Canada Update: Express Entry Draw #306

On July 30, 2024, IRCC conducted the third Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw of the month. A total of 964 PNP applicants with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 686 or higher will receive invitations to apply for Express Entry.

The details of the draw are as follows:

• Date of Draw: July 30, 2024 at 15:25:21 UTC
• Number of Invitations Issued: 964
• Minimum CRS: 686
• Program Specified: Provincial Nominee Program
• Tie-breaking Rule: May 27, 2024 at 07:07:21 UTC

A PNP-Specific Draw was Just Held!

In the recent Express Entry draw (#306), 964 candidates from the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) received Invitations to Apply (ITA). To qualify, these applicants needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 686. Previously, in draw #303, 1,391 PNP candidates were invited with a minimum CRS score of 670.

Why Is There an Increase in PNP Draws?

In recent months, there has been a noticeable change in the draws conducted by IRCC, particularly an increase in Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that more PNP applicants are being selected.

PNP-nominated applicants can receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in any general or all-program draw. It’s likely that a significant portion of ITAs issued during these draws went to applicants with a PNP nomination. The resurgence of PNP draws is a direct result of the scarcity of general or all-program draws.

IRCC regularly selects PNP applicants from the Express Entry pool for several reasons. First, a PNP nomination is typically valid for only six months. To avoid the risk of PNP nominations expiring during the process, IRCC cannot keep PNP-nominated applicants in the pool indefinitely, which would burden both provinces and the federal government.

Provinces and territories have specific economic needs and labor shortages. PNPs allow them to choose candidates whose skills and experience align with their local job markets. If IRCC were to pause or reduce the volume of PNP ITAs issued, it would impact how provinces address labor shortages.

Lastly, a significant number of PNP-nominated applicants are already in Canada. Delaying ITAs for nominated applicants could compel them to submit additional applications to extend their status while waiting, contributing to the overall application backlog processed by IRCC.