 365 |
| Tie-breaking rule | January 18, 2024, at 09:15:46 UTC | January 16, 2024 at 03:51:05 UTC | January 29, 2024, at 03:32:58 UTC | January 30, 2024, at 02:39:54 UTC | February 11, 2024, at 15:26:56 UTC | September 8, 2023, at 09:47:27 UTC |
Most Recent Distribution of Express Entry CRS Scores
| CRS score range | Number of candidates |
|---|---|
| 601-1200 | 987 |
| 501-600 | 10,342 |
| 451-500 | 60,488 |
| 491-500 | 8,294 |
| 481-490 | 10,683 |
| 471-480 | 17,105 |
| 461-470 | 13,218 |
| 451-460 | 11,188 |
| 401-450 | 50,882 |
| 441-450 | 10,172 |
| 431-440 | 10,309 |
| 421-430 | 9,296 |
| 411-420 | 10,610 |
| 401-410 | 10,495 |
| 351-400 | 55,586 |
| 301-350 | 28,287 |
| 0-300 | 5,390 |
| Total | 211,962 |
2023 Trends in CRS Scores
| Immigration Program | Total Invitations |
Average CRS Score |
Lowest CRS Score |
Highest CRS Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture and Agri-food draw | 1,000 | 370 | 354 | 386 |
| Transport-targeted draw | 1,670 | 435 | 435 | 435 |
| Trades Targeted Draw | 2,500 | 406.5 | 388 | 425 |
| Targeted Draw for French Speakers | 8,700 | 446 | 375 | 486 |
| STEM Targeted Draw | 6,400 | 483 | 481 | 486 |
| Healthcare Targeted Draw | 5,600 | 456 | 431 | 476 |
| No Program Specified | 76,700 | 502 | 481 | 561 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 4,396 | 748 | 691 | 791 |
| Federal Skilled Worker | 3,300 | 489 | 489 | 489 |
Analysis and Forecast for the Next Express Entry Draw in 2024 (Updated Weekly)
With the IRCC’s emphasis on targeted Express Entry draws in 2024, it’s expected that the CRS cutoff score will remain relatively high, likely above 520, for general or all-program invitation rounds.
- There’s a prediction that draws focused on specific categories, particularly those centered around French proficiency, will occur more frequently compared to others.
- The CRS cutoff score is projected to be lower in draws targeting Francophones, as well as in draws related to Agriculture, Transport, and Trade.
- The outlook is becoming clearer regarding the implementation of targeted draws and the continuation of draws encompassing all programs.
- IRCC’s Express Entry draws continue to be fiercely competitive, and prospects for profiles with CRS scores below 520 in general draws appear dim unless there’s a substantial draw by IRCC.
- Profiles with CRS scores below 520 should prioritize enhancing their profiles by obtaining qualification certificates, improving language proficiency, gaining additional experience, etc.
