Express Entry: How does IRCC decide when to hold the sweepstakes?
Express Entry: How does IRCC decide when to hold draws?
There is no rule in the Immigration and Refugees and Protection Act that dictates how frequently Express Entry draws must occur.
The routine surrounding the Express Entry draw has changed recently. Typically, draws are held on Wednesdays every two weeks. However, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently suspended the draw for six weeks starting Nov. 23, returning on Jan. 11, inviting 5,500 candidates, and conducting another draw of the same size a week later.
There is no definitive explanation for the routine change. In an email to CIC News, an IRCC spokesperson hinted that the suspension was due to a system failure caused by the implementation of NOC 2021, saying: "Technical issues with the implementation of the new classification system on 16 November 2022 have adversely affected 23 November 2022 Express Entry invitation round on 11 January 2023. These technical issues, while a significant inconvenience to IRCC customers, have been resolved. The Express Entry invitation round was successfully implemented on 11 January 2023.”
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IRCC is resuming more regular Express Entry Invitation to Apply (ITA) rounds, the department said. However, the unexpected pause and ensuing draw were so unusual for IRCC that it's anyone's guess how IRCC decides on the frequency of draws and the number of candidates.
The immigration pathway under the Express Entry application management system is open to candidates from three programs; the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class Program (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Candidates for these programs are considered high-skilled economic immigrants.
Eligible candidates upload their profiles to the IRCC website and are awarded points based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Those with the highest CRS scores are the most likely to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
Express Entry trends
Express Entry began in 2015 and typically draws 23 to 30 times a year. IRCC created it to target potential permanent residents with in-demand skills who can quickly integrate into the labor market and enhance Canada's workforce.
Most draws are program-wide, and starting in 2019, there will be one or two draws each year dedicated to the FSTP. In 2015 and 2016, the program-wide draw typically invited fewer than 2,000 candidates. This changed in 2017-2019, when it was common to draw more than 3,000 candidates. The reason for this is that IRCC is transitioning from its existing paper-based FSWP, CEC and FSTP applications to eventually managing all applications electronically through Express Entry. As part of this process, IRCC supplemented its existing list of paper applications by gradually adding ITAs until it transitioned in early 2017.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on Canada's immigration system as travel restrictions, border closures and the inability of employees to work in offices led to a backlog of applications. In response, IRCC stopped the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and FSTP lottery in December 2020. Draws for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) continue and are also suspended until September 2021. IRCC continues to invite provincial Express Entry candidates for the nomination process.
Even though the lottery has become limited in terms of procedure, the still-running lottery happens with regularity.
Last July, Express Entry draws for all programs resumed, with draw sizes increasing every two weeks while CRS scores were dropped to allow more candidates to receive ITAs. With a draw size of 4,570 through November 23, it was the largest Express Entry draw since December 2020.
Rules that govern Express Entry
Frequency
As stipulated in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), there is no set law as to how often Express Entry draws are required. The frequency of Express Entry draws is entirely at the discretion of the Minister of Immigration and IRCC. The number of candidates invited, as well as the minimum CRS score, is determined by the Minister for Immigration through Ministerial Direction.
Ministers have the authority to invite candidates based on Canada's economic priorities to add to the workforce. One of their jobs is:
- Address chronic labour market shortages and positioning for the future; and
- Support Francophone immigration and economic growth in Francophone minority communities.
Ministers have the flexibility to issue ministerial directives that the government believes will have a positive impact on the Canadian workforce, while also allowing for easy integration of invited candidates.
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Number of ITAs
Like all immigration pathways, Express Entry has annual targets outlined in the Immigration Levels Plan. The 2022 goal for listing as a federal high-skilled worker is 55,900. The 2023 target has risen sharply to 82,880, meaning IRCC will need to invite more candidates next year to meet its target. That number will be even higher when IRCC plans to invite 109,020 federal high-skilled candidates by 2024.
The Minister and IRCC need to examine these targets and plan the number of candidates to be invited, which also means deciding that the CRS score is high, but not necessarily high enough to limit the number of candidates.
In short, there is no law in the IRPA that regulates any aspect of the Express Entry draw, which is entirely at the discretion of the Government and the Minister of Immigration.
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