Express Entry Draw: Canada Invited 5,900 Candidates on December 8, 2023

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently carried out the second Express Entry draw on December 8, 2023. This draw targeted candidates with expertise in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) occupations. In this round, 5,900 individuals were invited to submit applications for permanent residency (PR).

Lowest CRS Score

The CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited in this round was 481. This indicates the minimum point threshold required for candidates to be eligible for an invitation to apply for permanent residency through the Express Entry system.

How Many Candidates Invited in 1 Week Under Express Entry Draw?

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued a total of 11,650 invitations to apply for permanent residency throughout three Express Entry rounds conducted this week. This reflects the ongoing efforts to welcome eligible candidates into the permanent residency process, facilitating their transition to a more permanent status in Canada.

STEM Occupations Invited in This Draw

This draw specifically targeted 24 different STEM occupations. Notably, there was a slight decrease of 5 points compared to the CRS score cutoff in the first STEM Express Entry draw that took place on July 5, 2023.

Here is the comprehensive list of the 24 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) occupations eligible for the Express Entry draw held today:

1. Engineering managers – NOC Code: 20010
2. Architecture and science managers – NOC Code: 20011
3. Computer and information systems managers – NOC Code: 20012
4. Architects – NOC Code: 21200
5. Landscape Architects – NOC Code: 21201
6. Urban and land use planners – NOC Code: 21202
7. Land surveyors – NOC Code: 21203
8. Mathematicians, statisticians, and actuaries – NOC Code: 21210
9. Data scientists – NOC Code: 21211
10. Cybersecurity specialists – NOC Code: 21220
11. Business systems specialists – NOC Code: 21221
12. Information systems specialists – NOC Code: 21222
13. Database analysts and data administrators – NOC Code: 21223
14. Computer systems developers and programmers – NOC Code: 21230
15. Software engineers and designers – NOC Code: 21231
16. Software developers and programmers – NOC Code: 21232
17. Web designers – NOC Code: 21233
18. Web developers and programmers – NOC Code: 21234
19. Civil Engineers – NOC Code: 21300
20. Electrical and electronics engineers – NOC Code: 21310
21. Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) – NOC Code: 21311
22. Industrial and manufacturing engineers – NOC Code: 21321
23. Metallurgical and materials engineers – NOC Code: 21322
24. Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants, and program officers – NOC Code: 41400

These occupations form the pool of eligible professions for STEM-targeted draws in the Express Entry system.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry provides a universal platform for, Federal and Provincial governments. Moreover, it facilitates employers to choose prospective candidates out of the Express Entry pool. This Pool consists of such candidates, who stand eligible for any one of the mentioned below “Federal Economic Immigration Programs”.

1. The Federal Skilled Trades Program
2. The Federal Skilled Worker Program
3. Canadian Experience Class

The candidates may receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for Canadian immigration. However, such candidates must hurry to complete their application form and submit it along with the required documents. The time for applying is 60 days and it takes six months from the date of receiving the application to complete the process.

The IRCC introduced a fresh set of selection criteria on May 31, 2023, placing a stronger emphasis on distinct professional and demographic attributes of candidates, going beyond their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. As a result, six new categories have emerged for Express Entry candidates:

1. Healthcare
2. STEM Professions (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
3. Trades
4. Transport
5. Agriculture and Agri-Food