CRS points will receive an invitation to apply (ITA) following the January 30 Express Entry draw.
The January 30 draw, the third of 2019 so far, followed just seven days after the previous draw. This gap was shorter than usual, contributing to a reduction in the CRS requirement this time around as there was less time for new candidates to enter the Express Entry pool and for candidates already in the pool to increase their CRS score.
The CRS threshold of 438 is the lowest since October, 2017 for Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class candidates.
As in recent draws, a tie-break was applied for the January 30 draw, meaning that not all candidates with 438 points may receive an invitation to apply (ITA). As multiple candidates may have 438 CRS points, those who have had a profile in the pool before April 26, 2018 at 05:00:46 UTC were prioritized.
With more than 11,000 invitations issued so far, 2019 looks set to be another big year for Express Entry, as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) ramps up invitations to reach its economic immigration targets. This may result in further reductions in the CRS cut-off threshold as the year moves on.
The record low Express Entry cut-off threshold ever for an all-program draw is 413.