The IRCC publishes its annual report on Express Entry
The newly released Express Entry Year-End Report for 2023 reveals that the number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued in 2023 more than doubled compared to 2022.
Table of Contents
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a total of 110,266 ITAs across 42 Express Entry draws between January 11 and December 21, 2023, marking a 136% increase from the 46,539 ITAs issued in 2022.
In total, 488,571 profiles were submitted. Among these, 343,875 (67%) were eligible, while 144,696 (33%) were deemed ineligible.
Express Entry is a system designed to streamline the processing of economic immigration applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). The system uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to evaluate and rank candidates, assigning a score out of 1200. Candidates with higher scores are more likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
In 2023, category-based selection draws were introduced. These draws still considered candidates from all Express Entry programs but targeted specific occupations or language abilities.
Which candidates received ITAs?
The report highlights that most ITAs were issued to candidates under the CEC program, with 40,052 ITAs. This was followed by the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) with 26,445 ITAs, and the FSWP with 17,898 ITAs.
Only eight ITAs were issued to candidates under the FSTP. However, this may be due to the IRCC’s processing hierarchy, which prioritizes the CEC program over the FSTP when candidates are eligible for both. This could explain the low number of ITAs for the FSTP.
After the introduction of category-based selection draws in June, 25,870 ITAs were issued, accounting for 23% of all ITAs. This included 12,073 ITAs for CEC candidates, 13,790 ITAs for FSWP candidates, and seven ITAs for FSTP candidates.
CRS Scores
In the Express Entry pool, most candidates had CRS scores ranging from 300 to 550, accounting for 93% of all applicants.
Following the introduction of category-based selection, the average CRS score for all-program (generic) draws rose above 500.
CRS Scores by Draw Type
| Draw Type | Minimum Score | Maximum Score | Score Range to Receive an ITA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic (includes FSWP, CEC, and FSTP) | 484 | 561 | 484 – 561 |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 691 | 791 | 691 – 791 |
| Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP) | 489 | 489 | 489 |
| CBS Healthcare Occupations | 431 | 476 | 431 – 476 |
| CBS Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) | 481 | 486 | 481 – 486 |
| CBS French Proficiency | 375 | 486 | 375 – 486 |
| CBS Trades Occupations | 388 | 425 | 388 – 425 |
| CBS Transport Occupations | 435 | 435 | 435 |
| CBS Agriculture Occupations | 354 | 386 | 354 – 386 |
Gender Distribution
The data shows that the majority of Express Entry applicants were men. Specifically, 57% of the ITAs issued went to men, while 43% went to women. By program, more men received ITAs under the CEC (52%) and PNP (26%) compared to women. However, consistent with 2022 data, women were more likely to receive an ITA through the FSWP (33% vs 22%).
Work Experience and Occupation Demand
A candidate’s work experience plays a key role in their eligibility for Express Entry, with certain occupations being more in-demand and thus more likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
In 2023, a significant number of ITAs were issued to candidates in computer, tech, and finance occupations. However, 48% of all ITAs went to candidates in “other” occupations that were not specifically listed in the report.
For the second consecutive year, software engineers and designers were the most likely to receive an ITA, with 7,259 ITAs issued. They were followed by software developers and programmers, who received 5,183 ITAs.
Among the 15 occupations listed in the report, 10 are classified as TEER 1 under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system, which typically require a university degree.
Top Occupations by ITAs in 2023
| Primary Occupation | TEER Ranking | ITAs Issued in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| NOC 21231; Software engineers and designers | 1 | 7,259 (6.5%) |
| NOC 21232; Software developers and programmers | 1 | 5,183 (4.7%) |
| NOC 62020; Food service supervisors | 2 | 3,277 (2.9%) |
| NOC 21222; Information systems specialists | 1 | 2,951 (2.6%) |
| NOC 13110; Administrative assistants | 3 | 2,538 (2.3%) |
| NOC 21223; Database analysts and data administrators | 1 | 2,151 (1.9%) |
| NOC 11202; Professional occupations in advertising, marketing, and public relations | 1 | 2,142 (1.9%) |
| NOC 11100; Financial auditors and accountants | 1 | 2,090 (1.8%) |
| NOC 22221; User support technicians | 2 | 1,844 (1.6%) |
| NOC 20012; Computer and information systems managers | 0 | 1,841 (1.6%) |
| NOC 13100; Administrative officers | 3 | 1,747 (1.5%) |
| NOC 21211; Data scientists | 1 | 1,654 (1.5%) |
| NOC 21221; Business systems specialists | 1 | 1,600 (1.4%) |
| NOC 12200; Accounting technicians and bookkeepers | 2 | 1,599 (1.4%) |
| NOC 21230; Computer systems developers and programmers | 1 | 1,475 (1.3%) |
| Other | 70,915 (64.3%) | |
| Total | 110,266 (100%) |
Countries of Residence and Citizenship
Similar to 2022, the majority of candidates who received ITAs in 2023 listed Canada as their country of residence (76,791). India remained in second place, with 7,394 candidates receiving ITAs.
