Every year, IRCC unveils an Immigration Levels Plan to establish the targets for the annual admission of permanent residents to Canada for the next three years.

1. When and Why? The Secrets Behind
IRCC's Express Entry Draws?
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Express Entry draws followed a fairly regular pattern.
Even though it wasn't an official rule, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) typically
conducted draws every two weeks, specifically on Wednesdays. During each draw, they usually issued
over 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence, and the cut-off scores in the
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) were typically around 470 points.
During this period, the Express Entry system operated with a greater degree of stability. The policy goals
set for Express Entry when it was introduced in January 2015 remained largely unchanged. Additionally,
IRCC was making good progress toward its objective of processing 80% of Express Entry permanent
residence applications within six months or less. This success allowed them to consistently issue new
ITAs at regular intervals, providing more predictability for Express Entry candidates.
Since the start of the pandemic, Express Entry draws have become less predictable. There's no longer a
consistent pattern regarding when draws happen, the type of draw, the number of Invitations to Apply
(ITAs), or the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-offs.
In the current year, draws were happening regularly, approximately every two weeks, until June. The
introduction of category-based selection by IRCC led to more frequent draws, aligning with their broader
policy objectives, such as addressing labor shortages and welcoming more Francophone immigrants.
Between June 27 and August 15, a span when category-based selection was implemented, IRCC
conducted a total of 12 Express Entry draws. This was unusual, as per past trends, IRCC would typically
have 4-8 draws during a similar timeframe. Following this, IRCC paused Express Entry invitations for
slightly over a month and then resumed with 9 more draws between September 19 and October 26.
Since October 26, there hasn't been any draw, and IRCC hasn't provided reasons for the pause.
However, various factors could influence when IRCC decides to hold Express Entry draws.
Upcoming Immigration Plans Include Express Entry Applicants
Every year, IRCC unveils an Immigration Levels Plan to establish the targets for the annual admission of
permanent residents to Canada for the next three years.
These targets are detailed by category, and this includes Express Entry candidates. For instance, IRCC
aims to welcome 110,770 immigrants through Express Entry in 2024 and 117,550 in both 2025 and
2026.

2. These numbers encompass the primary applicants receiving Express Entry ITAs, along with their eligible
partners and dependents who can be included in their permanent residence applications.
To ensure the achievement of these targets, IRCC must consistently assess the number of permanent
residence applications in the processing queue. If there are ample applications to meet the targets for
the current and upcoming years, it may not be necessary for the department to issue additional ITAs.
Conversely, if there's an insufficient number of applications in the processing queue, IRCC is likely to
conduct more draws or issue a higher number of ITAs.
When determining the ITA numbers concerning targets, IRCC takes into account both the current year
and the upcoming year. This is because it takes six months to process the final application of an Express
Entry candidate. For example, ITAs issued in the latter part of 2023 are likely to result in a permanent
resident completing their landing in 2024.
Canada Issuing Express Entry to PNP Candidates
The department must also carefully consider the types of draws it should conduct to meet its policy
goals.
Canada's immigration minister is tasked with enhancing the national economy. This involves instructing
the issuance of invitations to newcomers with skills that can address labor force gaps and contribute to
the economy shortly after arriving in Canada.
An essential method to achieve this is by extending Express Entry invitations to Provincial Nominee
Program (PNP) candidates.
Deciding which candidates to invite is a thoughtful process, and it may lead to occasional pauses in
Express Entry draws as IRCC evaluates its options. For instance, the minister must decide whether
candidates should be invited in an all-program draw, considering candidates from all three Express
Entry-managed programs. Alternatively, the decision might be to conduct program-specific draws or
invite candidates through category-based rounds of invitations.
In 2021, IRCC aimed to land over 400,000 new permanent residents despite ongoing pandemic
challenges, such as processing delays and travel restrictions. A significant approach to achieving this goal
was by holding substantial Express Entry draws for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, as most
of them were already in Canada, making it quicker for IRCC to grant them permanent residency. More
recently, with the introduction of category-based selection, IRCC has conducted more draws to align
with broader policy goals. These goals include promoting economic development across the country,
inviting candidates with high human capital suited for integration into the Canadian labor market,
facilitating transitions from temporary to permanent residence, and strengthening Francophone
communities outside of Quebec. Additionally, IRCC has been inviting candidates with work experience in
STEM, healthcare, transportation, agriculture, and skilled trades.

3. Modifications to the Express Entry Profiles and the Comprehensive Ranking
System
Occasional adjustments to the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and other modifications to Express
Entry profiles can also impact the frequency and dynamics of Express Entry draws.
Although it doesn't happen frequently, a change in how IRCC assigns CRS points to a specific attribute
can affect how often Express Entry draws occur.
For instance, in 2020, IRCC increased the number of CRS points a candidate could receive for French
proficiency. When such changes occur, IRCC must undertake several technical updates to ensure that all
existing profiles accurately reflect CRS scores.
Another example is from last year when IRCC needed to phase out NOC Skill Types in favor of the new
TEER system.
Issues Impacting Express Entry
Issues with information technology, including glitches, are another factor that can impact Express Entry.
Recently, IRCC reported a problem with the Express Entry profile builder. This glitch may prevent
candidates who have already received an ITA from uploading their final application for permanent
residency within the required 60 days.
On November 29, IRCC announced on Twitter that applicants facing difficulties due to the glitch would
be given an additional 60 days to submit their application.
The introduction of new systems can sometimes lead to glitches at IRCC. For instance, during a recent
meeting of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, IRCC Deputy Minister Christiane
Fox noted IT problems following the implementation of category-based selection rounds of invitations.
When such glitches occur, IRCC may choose to delay draws until the issue is resolved.
Moreover, there were no Express Entry draws between November 23, 2022, and January 11, 2023, due
to an IT problem related to updates to the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. This glitch
resulted in some ineligible candidates receiving ITAs.
Organizational Restructuring and its Impact on Express Entry Draws
Changes in staffing can indeed impact Express Entry draws, especially when there are new
appointments, such as a new Immigration Minister, Deputy Minister, or other officials responsible for
Express Entry. The adjustment period for staff to familiarize themselves with their new roles can
introduce delays or modifications to the usual processes.
IRCC is currently undergoing a reorganization following a report by former Deputy Minister Neil Yeates,
which highlighted inefficiencies within the department. The report recommended restructuring IRCC
based on lines of business. In an interview with Paul Wells, Deputy Minister Fox mentioned that the
department has already started implementing changes based on some of the recommendations. These

4. organizational shifts are likely to have an impact on staffing within the department, which can
subsequently influence how Express Entry draws are conducted.