A Canadian Federal Express Entry (EE) Draw was conducted on April 16, 2020. This is the second EE draw in two days. A total of 3782 Invitations to Apply (ITA) were issued to candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) category. CEC candidates chosen must have 1 year of Canadian work experience out of the last 3 years.
There have been two other CEC EE draws in the last three weeks. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) for this draw was 455, which is the lowest amongst the three CEC draws. The April 9th draw had a minimum CRS of 464 and the March 23rd draw was 467.
There has been a trend for IRCC to conduct targeted draws since the outbreak of COVID-19. Most candidates under the CEC are those already living and working in Canada. Some of them have been on a Study Permit and transitioned to a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP), where they have gained the required one year of work experience. Others have been Temporary Workers and now have the work experience to qualify for the CEC. It’s a strategic decision to choose these candidates because there is no delay for them to enter Canada due to the current travel restrictions.
Currently, travel restrictions extend to ALL foreign nationals except those with Study Permits approved prior to March 18, 2020, Applicants for Permanent Residents with approvals prior to March 18, 2020 and Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW). There is more latitude given to TFW as they are essential to critical infrastructure and key industries and also to bring in new talent, given the rapid spread of COVID-19.
