Draw #173

Express Entry draw #173 was held on January 20, 2021, issuing 374 invitations to apply for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee category with a minimum CRS score of 741.

The CRS cutoff dropped 72 points compared to the previous Provincial Nominee draw, suggesting increased competition relief or larger pool capacity.

A cutoff of 741 is on the higher end for Provincial Nominee draws, meaning candidates needed strong profiles across age, education, language, and work experience to qualify.

Provincial Nominee Program draws are for candidates who already hold a provincial nomination, which adds 600 CRS points.

Candidates below this cutoff should consider strategies like improving language scores, obtaining a provincial nomination, or gaining Canadian work experience to close the gap.