How did Express Entry admissions perform in the initial nine months of 2023?

In the first nine months of 2023, the majority of Invitations to Apply (ITA) were issued to applicants of the Canadian Experience Class program. All applicants in this program possess at least one year of qualifying work experience in Canada and meet language proficiency levels according to the criteria set by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). In total, 23,910 applicants for this program received ITAs, constituting approximately 45% of the total ITAs.

Applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or Skilled Worker, with 15,855 (about 30% of total ITAs), secured the second-highest number of ITA invitations, while applicants under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) with 13,655 (approximately 26% of total ITAs) held the third position.

During this period, no ITAs were issued to applicants under the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

Software engineers were ranked among the top five professions for the following three programs:

Canadian Experience Class

• Software engineers and designers: 1,725
• Computer programmers and interactive media developers: 1,745
• Information systems analysts and consultants: 1,375
• CEC Food Service Supervisors: 1,240
• Administrative assistants: 855

Federal Skilled Worker Program

• Financial auditors and accountants: 650
• Dentists: 570
• Software engineers and designers: 565
• Professional occupations in advertising, marketing, and public relations: 505
• Database analysts and data administrators: 420

Provincial Nominee Program

• Other occupations: 970
• Software engineers and designers: 820
• Information systems analysts and consultants: 615
• Computer programmers and interactive media developers: 595
• Welders and related machine operators: 420

Approximately half of the Express Entry applicants (26,070) scored in the range of 451-500, while 11,640 fell within the range of 501-600.

Only 225 Express Entry applicants received Invitations to Apply (ITAs) with scores between 601-700, and 60 individuals with scores between 701-800. Additionally, 790 applicants secured ITAs with scores falling within the range of 801-900.

It’s noteworthy that more than 7,550 Express Entry applicants achieved CRS scores between 901 to 1000, and over 5,040 individuals garnered scores exceeding 1000. A notable point is that the exclusive route to achieve a CRS score of approximately 600 is by obtaining a Provincial Nomination, which, in itself, awards an Express Entry candidate 600 points out of the maximum 1,200 CRS points.

More than half of the Express Entry candidates were either residents of Ontario or intended to live there. The data indicates that the popular provinces for Express Entry applicants, based on the number of invitations, are as follows:

1. Ontario: 31,550 ITA invitations
2. British Columbia: 10,655 ITA invitations
3. Alberta: 5,280 ITA invitations
4. Nova Scotia: 1,595 ITA invitations

All remaining provinces received fewer than 1,500 invitations each.

The best age for immigration to Canada through Express Entry, according to data from the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), is prioritized as follows:

1. Age range 19 to 29: Applicants in this age range have received a total of 28,970 ITA invitations.
2. Age range 30 to 39: They have received a total of 20,865 ITA invitations.
3. 40 years and above: They could secure fewer than 4,000 invitations.

Based on a longitudinal analysis conducted by Statistics Canada, indicating that newcomers who migrate at younger ages have more time for labor market integration in Canada, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) allocates higher CRS scores to younger applicants.