September 26-27 Express Entry Draws issued 3,500 PR Invitations

The latest Express Entry draws on September 26 and 27, 2023, resulted in 3,500 invitations to apply for permanent residency (PR) in Canada. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cutoff score for the all-program draw on September 26 dropped by 27 points to 504, the lowest it has been since June.

In addition to the all-program draw, there was also a targeted draw on September 27 for candidates with French language proficiency. This draw invited 500 candidates with a CRS score of at least 472.

Here’s a breakdown of the latest Express Entry draws in September 2023, as well as a summary of all draws that have taken place in 2023, along with a prediction for the next draw.

The IRCC conducted consecutive ‘no program specified’ Express Entry draws in the past two weeks, resulting in a welcome drop in the CRS cutoff score, now hovering around the 500-point mark. While there was a significant reduction in the CRS cutoff score during the August 15 draw of the same category, subsequent draws were absent, leading to an increase in the cutoff beyond 530.

Optimistically, it appears that the IRCC will continue with regular Express Entry draws, potentially maintaining the CRS cutoff below 500 in the upcoming rounds of invitations.

Notably, on September 8, 2023, the IRCC expanded the list of eligible occupations that can receive an additional 50 CRS points with a certificate of qualification.

Furthermore, the IRCC introduced its first-ever skilled trades draw last month, which targeted 10 select occupations with a minimum cutoff score of 388.

Next Express Entry Draw 2023 Prediction (Updated every Friday)

The IRCC has now resumed biweekly rounds of invitations and introduced various new category-based draws, with the exception of the anticipated draw for three Agriculture occupations. It appears that a CRS cutoff score of around 500 is becoming the new norm for all program-specific Express Entry draws, as seen in the most recent draw with a cutoff score of 531.

For candidates who do not qualify for the category-based draws and have a CRS score below 500, it may be prudent to explore alternative immigration options.

The three Agriculture occupation draws are the only expected rounds of invitations yet to debut in 2023. It is anticipated that the CRS cutoff for these draws will be among the lowest, with only a limited number of profiles meeting the criteria for these specific occupations.