2025 Express Entry Trends Reveal Major Policy Shift in Canada’s Immigration Strategy
Canada Reshapes Express Entry in 2025: Key Learnings from the First Half of the Year
From January 1 to July 24, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted 27 Express Entry draws—a consistent pace compared to 2023 and 2024. However, this year marks a strategic shift: a rising emphasis on targeted draws, particularly Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) rounds, and a significant reduction in overall invitations issued.
Lower ITA Numbers Reflect Canada’s Adjusted Immigration Targets
As of July 24, 49,403 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) have been issued through all Express Entry categories. This marks a decline from previous years:
- 2024: 62,615 ITAs
- 2023: 69,148 ITAs
The reduced count reflects Canada’s intention to slow immigration growth to address housing affordability and infrastructure pressures, a policy stance articulated earlier this year.
Targeted Draws Dominate: French-Speaking and CEC Candidates Favored
The data reveals a clear preference for category-based selections. Here’s the draw breakdown so far in 2025:
| Draw Type | No. of Draws | Total ITAs |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 7 | 18,850 |
| French Language Proficiency | 3 | 18,500 |
| PNP | 13 | 6,053 |
| Healthcare & Social Services | 3 | 5,000 |
| Education Occupations | 1 | 1,000 |
Together, CEC and French draws account for over 75% of all ITAs, showcasing the government’s focus on domestic experience and bilingualism.
Notably, French-language draws, despite being held only three times, accounted for over 37% of all ITAs, with historically low CRS cut-offs, making them the most accessible option for eligible applicants.
CRS Cut-Off Trends: What’s Getting In?
Here’s how CRS scores have varied by category so far:
| Category | Lowest CRS | Highest CRS |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 518 | 547 |
| French Language Proficiency | 379 | 428 |
| Healthcare & Social Services | 475 | 510 |
| Education Occupations | 479 | – |
CEC scores have slowly decreased due to frequent, large-scale draws since May, while French draws reached as low as 379, reflecting the government’s strong encouragement for francophone immigration.
A Look Ahead: What’s Next for Express Entry in 2025?
Several trends are shaping what we can expect for the rest of the year:
1. Continued Focus on Priority Categories
IRCC remains committed to selecting candidates in healthcare, education, trades, and French-speaking groups. Despite trades being listed as a priority, no draw for this category has occurred yet. However, the expansion of the trades category to include more construction occupations suggests such draws may happen in the second half of the year.
2. Potential Increase in Draw Size and Frequency
IRCC’s own internal memo from July 2024 noted that most invitations issued from mid-year onward contribute to next year’s PR admissions. With a 2026 target of 123,320 new permanent residents via Express Entry, draw activity may ramp up again—similar to July 2024, which saw 25,125 ITAs in a single month.
3. Reshuffled Categories: What’s In and What’s Out
In February 2025, IRCC made changes to Express Entry’s structure:
- New category added: Education, covering teachers and early childhood educators.
- One category removed: Transport (previously active in 2023 and 2024).
- Occupation adjustments across most existing categories, e.g., Healthcare added 8 occupations but removed 6; STEM removed 19 occupations and added 6.
Conclusion: Express Entry 2025 – A Year of Priorities and Policy Realignment
While the number of draws and the pace of invitations remain similar to earlier years, Canada’s immigration goals have evolved. The system is now more focused on skills alignment, labor shortages, and regional demand, favoring CEC, French speakers, and occupation-specific selections over generic all-program draws.
For applicants, aligning your profile with these policy-driven categories is the key to success in today’s immigration environment.
For a consultation about Immigration options, reach out to the CAD IMMIGRATION today!
