On May 28th, 2020, we saw the lowest CRS score regarding Invitations to Apply (ITA) since January 30th, 2019 via the Express Entry system. Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3515 ITAs only for applicants who are eligible under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The CRS points of the lowest candidate invited was 440! Yes, I will say it again, 440!
This comes as great news to many applicants who have been disheartened by the ever-increasing CRS score over the last 20 months.
Why are the CRS Points Continuing to Drop?
There are several reasons why the CRS score has continued to drop during the global pandemic. As many of the education assessment credential organizations have either temporarily closed or are operating at a reduced capacity, potential candidates who would normally have a CRS score between 450 – 475, are unable to have their credentials evaluated, therefore they are unable to create an express entry profile and enter into the pool
Furthermore, as the majority of CELPIP and IELTS test centers are temporary closed, this also means that candidates who would expect a high CRS score cannot take a language proficiency exam, therefore they cannot create an Express Entry profile and enter into the pool.
Another important reason why the CRS points have dropped significantly is that IRCC have temporarily paused issuing ITAs under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW).
What Does This Mean For Me?
During the last two years, many applicants who are eligible for the Canadian Experience Class but did not have enough CRS points to receive an invitation, have since left Canada as their status had come to an end. Many of these people have CRS scores ranging from 430-450, and DID NOT submit a profile and/or renew their profile as they thought it was a lost cause.
You do not need to be physically present in Canada or working in Canada to apply under the Canadian Experience Class if you are eligible. Furthermore, if your one year of Canadian work experience in a skilled occupation was within the last THREE years, YOU ARE STILL ELIGIBLE TO APPLY UNDER THE CEC, as long as you meet the other eligibility criteria under the program.
So this means, that if you had at least 1 year of qualifying Canadian experience within the last three years AND you took your language proficiency exam within the last two years, but you did not have enough points to receive an ITA and have since left Canada, there has never been a better opportunity to receive an Invitation to apply for permanent residence by submitting an Express Entry Profile.
What Do I Do Next?
If you think that you’re one of these people, we highly recommend that you submit an Express Entry profile immediately because as soon as the language test centers reopen, ECA organizations resume normal service standards AND IRCC resume issuing ITAs under the FSW program, the CRS points will inevitably increase again.
The Time to Act is Now!
Please contact us to schedule a consultation to assess whether you are eligible and have remained eligible under the Canadian Experience Class.
