
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its 42nd Express Entry draw.
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IRCC issued 1,000 invitations to those who submitted an Expression of Interest to apply for permanent residence. This is a significant increase from the 750 invitations issued in the last draw.
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The minimum qualifying score for this draw was 491. This score is in line with scores in recent months.
The frequency and size of Express Entry draws are at the discretion of IRCC.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
While a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or Provincial Nomination (PN) approval will guarantee an employee’s selection and invitation for permanent residence, such documents are not required in all cases. This draw once again demonstrates that employees without LMIA or PN approvals continue to be selected in the Express Entry draw.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
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