July 4-7

The first week of July witnessed a notable occurrence in Express Entry history, as ITAs (Invitations to Apply) were issued on four consecutive days.

The July 4 draw was an unexpected all-program draw in which 700 candidates were invited, and a relatively high minimum CRS score of 511 was required. It stands as the highest CRS score of any all-program draw in 2023 so far.

On July 5, IRCC conducted a previously announced category-based selection draw specifically for candidates with work experience in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations. This draw welcomed 500 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 486, marking the first draw for STEM candidates since category-based selection draw categories were introduced on May 31.

The draw on July 6, which was also anticipated, invited 1,500 candidates under the category-based selection for healthcare professionals, with a minimum CRS score of 463. This draw represented the second round of invitations for this category.

On July 7, IRCC issued 2,300 invitations to Express Entry candidates with strong French-speaking abilities, and a minimum CRS score of 439. It is worth noting that French-speaking abilities are the only category-based selection criteria that are not occupation-specific.