During periods of high invitation issuances, prepared candidates excel while others miss out on their chance to immigrate, regardless of their CRS score.

In the recent 30 days, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued over 30,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system, a significant number that was once nearly matched in a single draw.

On February 13, 2021, the immigration department conducted the largest-ever draw under the Express Entry system, inviting 27,332 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score of just 75 points.

We cover essential lessons from the 2021 draw:

• Getting into the Express Entry pool sooner grants you more opportunities.
• You may be invited before your CRS increases.
• You must be aware of the tie-breaking rule.
• Keeping your profile aligned with current trends helps your chances of an ITA.

Lesson 1: Getting into the Express Entry Pool Early

The primary lesson is straightforward: You cannot benefit from unexpected opportunities if you are not in the pool.

Express Entry candidates with CRS scores in the 200s or 300s would typically not expect an ITA from a federal draw.

However, with the introduction of category-based selection rounds and program draws, some recent Express Entry draws have featured CRS cut-offs in the high 300 points range.

Four of the ten largest draws in Express Entry’s history have occurred in the last two years, leading to lower CRS cut-offs.

If you delay creating your Express Entry profile due to a perceived low CRS score, you risk missing:

• An unusually large draw.
• A category-based draw where your occupation or language skills are suddenly in demand.
• A provincial nomination opportunity that requires an active Express Entry profile.

Candidates can enhance their eligibility after entering the pool, but delaying this process often results in missed opportunities.

Lesson 2: Early Invitations

Keeping your profile in the candidate pool can lead to an ITA even before your CRS score increases.

For instance, how work experience is counted for ITA eligibility is a prime example of this.

Contrary to common belief, IRCC calculates work experience for ITA issuance by month, not exact date.

This means that if you started your work experience on January 27, 2025, you would gain an additional year of work experience on January 1, 2026, not January 27, 2026.

Therefore, your ITA eligibility may come sooner than expected.