According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, IRCC plans to accept nearly 83,000 foreigners through the Express Entry program in 2023.
The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held another all-program Express Entry lottery, signifying the third week in a row. This time, 7,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent citizenship were given, bringing the total to 21,000 ITAs in three weeks. The minimal Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off number has also been significantly reduced.
It was 481 this time, the lowest minimum for an all-program draw since the December 23, 2020 draw, when it was 468.
Candidates must satisfy specified requirements, such as language abilities, schooling, job experience, and age, to be qualified for the Express Entry programs (Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades Program). When a candidate submits their biography to IRCC’s website, they are assigned a CRS score based on these factors, and the candidates with the best CRS scores obtain ITAs during IRCC’s fortnightly draws.
In recent months, IRCC has not followed a predictable draw timetable, such as conducting two draws in successive weeks on March 15 and March 23, which tied for the biggest all-program draws ever, issuing 7,000 ITAs each.
Candidates have 60 days after getting an ITA to send their completed permanent residence application to IRCC. The IRCC expects to handle these submissions in six months.
Plan for Immigration Levels 2023-2025
According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, IRCC plans to accept nearly 83,000 foreigners through the Express Entry program in 2023. This figure is expected to rise to 109,000 in 2024 and 114,000 in 2025.
Since last year, Canada has designated the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) its primary economic class immigration route. Each province and territory has its own PNP, which allows them to find and designate candidates who fit the requirements of their particular economy. The PNP admittance goal for 2023 is nearly 106,000 immigrants, 110,000 in 2024, and nearly 118,000 in 2025.
Several provinces have recently revealed increased PNP allocations, with Ontario now able to propose up to 18,000 immigrants in 2025.
The PNP is administered through Express Entry, which means that qualified candidates who join the Express Entry pool may be invited to apply to their province or territory’s PNP. Those who are approved through a PNP stream receive 600 CRS points, improving their odds of getting an ITA for permanent residence.