Express Entry 2016 Trends: CRS Score

It has been over 1.5 years since the launch of the Express Entry program back in January 2015. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) conducted 50 Express Entry rounds by the end of the year, issuing over 49,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs).

Express Entry uses a comprehensive ranking system designed to ease the immigration process for economic immigrants. Individuals under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and the Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Programs submit their applications through the Express Entry portal. Successful candidates that meet the minimum point requirements under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) receive ITAs and can submit their applications for permanent residency.

Last year, together with Nevena Djuricic and Peter Perram we took a look at the launch of Express Entry system. Let’s now look at this year’s Express Entry invitation rounds and the changes in the CRS scores.

2016 Rounds of Invitation

In 2016, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) conducted 27 invitation rounds:

• January 6, 2016: 1,463 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 461 points
• January 13, 2016: 1,518 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 453 points
• January 27, 2016: 1,468 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 457 points
• February 10, 2016: 1,505 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 459 points
• February 24, 2016: 1,484 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 453 points
• March 9, 2016: 1,013 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 473 points
• March 23, 2016: 1,014 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 470 points
• April 6, 2016: 954 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 470 points
• April 20, 2016: 1,018 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 468 points
• May 6, 2016: 799 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 534 points
• May 18, 2016: 763 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 484 points
• June 1, 2016: 762 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 483 points
• June 15, 2016: 752 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 488 points
• June 29, 2016: 773 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 482 points
• July 13, 2016: 747 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 482 points
• July 27, 2016: 755 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 488 points
• August 10, 2016: 754 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 490 points
• August 24, 2016: 750 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 538 points
• September 7, 2016: 1,000 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 491 points
• September 21, 2016: 1,288 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 483 points
• October 12, 2016: 1,518 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 484 points
• October 19, 2016: 1,804 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 475 points
• November 2, 2016: 2,080 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 472 points
• November 16, 2016: 2,427 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 470 points
• November 30, 2016: 559 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 786 points
• December 16, 2016: 1,936 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 497 points
• December 22, 2016: 2,878 ITAs, lowest CRS score – 475 points

CRS Scores

With 50 Express Entry rounds since January 2015, CIC has issued invitations to over 49,000 people across a variety of different countries. Most ITAs have been issued twice a month, continuing last years’ trend. (There were 3 invitation rounds in the month of January, June and November.)

Unfortunately, the downwards trend for the CRS score that started in January did not continue into 2016. After staying in 450-460 in January, the score has jumped up and did not go below 468 in the subsequent rounds. In comparison, the lowest CRS score for last year was 450 points (on September 18 and October 2, 2015). The minimum score has even jumped to 786 points in one of the last rounds of the year.

Many applicants are not happy to hear this news. “We really hoped that the CRS score will go down, so we could have a chance to be selected for the permanent residency,” share Vitor Cruz and Felipe Reinicke. Vitor and Felipe took the CELPIP Prep program at Ashton College to improve their CRS score, and are now waiting for the score to drop below 470.

“We have done everything we could, and now we just have to wait. We know many other immigrants are waiting and hoping to be selected as well.”