Express Entry Draw #215 | Canada Invites 1070 in New PNP Draw

Canada held a new Express Entry round of invitations for candidates holding a provincial nomination.

On February 2, 2022, IRCC invited 1070 PNP candidates in the Express Entry pool to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

Draw Number: 215
Date of Draw: February 2, 2022
Number of Invitations Issued: 1070
Minimum CRS: 674
Program Specified: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Tie-breaking rule: February 18, 2021

Candidates invited in today’s draw held a nominee certificate from a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

While Canada puts a hold on Federal High Skilled Worker (FHS) draws, provinces continue to hand-select immigrants to fill labour market and demographic gaps. PNPs tend to require a less competitive CRS score, providing a pathway to permanent residence for individuals that may not otherwise be selected in an all-program draw.

A provincial nomination provides an Express Entry candidate with an additional 600 points toward their CRS score. These additional points essentially guarantee an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence.

According to a recently released internal IRCC memo, a pause on Federal High Skilled Worker (CEC, FSW, and FST) draws was put in place until January 31^st. The memo recommended extending the pause, potentially until halfway through 2022.

While Canada works at eliminating a significant backlog, IRCC continues to hold smaller, PNP-specific draws.

In a recent teleconference, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser confirmed that more work needed to be done before resuming FSW draws.

In the meantime, Canada will likely continue holding PNP-specific draws. Minister Fraser also recently hinted that IRCC is looking at potentially moving to occupation-based Express Entry draws.

How can I be nominated by a province?

Each province operates their own nominee programs, each with its own requirements; many require a connection to the province to apply (work experience, a job offer, a family member, or education in the province). Other programs may operate with an Expression of Interest (EOI) system.

Many PNPs also hold draws and invite candidates directly from Canada’s Express Entry pool to apply for nomination. These requirements often change from draw to draw in response to labour market needs. For this reason, just by having an Express Entry profile, there is always a chance of receiving an invitation to apply for a nomination.

Immigration targets in 2022

Canada aims to welcome a record 411,000 newcomers in 2022. This is the highest level ever targeted in Canadian history. Included in this total, Canada plans to target 241,500 economic newcomers, including:

• 110,500 Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades, and Canadian Experience Class candidates
• 81,500 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates

A total of 2,498 candidates have been invited in Express Entry draws so far this year.

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