Express Entry Draw: Canada Invited 2,985 Candidates for PR on May 30, 2024

IRCC has announced the first Express Entry draw for May 2024, issuing 2,985 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency.

Only applicants having a provincial nomination and a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 676 or higher were considered for this draw.

Express Entry Draw Details

• Category: Provincial Nominee Program
• Number of invitations issued: 2,985
• Minimum rank to receive an invitation: 2,985 or higher
• Date and time of draw: May 30, 2024, at 14:59:31 UTC
• CRS score of the lowest-ranked invited candidate: 676
• Tie-breaking rule: January 19, 2024, at 18:32:21 UTC

Introduction of Program-Specific Express Entry Draws

Since the start of category-based selection draws in June 2023, this was the first Express Entry draw that was specifically for a program. These draws focus solely on candidates in the Express Entry pool who have applied through a specific permanent residency program, unlike general draws that consider applicants from all programs.

Today’s draw is the first since April 24, following a month-long hiatus. IRCC has not explained the reason for the pause. However, according to a recent Access to Information Request, all draws this year are planned according to a predetermined schedule, which has not been made public. The size and frequency of the draws will depend on admission targets for 2024 and 2025, and processing capacity may also affect how often draws occur.

April Draws Overview

Before the break, there were four draws in April:

1. April 10: In the first draw of April, 1,280 candidates were invited in a general category.
2. April 11: The next day, IRCC issued 4,500 ITAs to Express Entry candidates in a category-based selection draw for STEM occupations.
3. April 23: IRCC invited 2,095 candidates in a general draw.
4. April 24: 1,400 candidates were invited in a category-based selection draw for French proficiency.

Focus on French Proficiency in 2024

The latest request for information also showed that in 2024, Canada plans to prioritize French proficiency for category-based selection draws. IRCC attributes this to the high employment rates for bilingual candidates and notes that French-speaking candidates usually have higher CRS scores, enhancing their chances of successful economic integration.

Distribution of ITAs by Category

In 2024, the distribution of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in category-based draws is planned as follows:

• STEM Occupations: 25% of all ITAs
• Healthcare Occupations: 15% of all ITAs
• Transport, Trades, and Agriculture and Agri-Food: 5% or less of all ITAs

General Draws and Program-Specific Draws

The rest of the Invitations to Apply (ITAs), which make up 21.5%, will be given out in general draws. Notably, no mention was made of program-specific draws in the recent Access to Information Request.

Summary of Express Entry Draw Results in 2024

Date	Draw Type	Number of ITAs	Minimum CRS
May 30	Provincial Nominee Program	2,985	676
April 24	French Proficiency	1,400	410
April 23	General	2,095	529
April 11	STEM Occupations	4,500	491
April 10	General	1,280	549
March 26	French Language Proficiency	1,500	388
March 25	General	1,980	524
March 13	Transport Occupations	975	430
March 12	General	2,850	525
February 29	French Language Proficiency	2,500	336
February 28	General	1,470	534
February 16	Agriculture and Agri-food	150	437
February 14	Healthcare Occupations	3,500	422
February 13	General	1,490	535
February 1	French Language Proficiency	7,000	365
January 31	General	730	541
January 23	General	1,040	543
January 10	General	1,510	546