Nearly 300 Express Entry system candidates wanting to settle in Alberta received invitations to apply for a provincial nomination in the latest Alberta Express Entry selection draw.
The 294 candidates selected needed a minimum 400 points under Express Entry’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) in order to receive an invitation.
This minimum score was 38 points lower than the lowest score drawn through a federal Express Entry invitation round in 2019, which was 438 on January 30.
The Express Entry system manages the pool of candidates for three of Canada’s main economic immigration categories — the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class.
Candidates are ranked in the pool based on their CRS score, which considers factors such as age, education, skilled work experience and proficiency in English or French.
Express Entry candidates who are invited to apply for a provincial nomination and whose application is approved receive an additional 600 CRS points.
These additional points move the recipient to the top of the Express Entry pool and effectively guarantee an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry draw, which typically take place once every two weeks.
The 294 invitations issued in the August 28 draw more than doubled the 121 issued in the previous draw on August 15.
Alberta has now issued a total of 5,236 invitations to Express Entry candidates over the course of 23 draws this year.
Alberta Express Entry Stream
The Alberta Express Entry Stream provides a pathway to permanent residence for eligible Express Entry candidates with strong ties to the province or who are working in an occupation that supports Alberta’s “economic development and diversification priorities,” among other factors.
There is currently no list of eligible occupations available.
The minimum CRS score required has dropped to 300 on four occasions since the stream’s creation in June 2018.
Four other draws had a minimum CRS requirement of 301 and four selected candidates with CRS scores of 302 and above.
Express Entry candidates can only apply for a provincial nomination through the Alberta Express Entry Stream if they are invited to do so by the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP).
The AINP says it may give priority to candidates with:
- a job offer and/or work experience in Alberta;
- a degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution and a valid job offer; or
- a parent, child or sibling already living in Alberta.
There are also some factors that the AINP says can decrease a candidate’s likelihood of receiving an invitation from Alberta, such as:
- an Express Entry profile that expires within three months of the draw;
- occupations such as those listed in the Alberta Opportunity Stream Ineligible Occupations list.
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