April Showers: IRCC Holds First Express Entry Draw of the Month, Looming Strike

IRCC held the latest Express Entry draw of 2023, inviting 3,500 candidates from all programs to apply for permanent residence. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score used was 486, with a tie-breaking rule of July 19, 2022.

While it’s only April, IRCC has already surpassed the total number of applicants for 2022. March 2023 was a record-breaking month in the history of Canada’s Express Entry program. The IRCC issued 21,667 ITAs over four draws, and three draws invited 7,000 candidates at once.

The 2023 Express Entry draws have been held in a hard-to-predict pattern. Before now, draws typically took place bi-weekly on Wednesday afternoons. However, weekly draws were held in March, with one on a Thursday. This makes it difficult to predict exactly when the next draw will occur. However, they will likely develop a more concrete pattern as draws continue.

See also: Step-by-Step Guide to Starting Your Canada Permanent Residency Application

Meanwhile, about 155,000 public servants, including those at IRCC, may go on strike. A union representing several public servants, Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), has voted to walk off the job, meaning a strike could come early this week.

If this strike goes through IRCC services such as application processing, in-person appointments or events, contacting IRCC via email, phone or social media, consular citizenship and passport services and passport services in Canada will be affected. The proposed strike is because public servants want better pay and the ability to work from home. While inflation in Canada and the world has risen, public servant wages have not been increased to reflect the changing times.

Negotiations are ongoing, but if the strike goes ahead, it will be one of the largest strikes in Canadian history. The impact of such a loss of labour would slow down the Express Entry program, among others.