On January 23, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released invitations for the second Express Entry draw.
1,040 individuals were invited by the department through a general draw.
A minimum of 543 points on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) was required of candidates.
It was the second draw of 2024 after the general draw on January 10th, which welcomed 1,510 candidates from all Express Entry-managed programs to participate. To be considered, candidates had to have a minimum CRS score of 546.
The IRCC conducted 42 Express Entry drawings in 2023. All-program draws, which are now known as general draws, made up the majority (19). Between late June and December, the IRCC also extended invitations to candidates for 17 category-based selection draws. Lastly, there was one draw just for Federal Skilled Worker candidates, and five draws that exclusively considered Express Entry candidates nominated under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
The following summarizes today’s Express Entry Draw:
Number of invitations issued: 1,040
Date and time of round: January 23, 2024 at 16:08:03 UTC
CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 543
An overview of the 2024 Express Entry draw
| Date of draw | ITAs issued | CRS required | Draw Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 23 | 1,040 | 543 | General |
| January 10 | 1,510 | 546 | General |
The most recent analysis of the Express Entry draw
Consecutive two general draws
This year, Canada has already done two general draws and invited applicants from all programs and categories.
The next Express Entry draw might take place tomorrow or the day following because it’s early in the week.
Canada has conducted consecutive Express Entry draws for several categories throughout the week since the introduction of category-based draws.
Even though fewer candidates were invited, the new draw’s CRS score—which is still rather high at 543 is marginally lower than that of the previous one. This could mean that fewer candidates, including those with provincial nominations, with high scores were in the pool for this draw.
In fact, 646 applicants in the pool for this draw had a CRS score of 600 or higher. This suggests that a mere 394 people may have been invited in the absence of a provincial nomination.
The breakdown of what constitutes “additional points” for Express Entry is presented in the following table:
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Provincial nomination obtained under an Express Entry | 600 |
| Qualifying job offer in Senior Management occupation (Major Group 00) | 200 |
| Qualifying job offer in any TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3 | 50 |
| Completed one or two year study in Canada | 15 |
| Obtained a three-year, master’s, doctorate, or admission to a professional practice degree | 30 |
| French ability of CLB 7 or or English ability of CLB 5 or better | 50 |
| French ability of lower than CLB 7 or English ability of CLB 4 | 25 |
| Sibling in Canada** | 15 |
Here are a few fictitious situations in which applicants might have received invitations to the January 23 draw.
- Rashmi is 29-year-old and possesses two or more diplomas, one of which was earned in Canada. She speaks English rather well. 544 CRS points for one year of work experience in Canada, three years of work experience abroad, and a sibling living in the country.
- Tyson, who is thirty years old, has a master’s degree, is fluent in English, and has worked abroad for three years and in Canada for one. Additionally, they have a legitimate employment offer in a TEER 1 occupation (566 CRS points).
- Edgard, 31, graduated from a foreign university with a master’s degree. He has three years of overseas job experience, strong proficiency in French and English, and 544 CRS points.
How will 2024’s Express Entry look?
According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2024–2026, 110,000 new permanent residents will be admitted to Canada via Express Entry in 2024.
The IRCC targeted 82,880 Express Entry candidates in 2023; this is a surge. However, even the high goal does not guarantee that every applicant invited in 2024 will be accepted before the year ends. Some will arrive in 2025, particularly those who are invited later in the year. This is due to the six-month service standard that the IRCC has for making a final decision on applicants for permanent residence through Express Entry.
