Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its first category-based draw on June 28, 2023.
This draw type, announced in May 2022, helps Canada’s immigration department address specific labor gaps and demographic needs by targeting skilled newcomers with in-demand work experience and proficiencies.
Despite focusing on certain in-demand attributes, Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores are still a factor in category-based draws.
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IRCC Priorities for 2024
In 2024, IRCC is prioritizing candidates with work experience and language skills in these categories:
- Healthcare occupations
- Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics (STEM) occupations
- Trades occupations
- Transport occupations
- Agriculture and Agri-Food occupations
- French-language proficiency
Draw Types, Frequency, and CRS Scores
Since the first category-based draw nearly a year ago, IRCC has conducted 25 such draws. CRS cut-off scores varied significantly across different categories.
Note: Cut-off scores indicate the lowest CRS score among candidates who received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) during a draw. Candidates must have a CRS score above the cut-off to be eligible for an ITA in that draw.
| Date of Draw | Category | CRS Cut-Off Score | Number of ITAs Issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2023 | Healthcare | 476 | 500 |
| July 5, 2023 | STEM | 486 | 500 |
| July 6, 2023 | Healthcare | 463 | 1,500 |
| July 7, 2023 | French | 439 | 2,300 |
| July 12, 2023 | French | 375 | 3,800 |
| August 2, 2023 | French | 435 | 800 |
| August 3, 2023 | Trades | 388 | 1,500 |
| September 20, 2023 | Transport | 435 | 1,000 |
| September 27, 2023 | French | 472 | 500 |
| September 28, 2023 | Agriculture and Agri-Food | 354 | 600 |
Total ITAs Issued
While all six categories are priorities, the number of ITAs issued in each category varied greatly over the last year:
- Healthcare: 9,100 ITAs
- STEM: 10,900 ITAs
- Trades: 2,500 ITAs
- Transport: 2,645 ITAs
- Agriculture and Agri-Food: 1,150 ITAs
- French-language proficiency: 21,100 ITAs
Looking Ahead to the Rest of 2024
In April, CIC News reported IRCC’s plan for ITA distribution across the six categories for 2024:
- Healthcare: 15%
- STEM: 25%
- Trades: 5%
- Transport: 3%
- Agriculture and Agri-Food: 0.5%
- French-language proficiency: 30%
Note: IRCC indicated that 78.5% of all Express Entry ITAs will go to category-based draw candidates, while the remaining 21.5% will be issued in general draws throughout the year.
