IRCC expects to implement the Express Entry reforms in the first quarter of 2023
IRCC plans to start holding targeted Express Entry draw in Early 2023
IRCC is planning to start holding Express Entry draws for candidates based on labor market goals in the first quarter of 2023, a spokesperson said.

In an email to CIC News, IRCC said, “As required by the legislation, the department is planning to consult with a broad range of stakeholders to inform the new categories in Express Entry and prepare for technical implementation in the first quarter of 2023.”

The recently passed Bill C-19 allows the Minister of Immigration to invite Express Entry candidates based on criteria that support regional economic needs. For example, IRCC is allowed to invite Express Entry candidates based on their occupation, language, or education level, rather than their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

The new legislation also requires the minister to engage in a public consultation process and to report annually to Parliament on the details of the draw, including economic goals.

The score for the latest all-program draw held on August 03 was 533 and 2000 candidates were invited. The new draw is 9 point lower than the draw on July 20, when the score was 542 and 1,750 Express Entry candidates were invited. The first all-program draw held on July 6, when the minimum cut-off score was 557, and invited 1,500 candidates.

Currently, there are around 9,000 candidates in the 500-600 score range in the Express Entry pool, and if the number of invitations issued per month remains around 2,000, then by the end of this year, the score may be expected to drop to about 500. The Express Entry reforms in early next year will also have a significant impact on the invitation scores, as well as the existing ranking scoring system and criteria.