The current state of the pool for Express Entry: April 2024

April has seen more Express EntryDraws as immigration continues throughout the entire year.

The patterns for the next 2024 draw are likely to be similar to those of March. Learn about the current state and size of the Express Entry pool, the draws that took place in April, as well as how this could impact your immigration chances.

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The current state and the pool for Express Entry

What draws took place in April?

In April, four Express Entry draws were held: two general draws (general) and two special draws (special). Selecting categories.

The general draws were held on April 10th & 23rd. The CRS cut-off was 549 & 524, respectively. On April 11th & 24th, category-based selections were conducted, which targeted candidates with specific work experiences or language proficiency. Candidates with STEM related experience and French proficiency were invited.

You can also read more about it here Comprehensive Ranking SystemComparing scores from previous years, the (CRS), general draws continue to be higher. This year, there have been between three and five draws per month. The general and category-based draws are roughly evenly split.

According to the immigration levels plan, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship CanadaThe IRCC will allocate 110 770 Invitations to apply (ITAs) for Permanent residenceThis year, the Express Entry system will be used to process (PR) applications. As of April, there were 35,970 ITAs issued.

The Express Entry pool

As of April 23rd, 2024, there are 214,697 candidate profiles within the Express Entry pool—marking an increase of 2753 profiles from March. All score brackets saw increases at a similar rate, maintaining distributions of approximately the same size as the previous months.

Below you will find a table with the complete score distribution and number of players in the pool.

The distribution of these scores has also been visualised as a bar graph to help better understand it. As we can see, the most populous range of scores (with the highest number of candidates) is still the 351-400 CRS boundary.

What percentile do you score in this pool?

The percentile can be calculated by taking the upper limit of each range of scores and comparing it to the pool as a whole. The percentile helps us understand how scores compare with each other and what percentage of the pool falls below that score. While having a score with a higher percentile may not guarantee an ITA, it can still provide some indication as to how one’s immigration chances may be throughout the year.

You can find the complete breakdown of scores percentiles here:

How does the composition and size of the Express Entry pool affect the score cutoffs?

It is difficult to predict the CRS cut-offs or draw sizes due to IRCC’s considerations (such as category selections, which are based on demographics and labour market needs and place less emphasis on CRS).

Understanding the spread of scores and the size pool (especially when compared to yearly immigration levels), can help us better understand trends that could impact draw sizes and cutoff scores. This is because IRCC will likely consider the spread in CRS scores to determine what the next cut-off should be. However, all draw sizes have to eventually work towards meeting department targets and outlined within the immigration levels plan.

Thus, while the information above cannot help us predict the future with total accuracy, understanding the trends within and behind the Express Entry pool can still be valuable in evaluating an applicant’s chances of receiving an ITA this year.

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