Following a slowdown in Express Entry draws throughout September, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) increased the frequency of federal immigration selections throughout October.
Additionally, IRCC conducted the second Express Entry draw focused on trade occupations for 2024, the first selection in this category since July.
This article provides an overview of the October draws and analyzes the current composition of the Express Entry candidate pool as of the beginning of November.
Request a Free Express Entry Assessment
Current Status of the Express Entry Pool
October Draws: A Summary
In October, six Express Entry draws were held across four different categories and streams.
The IRCC issued a total of 5,961 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence (PR) during these draws, closely aligning with the 5,911 ITAs issued in September.
With a similar total of ITAs spread over more draws, individual draw sizes tended to be smaller in October than in September. Consequently, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off scores for each draw were generally higher than those seen in September.
Below is a summary of Express Entry draws conducted in October:
| Draw Number | Date | Round Type | ITAs Issued | CRS Cut-off Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 316 | October 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,613 | 743 |
| 317 | October 9 | Canadian Experience Class | 500 | 539 |
| 318 | October 10 | French Language Proficiency | 1,000 | 444 |
| 319 | October 21 | PNP | 648 | 791 |
| 320 | October 22 | CEC | 400 | 539 |
| 321 | October 23 | Trade Occupations | 1,800 | 433 |
IRCC has continued its consistent approach of inviting candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and French-language categories to apply for PR. Since July, IRCC has held regular draws for these specific groups within the Express Entry system.
The IRCC’s latest Immigration Levels Plan also confirms that it will continue to prioritize these candidates for PR selection via the federal Express Entry system.
While October saw a slight increase in ITAs compared to September, the total number issued still represents a reduction from earlier months:
| Month | ITAs Issued |
|---|---|
| July | 25,125 |
| August | 10,384 |
| September | 5,911 |
| October | 5,961 |
Current CRS Score Distribution in the Express Entry Pool
As of October 22, the latest draw date at the time of writing, the distribution of CRS scores within the Express Entry pool was as follows:
| CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates |
|---|---|
| 0-300 | 5,462 |
| 301-350 | 22,928 |
| 351-400 | 51,048 |
| 401-410 | 10,871 |
| 411-420 | 11,071 |
| 421-430 | 10,583 |
| 431-440 | 12,047 |
| 441-450 | 10,931 |
| 451-460 | 11,306 |
| 461-470 | 12,900 |
| 471-480 | 14,914 |
| 481-490 | 12,240 |
| 491-500 | 11,925 |
| 501-600 | 13,430 |
| 601-1200 | 124 |
| Total | 211,780 |
This data is also represented in a bar graph for easier visualization:
Graph: Candidate CRS Score Distribution (End of October)
CRS Score Percentile Ranking in the Pool
The following table uses percentile scores to show how CRS scores rank relative to each other within the Express Entry candidate pool. These percentiles represent the proportion of candidates with scores at or below specific thresholds:
| CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates | Percentile Range | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-300 | 5,462 | 0 – 2.58% | 2.58% |
| 301-350 | 22,928 | 2.58 – 13.41% | 10.83% |
| 351-400 | 51,048 | 13.41 – 37.51% | 24.10% |
| 401-410 | 10,871 | 37.51 – 42.64% | 5.13% |
| 411-420 | 11,071 | 42.64 – 47.87% | 5.23% |
| 421-430 | 10,583 | 47.87 – 52.87% | 5.00% |
| 431-440 | 12,047 | 52.87 – 58.56% | 5.69% |
| 441-450 | 10,931 | 58.56 – 63.72% | 5.16% |
| 451-460 | 11,306 | 63.27 – 69.06% | 5.34% |
| 461-470 | 12,900 | 69.06 – 75.15% | 6.09% |
| 471-480 | 14,914 | 75.15 – 82.19% | 7.04% |
| 481-490 | 12,240 | 82.19 – 87.97% | 5.78% |
| 491-500 | 11,925 | 87.97 – 93.60% | 5.63% |
| 501-600 | 13,430 | 93.60 – 99.94% | 6.34% |
| 601-1200 | 124 | 99.94 – 100.00% | 0.06% |
