Express Entry draw 2020 was the highest year in the Express Entry program’s history, despite the impact that Coronavirus has had on Canada immigration.
Canada ended the year 2020 by issuing 107,350 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Express Entry candidates. This was the highest overall invitation since the Express Entry Scheme was implemented in 2015 to handle the pool of applicants for Canada’s three Federal High-Skilled Immigration Programs— the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)—as well as some of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP).
In 2020 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held 36 invitation rounds. This is more than last year, but in the early weeks of the IRCC pandemic, only CEC and PNP candidates were targeted. This was done to offer Express Entry candidates who were already in Canada.
2020 broke records in both the largest and the smallest Express Entry ever registered. The smallest draw was a PNP draw only on 15 April, when only 118 invitations were given. Towards the end of the year, Canada began shipping 5000 ITAs at a time. The increase in the number of draws could be an attempt to meet the immigration goal of 401,000 new permanent residents next year. Those applying for permanent residence after receiving the ITA will usually be given a decision within six months, meaning that those applicants who received the ITAs at the end of the year will become permanent residents in 2021.
Out of the 401,000 new immigrants projected to arrive next year, Canada allocated 108,500 to the Express Entry Controlled Program in 2021. These goals will only increase in the years to come, hitting a maximum of 113,750 in 2023.
The rise in goals is attributed to Canada’s low admission level in 2020. Travel restrictions in Canada and globally have made it impossible for many to arrive in Canada.
List of Express Entry Draw 2020
| Draw No. | ITA Date | No. of ITA issued | Minimum CRS points |
| #134 | 08-01-2020 | 3,400 | 473 |
| #135 | 22-01-2020 | 3,400 | 471 |
| #136 | 05-02-2020 | 3,500 | 472 |
| #137 | 19-02-2020 | 4,500 | 470 |
| #138 | 04-03-2020 | 3,900 | 471 |
| #139 (PNP) | 18-03-2020 | 668 | 720 |
| #140 (CEC) | 23-03-2020 | 3,232 | 467 |
| #141 (PNP) | 09-04-2020 | 606 | 698 |
| #142 (CEC) | 09-04-2020 | 3,294 | 464 |
| #143 (PNP) | 15-04-2020 | 118 | 808 |
| #144 (CEC) | 16-04-2020 | 3,782 | 455 |
| #145 (PNP) | 29-04-2020 | 589 | 692 |
| #146 (CEC) | 01-05-2020 | 3,311 | 452 |
| #147 (PNP) | 13-05-2020 | 529 | 718 |
| #148 (CEC) | 15-05-2020 | 3,371 | 447 |
| #149 (PNP) | 27-05-2020 | 385 | 757 |
| #150 (CEC) | 28-05-2020 | 3,515 | 440 |
| #151 (PNP) | 10-06-2020 | 341 | 743 |
| #152 (CEC) | 11-06-2020 | 3,559 | 437 |
| #153 (PNP) | 24-06-2020 | 392 | 696 |
| #154 (CEC) | 25-06-2020 | 3,508 | 431 |
| #155 | 08-07-2020 | 3,900 | 478 |
| #156 (PNP) | 22-07-2020 | 557 | 687 |
| #157 (CEC) | 23-07-2020 | 3,343 | 445 |
| #158 | 05-08-2020 | 3,900 | 476 |
| #159 (FST) | 06-08-2020 | 250 | 415 |
| #160 (PNP) | 19-08-2020 | 600 | 771 |
| #161 (CEC) | 20-08-2020 | 3,300 | 454 |
| #162 | 02-09-2020 | 4,200 | 475 |
| #163 | 16-09-2020 | 4,200 | 472 |
| #164 | 30-09-2020 | 4,200 | 471 |
| #165 | 14-10-2020 | 4,500 | 471 |
| #166 | 05-11-2020 | 4,500 | 478 |
| #167 | 18-11-2020 | 5,000 | 472 |
| #168 | 25-11-2020 | 5,000 | 469 |
| #169 | 09-12-2020 | 5,000 | 469 |
| #170 | 23-12-2020 | 5,000 | 468 |