An Unprecedented Shift In Canada’s Immigration Policy

On February 13, 2021, Canada issued invitations for Express Entry permanent residency with an unprecedented low score of 75 out of 1,200! The last draw had a low score cut off in the 400’s so this was a complete surprise and many in the legal community thought it was a mistake.

This resulted in 27,000 skilled candidates being invited to apply for Permanent Residency in Canada. The number is more than five times larger than the previous record.

The Government of Canada has some ambitious targets for immigration this year due to 2020 being a weak year for immigration as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 184,000 new permanent residents were welcomed in 2020, well short of the 341,000 targets. This is great news for all candidates in 2021 as Immigration Canada has raised its target to 401,000 to make up for the shortfall in 2020.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is an online system through which Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) manages candidates for Canada’s three economic classes of immigration:

Candidates are given a score out of 1,200. The score is based on various criteria such as age, occupation, family status, job offer in Canada, work experience and education, to name a few.

There are draws from the pool through the year, which we monitor closely and provide ongoing evaluation and advice regarding your submission to increase your chances of selection.

The highest-scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency through the online Express Entry system. Once an application is submitted, IRCC will review and process the application and make a final decision.

Focus on People Already in Canada

As border restriction are still in place, the focus will be on foreign workers and international students already in Canada.

Complete your Free Assessment

It is unclear when the next round of invitations will be held and what the score cut off will look like. There is a possibility that we will see more draws with uncharacteristically low scores as Canada has some very steep targets for 2021.

Those that think they will have a low CRS score should enter the Express Entry pool as soon as possible to ensure they are considered in the next draw.

To find out if you qualify for Express Entry immigration to Canada, click on our Free Assessment link below. One of our qualified professionals will contact you to review your qualifications and assist you with the process.

Source: Government of Canada