The first Express Entry draw of 2020 took place on Jan 8, issuing another 3,400 invitations to eligible foreign nationals to fast-track their permanent residency.
The Comprehensive Ranking System score of the lowest-ranked candidate was 473, up four points from the previous draw on December 19. The tie-breaking rule selected for candidates who submitted profiles by December 27, 2019, and candidates from the Federal Skilled Trades program were eligible this round. There were 138,955 candidates in the Express Entry pool as of January 6, a jump of 4,313 since the last count on December 16.
Express Entry draws select for candidates with the skills to succeed economically in Canada, based on their CRS ranking which awards points for factors such as education, language skills, and work experience. On January 1, 2020, the table for how much money candidates will need to settle in Canada was updated, and can be found here for those that need to update their profile accordingly.