By Staff:
(Guelph, ON) – After the February 13, 2021 draw invited all candidates in the Express Entry pool – some as low as 75 points – the Express Entry pool remains wide open as another 5,000 candidates were nominated on April 1, 2021, with some as few as 432 points in the Canada Experience Class.
This was the third-lowest number ever in the Express Entry pool, which underscores the eagerness of the federal government to nominate Express Entry candidates for permanent residence and makes this an ideal program for those wishing to apply for permanent residence.
Canada’s border is still closed to non-essential international travel, but at the same time, the government still needs to welcome high numbers of new permanent residents. This is because the current government set an ambitious target to welcome 401,000 new immigrants in 2021, with economic class immigrants set to arrive mostly through Express Entry-managed programs.
To meet these targets amid travel restrictions, IRCC has been holding program-specific draws that target candidates who are likely already in the country. CEC candidates need at least one year of full-time work experience in a skilled occupation, so it is likely they are already in Canada when they submit their Express Entry profiles. IRCC previously reported that about 90 per cent of CEC candidates are in Canada.