Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its latest Express Entry draw on March 16, 2022.
Canada issued 924 invitations to candidates with a profile in the Express Entry pool.
The 218th Express Entry draw targeted candidates with a provincial nomination certificate.
Draw Number: 218
Date of Draw: March 16, 2022
Number of Invitations Issued: 924
Minimum CRS: 754
Program Specified: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Tie-breaking rule: February 10, 2022
Canada’s latest Express Entry draw invited candidates that had been nominated under a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Recipients of a provincial nomination receive an additional 600 points toward their CRS score. That means that the lowest ranking candidate in today’s draw had a CRS score of just 154 before being nominated by a province.
The Canadian government put a temporary pause on Federal High Skilled Worker (FHS) draws as they work at eliminating a backlog of applications. Instead, Canada has been holding PNP-specific draws for candidates that have been nominated by a province.
Provinces are continuing to use the Express Entry pool to invite overseas candidates to apply for nomination. By nominating these candidates for permanent residence, provinces can fill labour and demographic gaps while FHS draws remain suspended.
PNPs provide an immigration option to candidates that may not have otherwise been invited in a federal draw. Provincial programs often target individuals with experience and skills that would benefit their province.
Canada’s 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, and the highest level ever targeted in Canadian history.
Included in this total, Canada plans to target 241,850 economic newcomers, including:
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!
Get startedImmigration Updates | Newcomers to Canada | Quebec Experience Program
The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) announced on July 9, 2025, that they have officially reached their limit for sponsorship […]
Express Entry Draw
Express Entry draw #353 invited a total of 3,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates for the third round in a row. The minimum comprehensive ranking […]
Visiting Canada
With the news of both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo expected to participate in the World Cup 2026, excitement is at its peak. The FIFA […]
Express Entry Draw | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
In Express Entry Draw #354, which took place on July 7th, 356 candidates were invited under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream, with a minimum […]
Express Entry Draw
Express Entry draw #353 marks the second time in a row where a total of 3,000 candidates were invited under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) […]
Canada Work Permit | Family Sponsorship
As of June 25, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated the current list of eligible fields of study for students applying for a […]
Discover your Canadian immigration options. Get your free assessment now!