Canadian Provinces Held 10 Times More Draws Than Express Entry

Provincial programs offer more opportunities for a wider range of immigration candidates.

Photo: TripSavvy / Maddy Price 

There are simpler options than Express Entry to get permanent residency in Canada. 

The Express Entry system is Canada’s primary source of attracting skilled foreign workers. Within this system, candidates’ profiles are created under one of three federal immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker (for skilled workers), Federal Skilled Trades (for workers employed in skilled trades), and Canadian Experience Class (for people who have already worked in Canada).

Candidates from the Express Entry pool are ranked according to their score awarded under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which takes into account several factors such as age, education, work experience, proficiency in English or French, and others. Candidates with the highest scores get invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence as a result of regular draws.

The cut-off CRS score needed to get an invitation ranged from 438 to 470 this year. As of August 15, 2019, only 13% of candidates had such high scores.

More Than 160 Provincial Draws Were Held In 2019

The vast majority of candidates with low scores in Express Entry or those who do not have an Express Entry profile can apply for permanent residency under one of many provincial immigration programs’ streams that were extremely active in 2019.

These streams are part of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). Provinces and territories select a certain number of immigration candidates for permanent residence in Canada focusing specifically on those workers who meet the province’s or territory’s labour market needs.

Since January 2019, more than 160 provincial draws have been held, compared to 17 draws within the Express Entry system.

There are two types of provincial programs’ streams:

  • Enhanced streams that are associated with Express Entry profiles
  • Base streams not related to Express Entry

All nine provinces and two territories that have PNPs have extended streams associated with the Express Entry system. Many provinces hold their own draws, and often select candidates with low scores. For example, Alberta invited candidates with CRS scores of up to 300 this year. Other provinces, such as Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, have extended nomination streams that do not take into account candidates’ Express Entry scores.

Candidates selected through expanded streams are invited to apply for a provincial nomination. Upon successful application, they get an additional 600 points to their CRS scores in Express Entry, which means a guaranteed permanent residence in Canada.

Provinces and territories also have their own base streams that are not associated with the Express Entry system. They can provide a chance for permanent residence to people who do not meet the Express Entry system’s requirements but have the skills or education necessary for the given province or territory.

Many provinces have base streams that select workers employed in specific occupations (for example, doctors, carers, or truckers). Other basic streams are suitable for those who have spent some time in the province as a student or visitor or have family or friendship ties in the province.

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