Posted on March 19 2021

Express Entry: Another draw held in 2 days, CEC invited

By
Anshul Singhal
, Editor

Updated January 13 2024

Canada has held another Express Entry draw within 2 days.

On March 18, 2021, a total of 5,000 candidates have been invited by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [IRCC] to apply for their Canadian permanent residence.

The minimum ranking score requirement was that of 449 as per the Comprehensive Ranking System [CRS].

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic related travel restrictions, Express Entry draws have been prioritizing Canada immigration candidates that were more likely to already be in Canada.

The previous Express Entry draw on March 17 had 183 invited that had a nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program [PNP] of Canada.

The focus in the latest Express Entry draw, on the other hand, has shifted to candidates eligible for the Canadian Experience Class [CEC] instead.

Previously, IRCC had invited a historic 27,332 in a single Express Entry draw. As per sources, all CEC candidates in the Express Entry system has been invited in that draw.

An Overview of Express Entry Draw #179
Date and Time of round	March 18, 2021 at 11:30:56 UTC
Number of invitations issued	5,000
Candidate invited from	CanadianExperience Class [CEC]
Minimum CRS cut-off	CRS 449
Tie-breaking rule applied	February 19, 2021 at 15:59:57 UTC
Invitations issued by date [March 18]	19,368 [in 2020] \| 43,840 [in 2021]

Canada’s Express Entry system manages applications for Canadian permanent residence from skilled workers under the 3 main economic immigration programs of Canada – the Federal Skilled Worker Program [FSWP], the Federal Skilled Trades Program [FSTP], and the Canadian Experience Class [CEC].

Atie-breaking rule of February 19, 2021 at 15:59:57 UTC was applied by IRCC to Express Entry Draw #179. Hence, all those CEC candidates received invitations to apply that had a CRS449 and above, provided they had created their profiles before the date and time of the tie-break.

The Express Entry admissions target for 2021 stands at 108,500. Another 110,500 newcomers will gain their Canada PR in 2022 through the Express Entry.

For 2023, Canada plans on inducting 113,750 via the Express Entry route.

With the latest draw, a total of 43,840 have been invited in the 9 draws held so far this year.

As in the recent past IRCC has been focusing on candidates with a greater likelihood of already being in Canada, no all-program Express Entry draws have been held in 2021.

IRCC has instead held Express Entry draws in 2021 that have alternated between the PNP and the CEC.

Express Entry Draws in 2021 Total draws so far: 9 ITAs issued so far: 43,840
Sl. No.	Draw No.	Invited	Date of Draw	Time of Draw	CRS cut-off	ITAs issued	Tie-breaking rule applied	For details
1	#171	PNP	January 6, 2021	14:39:02 UTC	CRS 813	250	November 2, 2020 at 11:11:52 UTC	Canada holds first Express Entry draw of 2021
2	#172	CEC	January 7, 2021	14:15:32 UTC	CRS 461	4,750	September 12, 2020 at 20:46:32 UTC	Express Entry: 4,750 invited with Canadian experience
3	#173	PNP	January 20, 2021	14:13:12 UTC	CRS 741	374	September 5, 2020 at 19:39:04 UTC	Express Entry: 374 invited with a PNP nomination
4	#174	CEC	January 21, 2021	14:22:20 UTC	CRS 454	4,626	July 23, 2020 at 17:32:00 UTC	Canada holds second Express Entry draw within 2 days
5	#175	PNP	February 10, 2021	14:31:18 UTC	CRS 720	654	August 14, 2020 at 06:51:00 UTC	Express Entry: 654 PNP candidates invited in the latest draw
6	#176	CEC	February 13, 2021	11:56:56 UTC	CRS 75	27,332	September 12, 2020 at 15:31:40 UTC	Express Entry: A historic 27,332 invited in a single draw
7	#177	PNP	March 08, 2021	13:53:21 UTC	CRS 739	671	February 16, 2021 at 19:10:25 UTC	Canada invites 671 PNP candidates in latest EE draw
8	#178	PNP	March 17, 2021	11:49:48 UTC	CRS 682	183	March 04, 2021 at 16:56:20 UTC	Express Entry: 183 ITAs issued in latest draw by IRCC
9	#179	CEC	March 18, 2021	11:30:56 UTC	CRS 449	5,000	February 19, 2021 at 15:59:57 UTC	--