The last day of March brings happiness for 284 provincial nominee candidates. Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have released the PNP draw by issuing 284 candidates invitations to apply for permanent residency. The minimum score for the invitation was set at 778. The draw comprises of PNP candidates only which means only those have been invited to apply who have a nomination from any of the Canadian provinces.
Candidates who get provincial nominations, get extra 600 points which gives them a huge edge over others. This simply means candidates who have been invited to apply had to score only 178 scores plus the provincial nomination. Till now this year, Canada has issued 44,124 Invitations to Apply (ITA).
Details of latest “Express Entry” round of invitations
Ministerial Instructions respecting invitations to apply for permanent residence under the Express Entry system number 180 – March 31, 2021
- A number of invitations issued: 284
- Rank required to be invited to apply: 284th or above
- Date and time of round: March 31, 2021, at 11:21:22 UTC
- CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 778
- Tie-breaking rule: March 16, 2021, at 16:09:32 UTC (If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.)
CRS score distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool as of March 29th, 2021
| CRS score range | Number of candidates |
| 601-1200 | 269 |
| 501-600 | 1,364 |
| 451-500 | 28,688 |
| 491-500 | 819 |
| 481-490 | 2,326 |
| 471-480 | 6,316 |
| 461-470 | 9,491 |
| 451-460 | 9,736 |
| 401-450 | 45,030 |
| 441-450 | 9,296 |
| 431-440 | 9,780 |
| 421-430 | 7,414 |
| 411-420 | 8,658 |
| 401-410 | 9,882 |
| 351-400 | 55,913 |
| 301-350 | 29,247 |
| 0-300 | 4,965 |
| Total | 165,476 |
The candidates are assessed according to the CRS Comprehensive Ranking System. This is a point-based system. An invitation to apply for permanent residence is sent to those who obtain the highest scores. This is called a comprehensive ranking system. Points are awarded to candidates based on human capital such as age, education, work experience, and proficiency in English or French.
How the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) works?
Each province and territory has its own “streams” (immigration programs that target certain groups) and requirements. For example, in a program stream, provinces and territories may target:
- students
- business people
- skilled workers
- semi-skilled workers
The PNP works for those who:
- want to live in that province
- want to become permanent residents of Canada
- have the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory
A better PNP stream related to the provincial nomination, namely Canada’s Express Entry System, will give the system a Comprehensive Rating System (CRS) score of 600 extra points. If you earn these extra points, it is practically guaranteed that you will receive an invitation from the Government of Canada to apply for permanent residency.
Check here for more details about the provincial Nominee programs of Canada.
Strong French language skills will be beneficial for you. It does not matter even if it is your second language. You can obtain up to 50 additional points by showing your skills for reading, listening, writing, and Speaking.