With the end of 2023 fast approaching, we break down the Express Entry year in review for 2023 and what to expect from Express Entry in 2024.
Express Entry Draws 2023
As of December 12th, 2023 there have been a total of thirty-eight (38) Express Entry draws. The breakdown by type of Express Entry draw is below:
- Eighteen (18) of those were all category/general draws
- Six (6) were targeted draws for French language proficiency
- Five (5) were exclusively for provincial nominees
- Three (3) were targeted draws for Healthcare occupations
- Two (2) were targeted draws for STEM occupations
- One (1) was exclusively for Federal Skilled workers
- One (1) Agri-food and Agriculture
- One (1) for Transport occupations
- One (1) for Trades occupations
To date this is the second most Express Entry draws in a single year, with the most being handed out in 2021. The trend should have been for the number of Express Entry draws to increase in 2022 as well, but the number of draws decreased as IRCC put a pause on all category Express Entry draws for part of the year to aid them in reducing the processing inventory that had accumulated due to the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the processing of overseas applications. Below is a table which shows the total number of Express Entry draws by year, since Express Entry started in 2015.
| Year | Number of Express entry draws |
| 2023 | 38 |
| 2022 | 24 |
| 2021 | 42 |
| 2020 | 37 |
| 2019 | 26 |
| 2018 | 27 |
| 2017 | 30 |
| 2016 | 28 |
| 2015 | 23 |
Express Entry Invitations to Apply
As of December 12th, 2023, a total of 106,871 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) have been issued to candidates in the Express Entry pool. When compared to previous years, this number is only the third highest to date. The most ITAs to date were issued in 2021. Below is a table which shows the total number of ITAs issued by year, since Express Entry started in 2015.
| Year | Total ITAs issued |
| 2022 | 46,539 |
| 2021 | 114,431 |
| 2020 | 107,350 |
| 2019 | 85,300 |
| 2018 | 89,800 |
| 2017 | 35,020 |
| 2016 | 33,782 |
| 2015 | 31,063 |
When Will the Next Express Entry Draw Take Place?
The question many people are asking this time of year is, will there be another Express Entry draw before the end of 2023? Based on previous years, we believe there will be at least one more Express Entry draw before the end of 2023. Based on all the final Express Entry draws conducted since Express Entry started in 2015, there have always been Express Entry draws conducted in mid and late December. The only time this did not happen was in 2022. In 2022 the final Express Entry draw was conducted on November 23rd, 2022. There were no ITA rounds held in December 2022 due to the introduction of the new NOC 2021 followed by IRCC technical difficulties. Below is a table which shows the date of the last round of ITAs issued by year, since Express Entry started in 2015.
| Year | Date of Last Express Entry draw |
| 2022 | November 23rd |
| 2021 | December 22nd |
| 2020 | December 23rd |
| 2019 | December 19th |
| 2018 | December 19th |
| 2017 | December 20th |
| 2016 | December 22nd |
| 2015 | December 18th |
What to Expect from Express Entry in 2024
In 2024 we can expect the number of Express Entry draws to increase, and the number of Invitations ITAs to increase as well. This is due to the fact that the immigration level plan for 2024 is higher than previous years.
There will be an increase in category-based Express Entry draws which include the targeting of French language proficient individuals as well as individuals with qualifying work experience in health, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), trades, transportation, and agriculture.
In 2024 we should see the introduction of the PTE Pearson English test as an accepted English language test for Express Entry candidates. This will provide candidates with a third option in addition to the existing IELTS and CELPIP tests.
