immigration

May 2025 Express Entry Draws: Big Leap in ITAs & New Categories

Express Entry Update: May 2025 Sees Surge in Invitations and New Draw Categories

  • May 2025 saw 2,511 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued across four Express Entry draws
  • IRCC reintroduced the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw after a three-month pause
  • First-ever draws for Education and Healthcare/Social Services occupations were held
  • May’s ITAs more than doubled from April, showing renewed momentum
  • Distribution of CRS scores shows competition is fiercest in the 351–500 range
  • Pool size reached 250,082 candidates as of May 13, 2025

After a relatively quiet April, May brought a welcome burst of activity in Canada’s Express Entry system. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued over 2,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) throughout the month—more than double what we saw in April. Even more exciting? We saw a few firsts, including new category-based draws for specific occupations.

Let’s break down what happened in May 2025, who got invited, how the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores are looking, and what it might mean for you if you’re in the Express Entry pool—or thinking about joining it.

What Express Entry Draws Happened in May 2025?

May was a dynamic month with four separate draws, each targeting different groups of candidates. This included the much-anticipated return of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw, which hadn’t happened since early 2025. IRCC also launched new occupation-specific rounds, targeting Education professionals and those in Healthcare and Social Services—marking a shift towards more tailored immigration selection.

Here’s a recap of the May Express Entry draws:

Date Draw Type ITAs Issued CRS Cut-Off
May 1, 2025 Education Occupations 1,000 479
May 2, 2025 Healthcare & Social Services 500 510
May 12, 2025 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) 511 706
May 13, 2025 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) 500 547

Altogether, 2,511 candidates received ITAs in May. While that’s still lower than what we saw earlier in the year, it’s a solid rebound from April’s total of just 1,246 invitations.

How Does May Compare to Previous Months?

To put things in perspective, here’s how each month of 2025 has looked so far:

Month ITAs Issued
January 5,821
February 11,601
March 13,261
April 1,246
May 2,511

While we’re not back to the peak levels of March yet, the shift in May shows that IRCC is actively recalibrating its approach—possibly to align with new policy directions or labour market needs.

What’s the Current State of the Express Entry Pool?

As of May 13, 2025, there are 250,082 profiles in the Express Entry pool—a slight increase of 3,409 candidates since late April. The most crowded score ranges remain in the mid-300s to high-400s, which means competition is tight.

Here’s a breakdown of candidate numbers by CRS score range:

CRS Score Range Number of Candidates
0–300 8,452
301–350 22,069
351–400 53,684
401–410 12,686
411–420 13,589
421–430 13,718
431–440 15,241
441–450 14,439
451–460 15,276
461–470 16,691
471–480 16,641
481–490 12,704
491–500 12,429
501–600 22,435
601–1200 28

Bar graph showing CRS score distribution in Express Entry pool

Notably, the number of candidates with scores between 501 and 600 jumped by over 1,300 since the end of April. Meanwhile, those in the 601–1200 range dropped to just 28 profiles—likely due to recent draws targeting PNP nominees.

How Are Candidates Ranked Within the Pool?

Understanding where you sit in the Express Entry pool helps you assess your chances of receiving an ITA. Percentile rankings give a clearer picture of how competitive your score really is.

Here’s how the current pool breaks down by percentile as of May 13, 2025:

CRS Score Range Number of Candidates Percentile % of Total Pool
0–300 8,452 0–3.38% 3.38%
301–350 22,069 3.38–12.20% 8.82%
351–400 53,684 12.20–33.67% 21.47%
401–410 12,686 33.67–38.74% 5.07%
411–420 13,589 38.74–44.18% 5.43%
421–430 13,718 44.18–49.66% 5.49%
431–440 15,241 49.66–55.76% 6.09%
441–450 14,439 55.76–61.53% 5.77%
451–460 15,276 61.53–67.64% 6.11%
461–470 16,691 67.64–74.31% 6.67%

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