Express Entry: Canada invites 2,000 immigration candidates

ITAs issued to candidates with a minimum CRS score of 533.

Canada has invited 2,000 candidates to apply for permanent residency in the latest Express Entry draw held on August 3, 2022. Express Entry is one of Canada’s most prominent immigration pathways for skilled newcomers.

Invitations were issued to candidates who had Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of at least 533. There was no program specified for this draw which means that candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) were eligible to be invited.

Since all-program draws resumed on July 6, 5,250 Express Entry candidates have received ITAs. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had paused these draws for over 18 months, and only invited candidates eligible for permanent residence under the CEC or the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Distance learning now temporarily eligible for Express Entry

Over the past two years, a number of international students have been forced to complete their education online because of restrictions caused by the pandemic. In response, IRCC has recently announced that learning credentials for students who completed Canadian educational programs online between March 2020 and August 2022 will now be able to use these credentials as part of their overall CRS score. This means that students can use education completed online as part of their education credentials when uploading their online Express Entry profile.

As pandemic restrictions are loosening around the world, this measure will only be temporary. Normally, if 50% of the education program was completed through distance learning, students would not be eligible for CRS points for educational credentials. However, If you earned a Canadian degree, diploma or certificate and completed any part of your program of study or training between March 2020 and August 2022, you’re now eligible for Canadian educational credential points if you completed your program entirely:

  • through distance learning;
  • from outside Canada; or
  • through part-time studies.

Candidates who are already in the Express Entry pool may have already received a letter from IRCC advising them that they need to update their education information in their online profile. According to the letter, there are three new questions in the education history section that must be answered or candidates’ risk having a lower CRS score.

The questions ask how much in-person study, study in Canada and full time studying the candidate completed in order to get the credential. When the letter was released, IRCC advised candidates to update their profile by August 2 to ensure they maintained their CRS score and remained eligible in the current draw.

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