IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Canada conducted its 24th Express Entry draw of 2016 Wednesday, issuing 2,427 invitations to apply. The lowest qualifying score was 470.

What does the change mean? For the third straight draw, the number of candidates invited to apply for permanent residency was the highest it has been this year. The minimum score decreased slightly to 470 from 472 on Nov. 2.

  • Implementation time frame: Ongoing.
  • Visas/permits affected: Permanent residency through Express Entry.
  • Who is affected: Canadian companies sponsoring foreign nationals through one of four skilled migration programs: Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program.
  • Business impact: The minimum qualifying score has remained under 600 in all draws this year, indicating that some candidates continue to be issued invitations to apply without having an LMIA-supported job offer or provincial nomination. 

Background: in 2015, Canada issued 31,063 invitations to apply through Express Entry. Officials projected a greater number for 2016, and have issued just 28,409 so far this year. The number of invitations has increased dramatically in draws in the last two months compared with most draws earlier this year.

Express Entry Draws in 2016:

Date Invitations Score Date Invitations Score
Jan. 6 1,463 461 June 15 752 488
Jan. 13 1,518 453 June 29 773 482
Jan. 27 1,468 457 July 13 747 482
Feb. 10 1,505 459 July 27 755 488
Feb. 24 1,484 453 Aug. 10 754 490
March 9 1,013 473 Aug. 24 750 538
March 23 1,014 470 Sept. 7 1,000 491
April 6 954 470 Sept. 21 1,288 483
April 20 1,018 468 Oct. 12 1,518 484
May 6 799 534   Oct. 19 1,804 475
May 18 763 484   Nov. 2 2,080 472
June 1 762 483   Nov. 16 2,427 470

B·A·L Analysis: Wednesday’s draw was the last before changes to the Express Entry scoring system take effect. More invitations to apply were issued in Wednesday’s draw than in any so far this year. The increase is consistent with the trend in the past two months toward an increase in the number of candidates invited to apply for permanent residency per draw. The drop in the minimum qualifying score is also positive news for Express Entry candidates.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Canada. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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