The year 2025 brought major changes to Canada’s Express Entry system, which is the main application system used by economic immigrants seeking permanent residence (PR).
Several important updates reshaped how candidates were selected. These included the removal of points for arranged employment and a complete redesign of Express Entry categories. Together, these changes strongly influenced who received Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence.
As 2025 comes to an end, this article gives a complete review of Express Entry invitations & changes in 2025.
So, let us discuss them in detail!
Express Entry Draw Types And Invitations In 2025
In 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued a total of 113,998 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through 58 Express Entry draws. This marked an increase of 15,195 ITAs compared to 2024, which had 52 draws.
Moreover, category-based selection played a major role in 2025. Nearly 59% of all ITAs were issued through category-based draws. The remaining invitations were shared between the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Also, from January through April, IRCC focused mainly on CEC, PNP, and French-language proficiency draws. Later in the year, the department expanded selections to include other category-based draws, especially in healthcare and social services.
The table below shows the number of draws and ITAs issued by program or category in 2025.
| Category Or Program | Number Of Draws | Number Of ITAs Issued |
| French-language proficiency | 9 | 48,000 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 15 | 35,850 |
| Healthcare and social services | 7 | 14,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 24 | 10,898 |
| Education | 2 | 3,500 |
| Trade | 1 | 1,250 |
Although French-language proficiency draws made up only about 16% of all draws, they accounted for the largest share of invitations. Each French draw issued between 2,500 and 7,500 ITAs. This approach aligned with the federal government’s goal of increasing Francophone immigration outside Quebec.
Healthcare and social services also remained a key priority. Together with education and trade draws, these category-based selections issued a total of 19,250 ITAs in 2025.
PNP draws were the most frequent, accounting for about 41% of all draws. CEC draws followed at roughly 26%, showing a strong focus on candidates already living and working in Canada.
Notably, there were no STEM draws and no agriculture and agri-food draws in 2025. Candidates in these fields could only receive invitations through PNP or CEC pathways.
There were also no general Express Entry draws in 2025. The last general draw occurred on April 23, 2024, marking a full shift toward targeted selection.
Monthly Breakdown Of Invitations Issued
As we are discussing a complete review of Express Entry invitations & changes in 2025, let us look at the monthly breakdown of ITAs issued.
Well, invitation volumes varied widely throughout the year. IRCC issued far more ITAs during the final months of 2025 compared to earlier periods.
December recorded the highest number of ITAs, while April saw the lowest.
| Month | Number Of ITAs Issued |
| January | 5,821 |
| February | 11,601 |
| March | 13,261 |
| April | 1,246 |
| May | 2,511 |
| June | 7,405 |
| July | 7,558 |
| August | 6,417 |
| September | 10,018 |
| October | 15,647 |
| November | 12,991 |
| December | 19,522 |
From September to December, IRCC sharply increased invitations, likely to support future permanent residence targets.
CRS Cut-Off Scores By Draw Type
Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off scores varied greatly across draw types in 2025. Most draw types had higher cut-offs than in the previous year.
Category-based draws generally had lower CRS cut-offs than CEC and PNP draws. French-language draws recorded the lowest scores overall, with cut-offs dropping into the high 300s.
| Category Or Program | CRS Cut-Off Score Range |
| French-language proficiency | 379–481 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 515–547 |
| Healthcare and social services | 462–510 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 699–855 |
| Education | 462–479 |
| Trade | 505 |
French-language draws had lower scores because of the smaller pool of eligible candidates and the large number of invitations issued per draw.
CEC draws showed a unique pattern in 2025. Between August 7 and November 12, the CRS cut-off remained almost unchanged at 533 or 534 across five draws, with exactly 1,000 invitations issued each time.
For the second year in a row, the highest CRS cut-off for CEC reached 547 points, even after job offer points were removed.
December draws had noticeably lower CRS cut-offs, likely due to IRCC working to meet future admission targets. Examples included 399 for French draws, 515–520 for CEC, and 476 for healthcare.
Key Express Entry Policy Changes In 2025
IRCC introduced several major policy changes in 2025 that reshaped the Express Entry system and affected all applicants.
These changes influenced who could receive invitations, adjusted selection priorities, and altered application requirements.
Higher Permanent Residence Targets Through Express Entry
Canada’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan set a target of 124,680 permanent residents through Express Entry, up from 110,770 in the previous year.
For the first time, targets were divided into two groups:
- Federal Economic Priorities
- In-Canada Focus
The In-Canada Focus category accounted for 82,980 admissions, or about 66% of the total. This group mainly included CEC candidates and Express Entry-aligned PNP nominees.
Moreover, the Federal Economic Priorities category included 41,700 admissions and focused on candidates with specific skills, training, and language abilities selected through category-based draws.
For 2026, total admissions through Express Entry and category-based selection were reduced to 109,000, a drop of over 12%.
Major Category Changes Introduced In February
On February 27, IRCC made wide-ranging changes to Express Entry categories.
A new Education category was introduced. The Transportation category was removed. All remaining categories were revised, with many occupations added or removed.
Moreover, healthcare was expanded to include more social services occupations.
| Category Name | Number Of Occupations Added | Number Of Occupations Removed |
| Healthcare and social services | 8 | 6 |
| Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) | 6 | 19 |
| Trade | 19 | 4 |
| Agriculture and agri-food | 0 | 2 |
Following these changes, IRCC confirmed that the priority categories for 2025 were:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and social services
- Trades
- Education
New Physician Category And Special Measures
Another thing to note under the review of Express Entry invitations & changes in 2025 is the new physician category.
On December 8, IRCC announced a new category for physicians with Canadian work experience. This category includes three eligible NOCs and requires at least 12 months of recent Canadian work experience.
Draws under this category are scheduled to begin in early 2026.
IRCC also announced two additional measures for doctors:
- 5,000 PR spaces reserved for provinces to nominate doctors with job offers
- Faster work permit processing (14 days) for nominated physicians
Removal Of CRS Points For Job Offers
On March 25, 2025, IRCC removed CRS points for arranged employment. This change reduced scores by 50 or 200 points for candidates with job offers.
The update applied to all profiles in the pool, except for applicants who had already received ITAs or submitted PR applications.
IRCC described this change as temporary when it announced it in late 2024, but it has not confirmed whether the points will return.
Upfront Medical Exams Become Mandatory
From August 21, 2025, Express Entry candidates were required to complete an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) before submitting a PR application.
Previously, medical exams could be completed after application submission. Under the new rule, applications must include either an IME information sheet or an IMM 1017B upfront medical report, unless an exemption applies.
Conclusion
The Express Entry system in 2025 shifted strongly toward targeted selection, in-Canada applicants, and priority occupations. French-language proficiency and healthcare dominated invitations, while general draws disappeared entirely.
With continued changes expected in 2026, 2025 stands out as a turning point in how Canada selects economic immigrants through Express Entry.
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