Draw #274

Express Entry draw #274 was held on December 8, 2023, issuing 5,900 invitations to apply for permanent residence under the STEM occupations category with a minimum CRS score of 481.

The CRS cutoff dropped 5 points compared to the previous STEM occupations draw, suggesting increased competition relief or larger pool capacity. IRCC also increased the invitation count by 5,400, signaling a broader intake for this round.

A cutoff of 481 is in the typical range for STEM occupations draws. Candidates with a combination of youth, a master's degree, and strong language scores would generally clear this threshold.

STEM occupation draws focus on candidates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics occupations to address skilled labour shortages.

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