To create a better ranking system in Express Entry immigration pathways, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has generated a tie-breaking rule. Every year eligible candidates are issued invitations to apply (ITAs) in Express Entry programs that include the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). For the ranking and selection, IRCC uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score that determines the candidate’s eligibility considering many relevant factors.
The new tie-breaking rule depends on the date and time of the profiles’ first submission into the Express Entry pool. For this, IRCC publishes a cut-off date and time according to the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Hence, to be eligible to receive an ITA, the candidate not only has to score above the minimum CRS score but also must submit his or her profile before the cut-off time to avoid being left behind because of the tie-breaking rule.
IRCC to Introduce Online Trackers for Express Entry and PNP Applications
In the recent Express Entry draw of January 18, 2023, the minimum CRS score was 490, whereas the cut-off was November 24, 2022, at 21:14:59 UTC. However, the rule is not prioritized over the candidate’s CRS score. The rule of the cut-off is only used when two or more candidates have the same CRS score.