The draw resulted in 919 immigration candidates receiving an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in Canada.
New Express Entry draw invites 919 PNP candidates
Sean Fraser hints that PGWP holders may be able to extend their work permits
March ended with a new Express Entry draw for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates.
The March 30, 2022 draw resulted in 919 immigration candidates receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence in Canada.
In order to qualify for the draw, candidates were required to meet a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score of 785. The score was fairly high since the draw was targeting candidates who previously received a provincial nomination.
A nomination results in an automatic 600 points on the candidate’s existing CRS score. Which means, the lowest-scoring candidate’s actual score was 185.
Candidates who received an invitation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) are given 60 days to submit their applications for permanent residency.
This draw resulted in a smaller number of invitations being issued compared to IRCC’s last round of invitations, when 924 candidates were invited to apply.
During a Standing Committee meeting on Citizenship and Immigration held on March 24, 2022, Sean Fraser stated there was no confirmed date for when Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws may resume.
CEC draws have been paused since last fall with some candidate’s work permits coming to an end. Without a draw allowing them to stay in Canada permanently, they may have to leave their jobs or Canada.
While no viable solution has been provided yet, the Minister of IRCC hinted that qualified CEC or Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates may be given the opportunity to extend their permits.
IRCC is dealing with a significant backlog of applications, in order to reduce the backlog, Canada has hit pause on Express Entry draws for FSWP candidates. Draws may resume in the coming months, in the second half of the year.