Canada holds first Express Entry draw under new Immigration Minister
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.
The immigration department issued 277 ITAs to candidates in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw.
To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 726; and
- Created an Express Entry candidate profile before 3:46 p.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on 24 September 2024.
See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams
Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 12 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 529 |
| June 10 | Provincial Nominee Program | 125 | 784 |
| June 4 | Healthcare and social services | 500 | 504 |
| June 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 277 | 726 |
| May 13 | Canadian Experience Class | 500 | 547 |
| May 12 | Provincial Nominee Program | 511 | 706 |
| May 2 | Healthcare and social services | 500 | 510 |
| May 1 | Education | 1,000 | 479 |
| April 28 | Provincial Nominee Program | 421 | 727 |
| April 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 825 | 764 |
| March 21 | French language proficiency | 7,500 | 379 |
| March 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 536 | 736 |
| 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 |
Today's Express Entry draw is the first of the month and follows a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw on 13 May, a PNP draw on 12 May, and two category-based selections (under the healthcare and education categories).
Thus far, IRCC has issued 34,717 ITAs through the Express Entry system in 2025.
This year, the Express Entry system has primarily held draws focused on PNP candidates, with the remainder of Express Entry ITAs dedicated to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, candidates with French-language proficiency, and those in Express Entry's priority categories:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 10 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 5 |
| French-language proficiency | 3 |
| Healthcare and social services | 2 |
| Education | 1 |
Why does Canada use the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS)?
Canada uses the CRS to select skilled worker candidates most likely to succeed in its job market.
The CRS benefits both Canada and the immigrants it admits. The CRS is a detailed and evidence-based scoring and ranking method that allows IRCC to welcome immigrants who are most likely to contribute strongly to Canada's labour market.
The CRS is based on decades of Canadian government research into the labour market outcomes of immigrants. This research shows that newcomers who are young or middle-aged and possess strong work experience, education, and language skills tend to integrate successfully into Canada’s workforce.
Further evidence supports the government’s research and confirms that the CRS is the right tool for selecting Express Entry candidates. In 2020, IRCC published a report examining how Express Entry immigrants have fared in the labour market since the system was launched in 2015. The report found that Express Entry immigrants enjoy high employment rates, strong earnings, and low unemployment—outcomes facilitated by the scoring structure of the CRS.
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