Canada Express Entry: 500 immigrants invited under first category-based draw for STEM professions. Check CRS score

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Wednesday conducted a second round of category-based Express Entry invitations. This particular draw targeted candidates eligible for category-based selection in STEM occupations, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. A total of 500 candidates were invited, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement of 486. 

This draw had been anticipated since the IRCC's announcement last week about the inaugural category-based selection draw for STEM professionals. Additionally, IRCC has confirmed another round of invitations for this week, inviting 1,500 healthcare workers to apply for permanent residence. Notably, the previous draw on June 28 invited 500 healthcare workers with the lowest CRS score of 476 seen in any Express Entry draw in 2023.

Eligible occupations under the STEM draw include:

Canada aims to meet talent demands and drive economic growth by prioritising skilled newcomers with STEM experience, according to a recent news release by IRCC. Accordingly, here's a list of professions under the STEM category. 

• Architects
• Architecture and science managers
• Business systems specialists
• Civil Engineers
• Computer and information systems managers
• Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
• Computer systems developers and programmers
• Cybersecurity specialists
• Data scientists
• Database analysts and data administrators
• Electrical and electronics engineers
• Engineering managers
• Industrial and manufacturing engineers
• Information systems specialists
• Land surveyors
• Landscape Architects
• Mathematicians, statisticians, and actuaries
• Metallurgical and materials engineers
• Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants, and program officers
• Software developers and programmers
• Software engineers and designers
• Urban and land use planners
• Web designers
• Web developers and programmers

Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, announced on May 31 that IRCC had finalized new category-based selection criteria for Express Entry draws. The categories were chosen based on labour market projections and discussions with IRCC partners and stakeholders as well as with provincial and territorial governments.

In its surprise draw on July 4, IRCC also invited 700 candidates in an all-program draw with a minimum CRS score of 511. An all-program draw considers Express Entry candidates in the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.