Category-Based Draw

IRCC holds first-ever Category- Based Draw for Express Entry :-

In a significant development, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its first category-based Express Entry draw today. As expected since the end of May, IRCC issued 500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to healthcare workers seeking permanent residence in Canada. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for healthcare workers in this draw was 476.
IRCC has also confirmed that an additional 1,500 ITAs will be issued to healthcare workers in the coming week. Furthermore, the first category-based draws for STEM professions are scheduled to take place during the week of July 5th.

It's worth noting that healthcare workers were among the five occupational categories prioritized by IRCC for category-based draws.
The other four occupational categories are :

science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions
trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
transport
agriculture and agri-food

In addition to the category-based draws for healthcare workers and STEM professions, IRCC has announced that they will also conduct category-based draws for Express Entry candidates with strong French-language proficiency.

It is important to remember that the usual practice in Express Entry is to conduct all-program draws, which consider applicants from all three programs: Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). However, program-specific draws only invite candidates who entered the pool through a specific program. So far in 2023, IRCC has conducted four draws specifically for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates and one draw specific to the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

Despite the introduction of category-based draws, IRCC will continue to conduct general Express Entry draws for candidates who do not fall under any of the five specific categories mentioned.

About Express Entry :-

Express Entry is the primary immigration pathway offered by the Canadian government to invite skilled foreign workers from around the world for permanent residence. The process involves confirming eligibility for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), which are overseen under the Express Entry system. After confirming eligibility, candidates create an online profile on the IRCC website and review their CRS score. Candidates in the Express Entry pool then await IRCC's draws, which invite individuals with CRS scores above the designated cut-off score to apply for permanent residence in Canada. An Invitation to Apply (ITA) is the key to applying for Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry, and successful candidates have 60 days from receiving the ITA to submit their electronic Application for Permanent Residence (eAPR) to IRCC.