Candidates in these programs, as well as some PNPs, are given a score based on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). These points are awarded based on the candidate’s human capital factors such as age, education, work experience, and language ability in English or French.
The points may be awarded to an individual, or a couple. Although Express Entry candidates do not need to have any experience in Canada, or even a job offer, though it may give them some extra points.
The highest-scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence through regular Express Entry rounds of invitation. After they apply, IRCC will then make a final decision on their immigration application and send them a Confirmation of Permanent Residence if their application is successful. The last step for approved permanent residents is to make their landing in Canada, and apply for their PR card. At this point, they have officially immigrated to Canada, and can eventually apply for
It was the biggest year in the Express Entry system’s history despite the hits Canada took to immigration levels in 2020.
Canada finished off the year issuing 107,350 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Express Entry candidates. This was the highest invitation total since the Express Entry system was introduced in 2015 to manage the pool of candidates for Canada’s three Federal High-Skilled immigration programs the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) as well as some of its Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP).
Canada’s immigration department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held 36 invitation rounds in 2020. This is 10 more than last year because in the early weeks of the pandemic IRCC was holding draws that only targeted CEC and PNP candidates. This was done in an effort to prioritize Express Entry candidates who were already in Canada.