Canada’s Express Entry cut-off scores see yet another drop in CRS scores

The new Express Entry round issued 3,559 invitations to CEC candidates on June 11.

The cut-off score of 437  is a decrease of three points from the previous CEC draw on May 28, which had a minimum score of 440 and was the lowest CRS requirement of 2020. That draw was also the largest CEC-specific Express Entry draw since May 1st, and the second-largest since Canada introduced special coronavirus measures in the middle of March.

Today’s draw was the second invitation round this week to issue Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence.

Another 341 ITAs were issued to Express Entry candidates nominated through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) yesterday, June 10. The minimum CRS score for these candidates was 743.

Express Entry draw cut-offs continue to plummet as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invites a larger number of CEC-specific candidates.

The time between draws is an important factor that can have an effect on the CRS cut-off score. Shorter intervals between draws mean fewer candidates have time to enter a profile in the Express Entry pool.

Today’s draw continued a trend that has seen the cut-off CRS score decrease in each of the last seven CEC draws held since the last all-program draw on March 4, 2020.

Canada’s Express Entry system manages the profiles of candidates for three of Canada’s main economic-class immigration programs — the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class.

Candidates are ranked based on a score awarded under Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) that considers factors such as age, education, skilled work experience and language ability in English or French.

A set number of the highest-ranked candidates receive an ITA through regular draws from the pool and IRCC typically aims to process applications for permanent residence within six months.

IRCC applied its tie-break rule in this draw and the date and time used was May 25, 2020, at 00:31:43  UTC. This means that all CEC candidates with a CRS score of at least 437 who submitted their profile before this date and time, received an ITA in this invitation round.

Today’s draw brings the total ITAs issued in 2020 to 46,000. Still ahead of the number of ITAs issued at this time last year and the year before.

Despite the fact that Canada’s immigration policies and procedures have undergone major changes since March 18 due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the Express Entry system has remained operational and candidates can still submit a profile.

IRCC has held a total of thirteen Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program draws over the past two months.

Both categories of applicants are more likely to already be in Canada than those arriving through other Express entry-linked programs, which means they will not be impacted by the current travel restrictions.

Here are some hypothetical scenarios of people who could have been invited in the June 11 draw.

Priya is 33 years old and completed her bachelor’s degree in Canada in May, 2019. Since completing her degree, she has been working as a marketing consultant. She wrote the IELTS and scored an 8 in listening and reading and a 7.5 in each other category. Her CRS score of 440 would have been high enough to obtain an ITA during the June 11 Express Entry draw.

Mohamed is 30 years old, married and completed his bachelor’s degree in Canada in May, 2019. Since completing his bachelor’s degree, he has been working as a restaurant manager in Canada. Before coming to Canada, he worked as a restaurant manager overseas. His wife, Sarah, is 33 years old and has been working as an accountant in Canada for one year. She obtained her bachelor’s degree before coming to Canada. They each wrote the IELTS and scored a 6 in all categories. They entered the pool with Mohamed as the principal applicant. Their CRS score of 437 would have been high enough to obtain an ITA during the June 11 Express Entry draw.