📊 Mid-Year Review: What We’ve Learned From Express Entry Draws in 2025
As of July 24, 2025, Canada has held 27 Express Entry draws, a pace consistent with previous years (27 draws in 2024 and 22 by this time in 2023). But while the frequency of draws remains high, 2025 has brought notable shifts in the types of candidates being invited and the overall number of invitations to apply (ITAs).
🔄 Fewer Invitations Overall
From January 1 to July 24, 2025, a total of 49,403 ITAs were issued. That’s a significant drop compared to the same period in:
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2024: 62,615 ITAs
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2023: 69,148 ITAs
This reduction aligns with Canada’s lower immigration targets for 2025, as the government continues to address housing supply and affordability challenges.
🇨🇦 What Kinds of Express Entry Draws Have Been Held in 2025?
Here’s the breakdown by draw type:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws | Total ITAs Issued |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 13 | 6,053 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 7 | 18,850 |
| French Language Proficiency | 3 | 18,500 |
| Healthcare and Social Services | 3 | 5,000 |
| Education Occupations | 1 | 1,000 |
Despite being the most frequent, PNP draws issued only 12.2% of all ITAs so far this year. By contrast, CEC and French-language draws dominated both in size and impact.
🔹 French-language draws alone accounted for 37.4% of all ITAs, despite only three rounds.
🔹 CEC draws were the second most frequent and issued 38.1% of all ITAs—often between 3,000 and 4,000 invitations per round.
🔹 Occupational draws (Healthcare, Education, etc.) made up a relatively small share (12.1%) of ITAs, despite their strategic importance.
📉 CRS Cut-Off Scores: Trending Lower for CEC and French Draws
Here’s how CRS score thresholds varied by draw type (excluding PNP):
| Draw Type | Lowest CRS | Highest CRS |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 518 | 547 |
| French Language Proficiency | 379 | 428 |
| Healthcare and Social Services | 475 | 510 |
| Education Occupations | 479 | — |
Key trends:
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CEC cut-offs have slowly declined since mid-May as draw sizes increased.
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French-language draws had the lowest CRS scores of the year, dropping as low as 379.
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However, since there has been a pause in French draws, we may see higher CRS scores in future rounds.
🔮 What to Expect for the Rest of 2025?
Several key trends are likely to shape Express Entry draws through the second half of the year:
✅ Continued Focus on Key Categories
IRCC reaffirmed in February 2025 that it is prioritizing:
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CEC applicants
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Candidates in healthcare, education, trades, and with French-language proficiency
🛠️ Notably, no trades-specific draw has occurred yet this year—even though IRCC expanded this category in 2025 to include more construction-related occupations.
📈 ITAs May Increase to Meet 2026 Admission Targets
Because it takes 6–16 months to convert ITAs into permanent residents, most invitations issued from July onward will count toward 2026 targets.
Last July (2024) saw 25,125 ITAs across nine draws—one of the busiest months ever. We may see a similar surge this year.
🛠️ Changes to Occupational Categories
In February 2025, IRCC updated the Express Entry occupational selection system:
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✅ Added: New Education category (5 occupations: teachers, ECEs, etc.)
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❌ Removed: Transport category
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🔁 Revised occupations across all other groups (notably in Healthcare, STEM, and Trades)
| Category | Occupations Added | Removed |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare & Social Services | 8 | 6 |
| STEM | 6 | 19 |
| Trades | 19 | 4 |
| Agriculture & Agri-food | 0 | 2 |
🎯 Final Thoughts
The 2025 Express Entry system has become more strategic, focused, and responsive to Canada’s economic and demographic needs. While fewer invitations have been issued so far, targeted draws—especially for French speakers, CEC candidates, and high-demand occupations—suggest a long-term strategy to shape the future workforce.
If you’re preparing to apply or want to know how competitive your profile is, now is the time to review your CRS score, language test results, and eligibility for category-based selection. More information you can find on IRCC website.
