Canada Holds First-Ever FSWP-Only Express Entry Draw

Canada holds the first FSWP-only draw in the history of the Express Entry system. The latest Express Entry round of invitations is the 240th draw to be held. 

On February 2, 2023, the first-ever targeted draw for those eligible for Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker Program was held by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). 

Generally, IRCC holds general draws that include candidates eligible for any 1 of the 3 Express Entry programs. 

Some immigration pathways under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) - also referred to as Canadian PNP - are linked with Express Entry. At times, PNP-specific draws are held, such as the previous Express Entry draw held a day ago. 

However, this is the first time in the history of the Express Entry system that an FSWP-only draw has been held. Express Entry Draw #1 was held on January 31, 2015. A total of 240 draws have been held so far. 

In the latest EE draw, invitations went out to the top 3,300 in the Express Entry pool of candidates, based on their ranking given as per the 1,200-point Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The cut-off of CRS 489 is the lowest so far this year. 

With a tie-breaking rule of March 29, 2022, at 16:09:00 UTC applied, those who received invitations in the latest Express Entry draw were candidates who - 

1. Were eligible for the Federal Skilled Worker program,
2. Had at least CRS 489 as their ranking score, and 
3. Had made their profile before the tie-break applied. 

What is Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker program?

Federal Skilled Worker (Express Entry) is for skilled workers that have foreign work experience and want to get Canadian permanent residence. You will have to meet the minimum requirements on 6 selection factors to be eligible. 

6 factors assessed for FSWP eligibility - 

1. Age
2. Education, 
3. Work experience, 
4. Job offer in Canada, 
5. Language ability (in English and/or French), and 
6. Adaptability or how likely you are to settle successfully. 

Under skilled work experience, you must have worked in any of the following National Occupational Classification (NOC) categories - 

• TEER 0
• TEER 1
• TEER 2
• TEER 3

You must have - 

1. worked in your primary occupation, 
2. carried out duties as per the NOC job description, 
3. been paid wages or earned commission, 
4. worked for at least 1 continuous year within the last 10 years. 

All the minimum requirements must be met. A 100-point grid is used to determine eligibility. 67 points must be scored to create an Express Entry profile. These eligibility points are different from and must not be confused with the CRS score. 

What’s the difference between Express Entry eligibility points and CRS score? 

The main differences are as follows - 

How many ITAs were issued by IRCC in 2022?

A total of 46,539 invitations were issued in 2022 un

der the Express Entry system. Total PR admissions in any year includes the main applicant and their dependents. 

How many will get Canada PR in 2023?

As per Canada’s 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan announced on November 1, 2022, an estimated 465,000 will get PR visas in 2023. There is a scope for the overall planned permanent resident admissions to go up to 505,000 for 2023. 

How many will get Canada PR by Express Entry in 2023?

82,880 will get Canada PR visas through the Express Entry system in 2023. 

How many will get Canada PR by PNP in 2023?

105,500 will be granted PR for Canada in 2023 by the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). 

Other routes to settle in Canada are also available. Get an Initial Evaluation Report for Canada today. 

For more information, get in touch. Free consultation provided.