The Express Entry draws have officially resumed, and according to Canada's Immigration Minister, applications will be processed at a 6-month standard. This is fantastic news for skilled workers, who are critical in addressing Canada's labour shortages. This is Canada's first invitation to Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) candidates since December 2020.

Candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) were also included in the Express Entry draw. CEC candidates have been included in an Express Entry draw for the first time since September 2021.

A total of 1,500 Express Entry candidates were invited to apply for permanent residence by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The cut-off score for the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) was 557.

For several reasons, the return of all-program draws is significant. From its inception in 1967 until 2020, the Federal Skilled Worker Program was the primary means by which Canada welcomed skilled immigrants. Prior to the pandemic, the FSWP accounted for roughly 45 percent of all those who were granted an Express Entry Invitation to Apply.

For CEC candidates, the return of all-program draws is also welcome news. The CEC is the primary means of obtaining permanent residence in Canada for the country's large international student and foreign worker population. The CEC has gained prominence in recent years as Canada has relied on it to meet its immigration targets. Prior to the pandemic, the CEC accounted for only 9% of the total 341,000 immigrants admitted to Canada under the economic, family, and humanitarian classes combined. The CEC accounted for nearly one-third of the over 405,000 immigrants who arrived in Canada last year.

Two weeks ago, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser told CIC News that the IRCC was on track to hold an all-program Express Entry draw on July 6. On Monday, he confirmed this via Twitter. The IRCC first announced this in April. Furthermore, IRCC intends to resume processing most Express Entry applications within six months.

When IRCC conducts an all-program Express Entry draw, it considers all candidates in the Express Entry pool and issues invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence based solely on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. IRCC mostly held all-program draws between the launch of Express Entry in 2015 and December 2020. This meant that candidates for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) all had a chance at an ITA.

Beginning in January 2021, IRCC concentrated on inviting only CEC candidates. The IRCC did this because the majority of these candidates were in Canada and were less likely to face COVID-related issues than immigration candidates from other countries. IRCC, on the other hand, paused CEC invitations in September 2021 to address application backlogs. Meanwhile, IRCC has continued to hold bi-weekly draws for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates to assist provinces and territories in meeting labour market needs.

This news bodes well for Canada, which will welcome over 110,000 Express Entry immigrants per year by 2024.