Express Entry Draw #216 | Canada Invites 1082 In Record PNP Draw

In the largest ever PNP-only Express Entry draw, Canada invited 1082 candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence on February 16, 2022.

The 216^th Express Entry draw only invited candidates with a confirmed provincial nomination certificate.

Draw Number: 216
Date of Draw: February 16, 2022
Number of Invitations Issued: 1082
Minimum CRS: 710
Program Specified: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Tie-breaking rule: October 07, 2021

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

Immigration levels in 2022

Canada recently updated immigration levels for 2022-2024. The new immigration levels plan aims to welcome 431,645 newcomers in 2022. This is an increase of over 20,000 from Canada’s previous record-breaking targets for the year, the highest level ever targeted in Canadian history.

Included in this total, Canada plans to target 241,850 economic newcomers, including:

• 55,900 Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades, and Canadian Experience Class candidates
• 83,500 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates

While Canada has increased overall immigration levels, they have also cut Federal High Skilled Worker (FHS) targets by almost half to make room for more PNP candidates and those admitted under the TR to PR pathway.

While Canada decreases the number of Federal High Skilled Worker (CEC, FSW, and FST) candidates invited this year, provinces continue to select prospective nominees from the Express Entry pool to fill labour market and demographic gaps.

A provincial nomination gives an Express Entry candidate an extra 600 CRS points. These additional points essentially guarantee an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence. Prior to receiving a nomination, the lowest ranking candidate in today’s draw had a CRS score of just 110.

How can I be nominated by a province?

Each province operates several nominee programs, each with unique eligibility requirements; many require a connection to the province to apply (work experience, a job offer, a family member, or education in the province).

There are also several provincial immigration programs available to overseas workers without any connections to Canada. Certain provincial nominee programs target individuals in the Express Entry pool with in-demand skills or work experience. These requirements usually change from draw to draw in response to labour market needs. For this reason, just by having an active Express Entry profile, there is always a possibility of receiving an invitation to apply for a nomination.

Interested in learning more about your options to immigrate to Canada through a PNP? Complete our free online assessment today!