Countries of Residence
In 2023, Canada remained the top country of residence for Express Entry candidates, with 76,791 ITAs issued (69.6%). India followed in second place with 7,394 ITAs (6.7%). Cameroon moved up to the third position with 3,828 ITAs, narrowly surpassing Nigeria (3,822 ITAs). Notably, Lebanon was no longer in the top ten, while Pakistan received 1,173 ITAs, even though it did not appear in the top ten countries in 2022.
| Country of Residence | ITAs Issued in 2023 |
|---|---|
| Canada | 76,791 (69.6%) |
| India | 7,394 (6.7%) |
| Federal Republic of Cameroon | 3,828 (3.4%) |
| Nigeria | 3,822 (3.4%) |
| United States of America | 2,526 (2.2%) |
| Morocco | 1,681 (1.5%) |
| Algeria | 1,349 (1.2%) |
| Pakistan | 1,173 (1.0%) |
| United Kingdom and Overseas Territories | 1,157 (1.0%) |
| United Arab Emirates | 1,051 (0.9%) |
| Other | 9,494 (8.6%) |
| Total | 110,266 (100%) |
It’s important to note that these numbers represent country of residence, not country of citizenship. By citizenship, India is the largest source country for ITA recipients, followed by Nigeria and China.
Countries of Citizenship
| Country of Citizenship | ITAs Issued in 2023 |
|---|---|
| India | 52,106 (47.2%) |
| Nigeria | 7,263 (6.5%) |
| People’s Republic of China | 5,854 (5.3%) |
| Federal Republic of Cameroon | 4,335 (3.9%) |
| Iran | 2,693 (2.4%) |
| Philippines | 2,593 (2.3%) |
| Pakistan | 2,565 (2.3%) |
| Morocco | 2,049 (1.8%) |
| Brazil | 1,777 (1.6%) |
| Algeria | 1,592 (1.4%) |
| Other | 27,439 (24.8%) |
| Total | 110,266 (100%) |
Education
As in previous years, most ITAs in 2023 were issued to candidates with post-secondary education. Among these, 46% had a post-secondary credential of three years or longer, and 43% had a master’s degree or an entry-to-practice professional degree.
| Education Level | ITAs Issued in 2023 |
|---|---|
| High school or less | 810 (0.7%) |
| One or two-year post-secondary credential | 7,819 (7.0%) |
| Post-secondary credential of three years or longer | 50,294 (45.6%) |
| Master’s degree or entry-to-practice professional degree | 47,529 (43.1%) |
| PhD | 3,814 (3.4%) |
| Total | 110,266 (100%) |
Language Proficiency
Proficiency in English or French (Canada’s official languages) significantly impacts a candidate’s CRS score. In 2023, 78% of candidates had a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score between 7 (24%) and 9 (31%). Another 18% achieved the maximum CLB score of 10, although this represented a slight drop from 21% in 2022.
| First Official Language (English or French) Level | ITAs Issued in 2023 |
|---|---|
| CLB/NCLC 4 | 5 (<1%) |
| CLB/NCLC 5 | 1,192 (1.0%) |
| CLB/NCLC 6 | 3,849 (3.4%) |
| CLB/NCLC 7 | 26,173 (23.7%) |
| CLB/NCLC 8 | 25,214 (22.8%) |
| CLB/NCLC 9 | 33,872 (30.7%) |
| CLB/NCLC 10 | 19,961 (18.1%) |
| Total | 110,266 (100%) |
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