Month-end Immigration Updates for June 2021 – What Did You Miss?

Jul 6, 2021 / 3 min readspscanada

What Happened in Canadian Immigration in June 2021?

As Canada moved into a phased reopening in June 2021, optimism grew across the country. Gradually, people returned to streets, restaurant patios, and public spaces. At the same time, summer weather added to the sense of recovery.

Meanwhile, the federal government confirmed that it would reopen borders once 75% of Canadians became fully vaccinated. By early July, nearly 37% of the population had already reached full vaccination status. According to Anita Anand, Canada expected vaccination rates to reach 80% by the end of July.

As a result, immigration activity increased significantly during this period.

Express Entry Reaches Record Levels

With reopening plans underway, immigration momentum accelerated. In fact, the second quarter of 2021 saw more Express Entry invitations than the first quarter.

By June 30, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had issued 88,715 Invitations to Apply for permanent residence. Notably, this marked the highest number of ITAs issued since 2017.

Therefore, June 2021 became a milestone month for Canadian immigration.

Express Entry Draws in June 2021

Throughout June, IRCC conducted multiple Express Entry draws targeting both Provincial Nominee Program and Canadian Experience Class candidates.

On June 9, IRCC invited 940 candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program. The minimum CRS score for this draw stood at 711.

The very next day, on June 10, IRCC shifted focus to the Canadian Experience Class. As a result, 6,000 CEC candidates received invitations with a remarkably low CRS score of 368.

Later in the month, on June 23, IRCC issued 1,002 invitations under the PNP stream. However, the CRS score increased to 742, which was 31 points higher than the previous PNP draw.

Finally, on June 24, IRCC again targeted CEC candidates. During this round, 6,000 invitations went out with a minimum CRS score of 357. Importantly, this became the second-lowest CRS score of 2021.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Updates

Ontario also remained active throughout June.

On June 1, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program issued targeted notifications to candidates with CRS scores between 300 and 379. These candidates qualified under Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades stream.

Later, on June 16, Ontario issued invitations to candidates scoring as low as 38 under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream. At the same time, the province invited candidates with scores of 66 or higher under the International Student stream.

Additionally, on June 23, Ontario issued Notifications of Interest to candidates with CRS scores between 464 and 467. These invitations targeted applicants with experience in specific NOC codes under the Human Capital Priorities stream.

To conclude the month, Ontario reopened its Expression of Interest system on June 28 for the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream. This intake remained open year-round.

Provincial Immigration Highlights Across Canada

Meanwhile, other provinces also conducted significant draws.

On June 17, Quebec invited 69 candidates through its Arrima system under the Regular Skilled Worker Program.

That same day, Prince Edward Island invited Express Entry, Labour Impact, and Business Impact candidates with a minimum score of 60.

A few days later, on June 22, British Columbia invited 395 candidates through two PNP draws. Most invitations went to Skilled Worker, International Graduate, and Entry-Level candidates with scores between 75 and 93.

On June 22 as well, Alberta invited 184 candidates under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. Candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 300.

Later, on June 28, Manitoba invited 1,017 candidates under the Skilled Workers Overseas stream. Applicants required at least 565 EOI points to receive a Letter of Advice to Apply.

Finally, on June 29, British Columbia issued 52 invitations under the BC PNP Tech stream, targeting IT professionals.

COVID-19 Immigration Updates

Alongside draw activity, IRCC announced important COVID-19-related measures.

On June 18, Canada extended travel restrictions on non-essential international travel until July 21, 2021.

Later, on June 29, IRCC reversed a temporary policy introduced in March 2020. Instead of allowing 90 days to submit a permanent residence application after receiving an ITA, IRCC reinstated the standard 60-day deadline.

Final Thoughts

Overall, June 2021 marked a turning point for Canadian immigration. With rising vaccination rates, reopening plans, and record-breaking Express Entry draws, Canada demonstrated renewed confidence in welcoming newcomers.

As a result, applicants across multiple programs gained fresh opportunities to move closer to permanent residence.

If you want to explore the best immigration pathway for your profile, expert guidance can help. Start your assessment today or contact our team at:

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