Canada's Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship (IRCC) department is actively issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in 2025 through the Express Entry system.
On March 6, 2025, IRCC held a French-language proficiency draw, issuing 4,500 ITAs to candidates. This marks the lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score since August 2024 at 410. To qualify for this draw, candidates had to create their Express Entry profile before 7:47 am UTC on February 11, 2025.
We will summarise the Express entry Draws held in 2025 until now:
In 2025, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted multiple Express Entry draws to meet labour market demands and promote diversity. IRCC is strongly focusing on categories like French-language proficiency and Provincial Nominee Programs. However, the recent Express entry draws reflect a priority on candidates within Canada and targeted occupations.
Draw Date | Draw Type | No. of ITAs Issued | CRS Score |
March 6 | French Language Proficiency | 4,500 | 410 |
March 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 725 | 667 |
February 19 | French Language Proficiency | 6,500 | 428 |
February 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 646 | 750 |
February 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 521 |
February 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 455 | 802 |
January 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 527 |
January 8 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,350 | 542 |
January 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 471 | 793 |
IRCC has primarily focused on two types of draws in early 2025:
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) plays a crucial role in determining candidates' eligibility for ITAs.
The current trend shows a broader range of CRS scores across different draw types.
The recent French language proficiency draw's cut-off score of 410 represents a notable decrease from earlier months, where scores were significantly higher.
As IRCC continues to prioritize candidates with Canadian work experience and those who can contribute to specific economic sectors, fluctuations in CRS scores are expected as the year progresses.
In 2025, CRS scores have varied significantly across different draw types:
On February 27, 2025, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced significant updates to the Express Entry categories for the year. These changes include the introduction of a new category for education-related occupations aimed at addressing shortages in teaching and early childhood education. At the same time, the transport category was removed from targeted draws. IRCC expanded the healthcare category by including more social services occupations in it.
For 2025, IRCC updates the following priority categories:
Working in Canada on a work permit does not automatically qualify as a valid job offer under the Express Entry system.
To be considered a valid job offer, it must meet specific criteria:
In 2025, IRCC will stop awarding CRS points for job offers under the Express Entry system. This change can reduce some candidates' CRS scores by up to 50 or 200 points, significantly impacting their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
This move will deeply impact candidates relying on job offers to boost their CRS scores. However, points earned from work experience will remain unaffected.
To improve their CRS scores, candidates should focus on enhancing their qualifications, such as improving language skills, gaining more work experience, or obtaining additional education credentials.
Read to know: IRCC Conducts Two Express Entry Draws in March, Issuing 5,225 PR Invitations