CIC issues 3,334 ITAs to immigration applicants at a record breaking CRS score through Express Entry January 2017 Draw

The Express Entry system, introduced in 2015, has set a new record for sending Invitations to Apply for permanent residence at the lowest CRS scores in Canadian immigration history.

On January 11, 2017, a draw was made, and a total of 3,334 applicants received an ITA at a CRS score of 459 or higher. This is the first time CIC has issued ITAs to candidates who passed 3,000 marks.

Candidates who received an ITA can now apply for Canadian permanent residence to the IRCC. They can also fill out applications for their accompanying family members, including spouses or common-law partners, as well as dependent children.

The increase in draw sizes over the final months of 2016 and early 2017 has been remarkable and also unexpected. According to the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the increase in draw sizes will make Express Entry the primary driver of economic immigration to Canada.

We can also expect the draw sizes to be big, and possibly the CRS requirement may remain low.

Since the inception of the new Express Entry system, about 31,063 candidates were issued ITAs in 2015, while about 33,782 received ITAs in 2016. A whopping total of approximately 71,081 candidates have received ITAs since the Express system was launched.