2025 Express Entry & PNP Draw Trends: What You Need to Know
What the 2025 Express Entry Draws Tell Us So Far
- Canada held 27 Express Entry draws from January to July 2025—on pace with 2024 numbers.
- Total ITAs dropped to 49,403, down from 62,615 in 2024 and 69,148 in 2023.
- French-language proficiency and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws issued the most invitations so far.
- Cut-off scores for CEC are trending downward; French draws had the lowest CRS scores this year.
- Program priorities continue to focus on key sectors like healthcare, education, and trades.
- Changes to Express Entry categories suggest evolving strategies for Canada’s immigration goals.
Canada’s Express Entry system has been undergoing noticeable changes in 2025, and if you’re thinking about applying for permanent residence, it’s more important than ever to stay informed. From the number of draws held to shifts in selection priorities, this year’s trends offer valuable insight into where immigration may be headed next.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s been happening with Express Entry in 2025, how it compares to previous years, and what it might mean for you.
How Many Express Entry Draws Have Taken Place in 2025?
Between January 1 and July 24, 2025, Canada held 27 Express Entry draws—matching the number seen by this point in 2024 and up slightly from 22 in 2023.
What’s different this year is the growing prominence of Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws. In fact, PNP draws made up nearly half of all draws so far in 2025.
| Year | Number of Draws (to July 24) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2024 | 27 |
| 2023 | 22 |
Monthly draw activity has been consistent, with especially busy periods in March and June, each featuring four or more rounds.
How Many Invitations to Apply (ITAs) Have Been Issued?
So far in 2025, a total of 49,403 ITAs have been issued across all draw types. That number is noticeably lower than the 62,615 issued during the same period in 2024, and even more so compared to 69,148 in 2023.
| Year | Total ITAs (Jan–July 24) |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 49,403 |
| 2024 | 62,615 |
| 2023 | 69,148 |
This drop aligns with Canada’s decision to slow immigration slightly this year—largely to address housing supply and affordability concerns.
Which Draw Types Are Seeing the Most Action?
Here’s a breakdown of how different draw types have performed in the first half of 2025:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws | Total ITAs |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 13 | 6,053 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 7 | 18,850 |
| French Language Proficiency | 3 | 18,500 |
| Healthcare & Social Services | 3 | 5,000 |
| Education Occupations | 1 | 1,000 |
Interestingly, French-language proficiency draws accounted for 37.4% of all ITAs—despite only happening three times. Likewise, Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws made up 38.1% of all ITAs, supported by large draw sizes of up to 4,000 invitations each.
Meanwhile, PNP draws were the most frequent, but they issued fewer invitations per round—averaging around 500 ITAs each.
How Have CRS Cut-Off Scores Been Trending?
Let’s look at how the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off scores have varied by draw type (excluding PNP):
| Draw Type | Lowest CRS | Highest CRS |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 518 | 547 |
| French Language Proficiency | 379 | 428 |
| Healthcare & Social Services | 475 | 510 |
| Education Occupations | 479 | |
Some key observations from this data:
- CEC cut-offs are trending downward due to larger, more frequent draws starting in May 2025.
- French-language draws had the lowest CRS scores, thanks to a few very large draws held in quick succession.
- However, with a long pause in French draws, future CRS scores in this category may bounce back up.
What’s Shaping the Future of Express Entry in 2025?
Ongoing Focus on Priority Categories
Unless IRCC changes its strategic goals, we can expect more draws that align with the government’s current program priorities. These include:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates
- Priority occupations in:
- Healthcare and social services
- Education
- Trades*
- French-language proficiency
*Note: Although Trades are a stated priority for 2025, no Trade-specific draws have occurred yet. However, the category was expanded to include more construction-related jobs, which may tie into other national initiatives focused on skilled construction workers.
Increased Draw Activity Likely in the Second Half of 2025
According to internal IRCC memos from 2024, most ITAs issued from July to December will count toward the following year’s immigration targets due to processing timelines. That means the second half of 2025 could see a boost in invitation volume to help meet 2026 goals.
For perspective, July 2024 saw an eye-popping 25,125 ITAs issued over nine draws—one of the busiest months in Express Entry history.
New Changes to Express Entry Categories
Back in February 2025, IRCC made some big updates to Express Entry’s occupational categories. These changes included:
- Adding a new Education category (e.g., early childhood educators, teachers, teacher assistants).
- Removing the Transport category, which had been part of the system in previous years.
- Adjusting the jobs listed under several existing categories.
| Category | Occupations Added | Occupations Removed |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare and Social Services | 8 | 6 |
