New Report Reveals Who’s Succeeding In Getting Express Entry PR

A new report reveals who’s succeeding in getting Express Entry PR, i.e., foreign work experience may be more important than Canadian work experience when it comes to getting permanent residence (PR) through Express Entry, according to the latest official report.

Published on November 3, 2025, the new Express Entry report provides a detailed analysis of how the system performed throughout 2024. It reveals that although candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) received the most invitations to apply (ITAs) last year, over one-third of all invitees had no Canadian work experience.

Interestingly, only 1% of invited candidates had no foreign work experience, while more than half (56%) had two years of Canadian work experience or less.

Most of the 98,903 ITAs issued in 2024 went to candidates already living in Canada. India remained the leading country of citizenship among those invited, i.e., Indians received over four times as many ITAs as the second most common source country, the Federal Republic of Cameroon.

CEC Leads ITA Issuances, French Category Follows With Lowest CRS Cut-Off

The report shows how program-based and category-based draws shaped 2024, i.e., trends that continue to influence the Express Entry system in 2025.

Aligned with the federal government’s goal to prioritize in-Canada candidates, CEC draws issued the highest number of invitations among all categories, i.e., 26,500 ITAs (27%) of the total. These draws had an average CRS cut-off score of 524, ranking third-highest among all draw types.

The French-language proficiency category was the second-largest source of ITAs, issuing 23,000 invitations (23%), and had the lowest average CRS cut-off score at 409 points.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) accounted for 15% of ITAs (15,483 invitations), featuring the highest average CRS cut-off score at 725 points, as nominees typically earn additional CRS points through provincial nomination.

Other draw types included General, STEM, Healthcare, Trade, Transport, and Agriculture categories. The full 2024 data is summarized below:

By comparison, in 2025, trends have evolved slightly. French category draws have taken the lead, issuing 36,000 ITAs as of November 4, followed by CEC with 22,850 ITAs. Healthcare and social services draws have also expanded, with 9,792 ITAs issued so far this year.

Most Invited Candidates Had Both Canadian And Foreign Work Experience

As the New report reveals who’s succeeding in getting Express Entry PR, it is also important to note that work experience remains a major factor in determining Express Entry success.

In 2024, 56% of all invited candidates had two years of Canadian work experience or less. However, only 1% of those with no foreign work experience received an invitation.

This pattern shows that while Canadian work experience helps, foreign work experience remains crucial. Candidates who had both types of experience were more competitive and achieved higher CRS scores.

On the other hand, 34% of invited candidates had no Canadian work experience at all. This was possible through category-based draws, which only required French-language proficiency (NCLC 7 or higher) or six months of relevant work experience; either foreign or Canadian in an eligible National Occupation Classification (NOC) code.

These category-based draws complemented the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), which already required at least one or two years of foreign work experience, respectively.

Previously, candidates without Canadian work experience were selected mainly through program-specific draws (FSWP or FSTP) or general draws. But in 2024, such draws were limited. As a result, CEC and category-based selections dominated the ITA landscape.

Notably, IRCC has not held any general draws in 2025, further confirming the shift toward targeted and in-Canada draws.

IT And Healthcare Professionals Dominate Top Occupations

When looking at occupations, the 2024 data shows that tech and healthcare roles led the way, yet general work experience and transferable skills were even more decisive.

Top jobs among those invited included Software Engineers (21231), Food Service Supervisors (62020), Software Developers (21232), and Administrative Assistants (13110).

STEM and healthcare roles, such as Registered Nurses (31301) and General Practitioners (31102), were strongly represented due to targeted draws.

At the same time, large-volume but non-targeted occupations like Food Service Supervisors, Administrative Officers, and Retail Sales Supervisors continued to see many invitations through CEC or general draws, proving that strong overall profiles played a key role.

The full list of occupations with ITA numbers is below:

Overall, two-thirds (66%) of ITAs were issued to candidates in “other” occupations. This shows that broad human-capital factors such as education, language ability, and experience had more influence than the specific job itself.

Indians Lead Again, While Francophone African Nations Grow

As the new report reveals who’s succeeding in getting Express Entry PR, another thing to note is that India continues to dominate Express Entry success stories.

In 2024, nearly 69% of all invited candidates (67,817) were already living in Canada. This aligns with Ottawa’s strategy to transition temporary residents like international students and foreign workers into permanent residents, balancing labour needs with housing and population pressures.

Among candidates living outside Canada, there was a notable rise in Francophone countries such as Cameroon, Morocco, Algeria, and Côte d’Ivoire. These countries benefited from the growing emphasis on French-language proficiency draws, which were introduced in 2023 and expanded further in 2024.

When examining the country of citizenship, India’s lead is even more dominant – with 43,004 Indian citizens receiving ITAs in 2024, marking the third consecutive year that Indian nationals topped the charts.

These results show India’s continued strength in Canada’s immigration system, alongside a steady rise in African Francophone participation.

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