What we can learn from Express Entry draws in 2025 thus far

The Express Entry draws in 2025 reveal several patterns.

This article will cover:

• The types of draws, compared to 2023 and 2024;
• The number of ITAs issued, compared to 2023 and 2024;
• The cut-off scores for each draw type; and
• What we might expect for Express Entry for the remainder of the year.

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is

How many draws have been held so far?

From January 1 to July 24, 2025, Canada held 27 Express Entry draws.

That is a similar pace to mid-year totals in 2023 and 2024, but shows a clear shift toward Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws, which were far more plentiful in the first half of 2025 compared to previous years.

Draw frequency has remained high, with multiple rounds in most months, including periods in March and June with four or more draws.

How many invitations have been issued so far?

From the start of the year till July 24, 2025, 49,403 invitations to apply (ITAs) have been issued across all draw types.

This total is lower than seen in 2024 and 2023, in line with a reduced landings target this year, as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) looks to slow immigration to deal with housing supply and affordability issues:

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is

Which draw types saw the most invitations and selection rounds in the first half of 2025?

From January to July 24, 2025, the breakdown in draw numbers and invitations issued is as follows:

The breakdown of draws and invitation totals yields some interesting trends:

French-language draws accounted for 37.4% of all ITAs issued this year, despite only making up three draws so far in 2025.

CEC draws issued the next largest number of ITAs of any kind this year (amounting to 38.1% of all ITAs issued) and were the second most frequent. This was supported by more frequent, larger rounds (often between 3,000–4,000 ITAs each), especially from May of this year onwards.

PNP rounds, despite being the most frequent kind of draw, only issued 12.2% of all ITAs this year. PNP selections thus far have, on average, issued 500 ITAs per draw, yielding a low proportion of the overall total.

Finally, occupational category-based selections were more plentiful in the first half of 2025 than in previous years, but still only amounted to just 12.1% of the overall ITA totals. Of all draw types, these draws have been the least frequent and have usually featured small draw sizes of either 500 or 1,000 ITAs per draw (with the exception of the 22 July Healthcare and social services draw).

What were cut-off scores for each draw type, and how have they trended throughout the year?

The following table sets out the lowest and highest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score cut-offs seen for each draw type, except PNP draws:

The graph below plots the changes in CRS cut-off scores for each draw type throughout 2025 so far, excepting PNP draws:

We can make some deductions based on the trends seen above:

• The cut-off scores of CEC draws have begun to trend downwards as a function of larger, more regular draws for this category from the middle of May onwards;
• French draws featured the lowest CRS scores of any draw this year and trended downwards sharply as a function of huge draws that were done in quick succession to one another.
  • Given the long pause in these draws, however, it is possible that the next cut-off score for French proficiency candidates will be higher than the most recent 379.

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is

What trends will continue to influence Express Entry draws through the rest of 2025?

While it remains impossible to predict exactly how Express Entry will function throughout the remainder of 2025, certain trends and political developments can shed some light on possible themes for the system in the second half of the year:

Continued focus on program priorities

Barring a change in priorities for Express Entry, it is likely that the system will continue to invite candidates that align with its goals for this year, as stated in the February 2025 press release. These include the following:

• A focus on inviting CEC candidates to apply for permanent residence (PR).
• Inviting candidates through priority categories, namely
  • Healthcare and social services;
  • Education;
  • Trades*; and
  • French-language proficiency.

*Despite being one of the stated Express Entry priority categories this year, IRCC has not held a trade draw through the system yet this year. In addition to designating Trades as a priority category, IRCC also expanded the category to include several construction occupations. This may be a pertinent factor when considering the department’s other initiatives to bring more construction professionals into the country, including a new regularization policy and apprenticeship pathway.

Future-focused Express Entry activity from July onwards

While ITA schedules may be prone to changes given the unique demands of different years, a recently released memo from IRCC in July of 2024 detailed the department’s functioning with respect to the ITA schedule:

“Given the lag between ITA to admissions (between six to 16 months, depending on where the client resides) most ITAs issued between now [July 2024] and December (and up to the end of February 2025 for the most part) will count towards 2025 permanent resident admissions targets.”

Considering this finding, it is possible that the ITA schedule for this year may follow similar lines—a possibility supported by the fact that IRCC’s service standard of six months processing PR applications through Express Entry has not changed.

If this is the case, then to meet next year’s admissions target of 123,320 through the Express Entry system, we may see an increase in the size and/or frequency of draws through the system from July onwards.

July of 2024 was one of the busiest months in Express Entry’s history, featuring the issuance of 25,125 ITAs across nine draws.

Changes to Express Entry categories

In February 2025, IRCC introduced major updates to Express Entry’s occupational categories.

These changes include the addition of a new category, the removal of an existing one, and significant adjustments to eligible occupations across most categories:

A new Education category was introduced in 2025. It includes five occupations, such as early childhood educators, elementary and secondary school teachers, and teacher assistants.

Simultaneously, the Transport category, previously active in 2023 and 2024, has been eliminated from the current list of Express Entry categories.

IRCC also revised the occupation lists across all existing categories:

STEM and Agriculture categories remain active but are not prioritized in 2025 draws.

More information on these changes, including specific occupations added and removed, can be found in our dedicated article covering the announcement.

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is