Canada’s Express Entem has changed in the last two years. Here’s Canada’s Express Entry ITA comparison this year vs. last year. 

Well, in 2023, IRCC introduced category-based selection draws under Express Entry, a policy that enables the immigration department to target applicants who meet the nation’s economic and demographic needs. 

So, have these changes made a difference in how the Express Entry system invites applicants? The following breaks down Express Entry draws in 2024 so far compared to the same time in 2023. Though IRCC has issued more Invitations to Apply (ITAs) this year than the same time last year, 2023, a better analysis requires a deeper look at the data. 

What Is Category-Based Selection? 

In order to learn more about Canada’s Express Entry ITA comparison this year vs. last year, we first need to understand what category-based selections are. 

Category-based selection draws are a tool IRCC uses to select immigration applicants via Canada’s Express Entry system. They allow IRCC to invite applicants with greater consideration of specific human capital attributes than their CRS score. 

The present Express Entry categories are: 

• Health
• STEM Professions
• Trade
• Transport 
• Agriculture/ Agri-Food
• French Language Proficiency 

How Many ITA Has Canada Issued So Far This Year, Compared To Last Year? 

As of the latest draw, IRCC has issued over 84,874 ITAs through the Express Entry system in 2024. 

By 20 September 2023, IRCC had issued 81,948 ITAs.

Notably, the federal allocation of landed immigrants for the Express Entry system has changed from 2023 to 2024. Landings from ITA issued under the Express Entry system count toward the Federal High Skilled allocation in the annual Immigration Levels Plan. In 2023, IRCC expected to welcome 82,800 immigrants through the system. In 2024, the immigration department expects to welcome 110,770 immigrants through Express Entry.  

How Many Draws Has IRCC Held Through Express Entry This Year v/s Last Year? 

Canada’s Express Entry ITA comparison this year vs. last year has witnessed various changes. Thus far, IRCC has held 37 draws through the Express Entry system across nine different categories and streams. The average size of these draws is 2,294 ITAs, though this varies greatly depending on the category/ stream in question. 

By the same time last year, IRCC had held 28 draws across eight categories and streams. The average draw size across these draws was 2,927 ITAs, though, similar to 2024, draw sizes varied greatly depending on the category and stream selected.  

The disparity in the number of draws is partly because of the historic July for the Express Entry system in 2024 when IRCC had nine draws—the most draws in a single month since the start of Express Entry in 2015.

Which Streams/ Categories Has The Most Draws So Far In 2024 Compared To 2023? 

The following table represents the number of draws conducted by category/ stream and the number of ITAs issued thus far for every stream/ category in 2024 as compared to 2023: 

Note that there has been a sharp increase in both CEC and PNP draws through the Express Entry system since May and June of this year, following comments by Immigration Minister Marc Miller regarding more ‘domestic draws’ for Express Entry applicants. In 2023, there were a total of four PNP draws and no CEC under Express Entry. In comparison, 2024 has seen eight PNP draws and six CEC draws already. 

It is also vital to note the growing significance of the French language proficiency category. While 2023 only saw three draws for this category, there have already been eight French category draws in 2024. Moreover, the allocation of French-speaking immigrants outside of Quebec will grow from 6% this year to 8% by 2026. 

Lastly, to better compare cut-off scores in every stream, the following table breaks down the highest and lowest CRS cut-off scores in 2023 and 2024 for categories and streams selected multiple times in both years. 

If you seek information on how to begin your Canada immigration application process, you can talk to our NavaImmigration experts at 1800-918-8490. You can also drop us an email at [email protected].