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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has held its latest round of Express Entry invitations. The department invited 800 candidates in an all-program draw with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 505. Note: This is a developing story. CIC News will update it throughout the week. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment Here is an overview of the most recent Express Entry draw results: July 4-7 IRCC held draws on four consecutive days last week, between July 4-7. The invitations issued on July 4 were from an unexpected all-program draw in which the 700 invited candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 511. This was the highest required CRS score for any all-program draw so far in 2023. The second draw of the week, on July 5, was the anticipated first-ever round of invitations issued to candidates with work experience in select science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations. IRCC invited 500 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 486. IRCC announced that this draw would take place a week in advance. In the third draw of last week, IRCC invited 1,500 candidates on July 6 in an expected category-based selection draw for healthcare professionals with a cut-off CRS score of 463. The fourth draw of the week occurred on July 7. ITAs were issued to 2,300 candidates with strong French-speaking abilities and a minimum CRS of 439. June 27-28 On June 27 IRCC invited 4,300 candidates in an all-program draw. These candidates required a minimum CRS of 486. On June 28, IRCC issued the first-ever ITAs for category–based selection. Overall, 500 candidates with work experience in healthcare occupations and a minimum CRS score of 476 were invited to apply for permanent residence. Category-based selection Canada’s immigration minister, Sean Fraser, announced on May 31 that IRCC had finalized categories for category-based selection. These categories were expected following the royal assent of Bill C-19 in Canada’s parliament last June and it became a law. The law grants the immigration minister the authority to invite economic immigration candidates who will support Canada’s economy and promote the French language outside of Quebec. This means that the minister can invite newcomers based on specific attributes, such as language or work experience, rather than focusing on an overall CRS score. The categories were chosen after discussions with stakeholders and provincial and territorial governments to identify the most crucial gaps in Canada’s labour force. They are as follows: Healthcare Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers, and contractors Transport Agriculture and agri-food Strong French-language proficiency Candidates selected under these categories must still be eligible for an Express Entry program. It is also beneficial to have a high CRS score as candidates will still be ranked against one another. According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, IRCC plans to admit 82,880 new permanent residents to Canada through Express Entry by the end of 2023. This rises to 109,020 in 2024 and 114,000 by 2025. The new Express Entry categories will help ensure that newcomers to Canada are helping to meet these targets while strengthening Canada’s workforce. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment