ONLY 779 CANDIDATES SELECTED IN EXPRESS ENTRY INITIAL DRAW

Only 779 candidates with a minimum pass mark of 886 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System have been invited to apply for permanent residency under first Express Entry draw. This is quite low. There has been no official explanation so far as to how the passmark has been determined.

Here are the Ministerial Instructions:

Ministerial Instructions respecting invitations to apply for permanent residence under the Express Entry system #1 – January 31, 2015 11:59:48 UTC

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, pursuant to section 10.3 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, gives the annexed Ministerial Instructions Respecting Invitations to Apply for Permanent Residence under the Express Entry System (January 31, 2015).

Ottawa, January 31, 2015

CHRIS ALEXANDER

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration

MINISTERIAL INSTRUCTIONS RESPECTING INVITATIONS TO APPLY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE UNDER THE EXPRESS ENTRY SYSTEM (January 31, 2015)

Determination — number of invitations

1. (1) For the purposes of paragraph 10.2(1)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the number of invitations that may be issued during the period beginning on January 31, 2015 and ending on February 1, 2015 is 779.

Required rank

(2) Foreign nationals who, on January 31, 2015 at 11:59:48 UTC, have been assigned a total of 886 points or more under the Comprehensive Ranking System that is set out in the Ministerial Instructions Respecting the Express Entry System, as published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on December 1, 2014 and as amended from time to time, occupy the rank required to be invited to make an application for permanent residence.