IRCC’s Express Entry invitation schedule for category-based draws in 2025 revealed

A report outlines Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC’s) plan to issue invitations to apply (ITAs) for the remainder of 2025.

Education, Healthcare and social services, and trades are all categories that may see more planned draws in the upcoming months.

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is

The current Express Entry ITA schedule is designed to align with the Immigration Levels Plans 2025-2027. The report notes that most of the ITAs issued in the second half of 2025 will support the 2026 levels target.

The information comes from an Access to Information Request (ATIP) obtained by Mandeep Lidher, a Calgary-based Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC).

Here’s a look at what the ATIP reveals.

Allocation for category-based draws

IRCC launched category-based Express Entry draws in 2023 to target candidates with in-demand skills and work experience in specific sectors.

The ATIP obtained shares important details on the allocation of ITAS that will go towards some of the categories.

Category	Number of ITAs in 2025 (as per the ATIP)	Number of ITAs issued so far in 2025	Number of ITAs yet to be issued in 2025
Education	3,000	1,000	2,000
Healthcare	8,000	7,500	500
Trades	3,300	0	3,300

This in turn can help predict the number of ITAs yet to be issued (based on the ones that have already been issued so far in 2025).

This means that IRCC has plans for several rounds of category-based draws in the last five months of the year.

In 2025, there are six categories in total. These are:

Healthcare and social services occupations;
STEM occupations;
Trade occupations;
Agriculture and agri-food occupations;
Education occupations; and
French-language proficiency.

Francophone immigration

The report also highlights the federal government’s aim to maximize Francophone immigration outside of Quebec.

According to the report, the French-proficiency rounds held over an eight week period in February to March 2025 – which led to 18,500 ITAs being issued – is all part of the federal government’s aim to meet its 8.5% French admission target for 2025.

IRCC also held one more French-proficiency draw on August 8. The 2,500 ITAs issued during that draw are presumably contributing to 2026 targets.

ITA calendar to be shared with provinces and territories

The report reveals that an ITA calendar will be shared with provinces and territories.

Provinces and territories will have access to a three-month plan which includes expected weeks the rounds will take place, round types and a projection of the minimum score of rounds for the next two months.

The aim through this is to help the provinces and territories plan their future nominations.

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is