CRS Requirement Dips to 441 in February 22 Express Entry Draw

The number of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points required by candidates in Canada's Express Entry immigration selection system to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) continues to decrease. On February 22, a total of 3,611 candidates with 441 or more CRS points received an ITA. This is comfortably the lowest points threshold of any draw since Express Entry was first launched more than two years ago.

The February 22 Express Entry draw is the latest in a succession of draws that have seen the CRS requirement continually decrease, from 497 just over two months ago to just 441 today. Indeed, this is the first draw in which candidates who are educated up to Bachelor's Degree level only, and who have no work experience in Canada and no additional points for a provincial nomination, a job offer, or previous study in Canada, could theoretically be invited to apply based on their other factors alone, assuming that they have only taken a language test in one language.

Candidates who receive an ITA are now in a position to submit an application for Canadian permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Accompanying family members, including spouses or common-law partners, as well as dependent children, may also come to Canada along with the principal applicant.
Individuals who wish to apply for Canadian permanent residence through the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC), Federal Skilled Trades Class (FTSC), or Canadian Experience Class (CEC), are first required to enter the Express Entry pool. Upon entering the pool, they are assigned a CRS score based on factors including civil status information, education, work experience, language ability, and other criteria. Candidates are ranked in the pool according to their CRS score, and IRCC periodically conducts draws to invite the highest-ranking candidates to submit an application.

Candidates in the pool may increase their ranking in a number of ways.

Learn more about increasing CRS score and ranking.

For more information on draws from the Express Entry pool that have taken place so far,
Express Entry quick facts, from January 1, 2015 to February 22, 2017

Launch date: January 1, 2015
First draw from the pool: January 31, 2015
Most recent draw from the pool: February 22, 2017
Minimum CRS points required for selection in any one draw: 441 (February 22, 2017)
Largest number of invitations to apply issued in any one draw: 3,664 (February 8, 2017)
Fewest invitations to apply issued in any one draw: 559 (November 30, 2016. Note: This draw invited candidates with a provincial nomination only.)
Largest decrease in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 273 (from May 22, 2015 to June 12, 2015 draws)
Smallest decrease in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 0 (on three occasions)
Largest increase in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 316 (from November 16, 2016 to November 30. Note: The latter draw invited candidates with a provincial nomination only.)
Smallest increase in CRS points required between two consecutive draws: 0 (on three occasions)
Longest gap between two consecutive draws: 35 days (from April 17, 2015 to May 22, 2015 draws)
Shortest gap between two consecutive draws: 6 days (from December 16 to December 22, 2016)
Total number of ITAs issued in 2015: 31,063
Total number of ITAs issued in 2016: 33,782
Total number of ITAs issued in 2017: 17,019
Total number of ITAs issued since system was launched: 81,864