IRCC Conducts Major Express Entry Draws in 2025: Updated CRS Trends, PNP Highlights & What Applicants Should Know

Canada’s immigration system continues to evolve as IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) holds multiple Express Entry draws across Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), French-language proficiency, healthcare, education, and trades categories.
With rising competition and shifting CRS cut-offs, understanding these draw patterns has become essential for newcomers hoping to secure permanent residency (PR) in Canada.

This article provides a complete breakdown of the latest Express Entry draws, including CRS score changes, pool distribution, ITA statistics, and real-time examples of how applicants can benefit.

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1. Overview: IRCC Holds One of the Largest PNP Draws in Six Months

The latest Express Entry update saw 714 invitations to apply (ITAs) issued through the Provincial Nominee Program, marking the largest PNP-specific draw since April 2025.

Key Highlights

• Draw type: PNP

• ITAs issued: 714

• Minimum CRS score: 738

• Profile submission deadline: Before February 22, 2025 (UTC)

This draw confirms that provinces continue to rely heavily on Express Entry-linked nominations to meet their labour market requirements.

Real-Time Use Case

Ajay, a software engineering manager in Alberta, received a provincial nomination increasing his CRS score by +600 points. Although his base CRS was only 462, the nomination pushed him to over 1,060 points—automatically securing an ITA in this draw.

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2. Summary of Express Entry Draws in 2025

IRCC has conducted a wide range of draws across multiple streams:

Most active streams in 2025

• PNP: 21 draws

• CEC: 12 draws

• French-language draws: 7

• Healthcare draws: 6

• Education draws: 2

• Trades draw: 1

So far, IRCC has issued over 85,000 ITAs in 2025 across all categories.

Real-Time Use Case

Maria, a French-speaking teacher from Morocco, received her ITA through a French-language category draw with a CRS of only 423. She did not qualify through the general draw but received an invitation due to her strong TEF Canada score.

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3. CRS Score Distribution: Express Entry Pool Becomes More Competitive

As of November 9, 2025, the Express Entry pool includes 245,706 active profiles.
Major changes have been observed in CRS score groups.

Key Trends in CRS Distribution

• The number of candidates with CRS above 500 increased significantly.

• Candidates in the 601–1200 band (mostly PNP nominees) increased from 306 to 696.

• Most score brackets between 411–430 saw sharp declines, indicating that IRCC is drawing many candidates from these ranges.

Why This Matters

A growing number of high-scoring candidates means:

• General Express Entry draws may continue to have higher cut-off scores.

• Category-based and PNP draws will remain one of the best ways to secure an ITA.

Real-Time Use Case

Karthik, an Indian mechanical engineer, had a CRS of 428 in early 2025. He noticed his score band shrinking as many candidates in his range received invitations through trades and PNP draws. Understanding this trend early helped him pursue an employer-driven Saskatchewan PNP nomination to increase his chances.

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4. Percentile Ranking: How Competitive Is Your CRS Score?

The percentile table shows how candidates compare across the pool.

Important Observations

• Only 0.28% of candidates fall in the 601–1200 range.

• Around 10.75% are in the competitive 501–600 range.

• Approximately 60% of candidates have CRS below 460.

What This Means for You

If your CRS is:

• Above 500: You are in the top 12% of the pool.

• 460–500: You’re in a competitive but unpredictable segment.

• Below 430: You must rely on PNP or category-based strategies.

Real-Time Use Case

Sofia, a Chilean marketing professional, had a CRS of 468—placing her in the 461–470 bracket. Even though general draws remained high, she received an invitation through a targeted education draw with a significantly lower cutoff of 462.

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5. Express Entry Draws Held in the Last 30 Days (Oct–Nov 2025)

Over the last month, IRCC issued 10,861 ITAs across six draws.

Category Breakdown

• French-language draw: 6,000 ITAs (largest)

• Healthcare draw: 2,500 ITAs

• CEC draw: 1,000 ITAs

• PNP draws: 1,361 ITAs

This reflects Canada’s strategy toward:

• Increasing French-speaking immigration

• Addressing labour shortages in healthcare

• Supporting candidates with Canadian work experience

Real-Time Use Case

Nurse Adeline, from the Philippines, had a CRS score of only 472. She secured her PR through the healthcare category draw where the cutoff dropped to 462, the lowest healthcare draw score of 2025.

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6. Healthcare Draw: Lowest CRS Cut-Off of 2025

IRCC issued 3,500 ITAs in the latest Healthcare and Social Services draw.

Draw Summary

• CRS cut-off: 462 (lowest this year)

• Profiles accepted before: December 2, 2024 (UTC)

Healthcare remains a priority category and has already issued 13,292 ITAs this year—third highest among all streams.

Real-Time Use Case

Rahul, a physiotherapist in Dubai, had a CRS score of 465—too low for general draws. Because healthcare is a priority category, he received an ITA despite missing out on earlier rounds.

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7. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Draw: Continuing the Pattern

IRCC issued 1,000 ITAs to CEC candidates with a CRS of 533, continuing the trend from previous CEC draws.

Why CEC Draws Matter

CEC remains the fastest pathway for:

• International graduates

• Skilled workers with Canadian work experience

• Temporary workers transitioning from PGWP or employer-based jobs

Real-Time Use Case

Emily, who studied in Toronto and secured a full-time job, received an ITA through the CEC draw despite not qualifying in general rounds. Her Canadian work experience and strong English score boosted her profile.

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8. What This Means for Express Entry Candidates in 2025

Based on the latest trends:

• PNP remains the strongest pathway for candidates with CRS under 480.

• French language testing continues to offer massive advantages.

• Healthcare professionals have the best chances due to consistently low CRS cutoffs.

• CEC candidates benefit from predictable and frequent draws.

• The CRS pool is becoming more competitive, especially above 500.

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9. How To Improve Your CRS Score or PR Chances

Here are the most effective strategies:

✔ 1. Target PNP pathways (Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, BC)

Many provinces prioritize occupations like IT, finance, healthcare, and trades.

✔ 2. Improve language scores (IELTS, CELPIP, TEF Canada)

A jump from CLB 8 to CLB 9 can increase CRS by up to 65+ points.

✔ 3. Gain Canadian work experience

CEC pathways remain stable and predictable.

✔ 4. Leverage French-language proficiency

Even beginner-intermediate French opens doors in category-based draws.

✔ 5. Apply for a category-based draw

Healthcare, STEM, trades, transport, and education now receive targeted rounds.

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Conclusion

The latest Express Entry updates reflect Canada’s focused immigration strategy in 2025—prioritizing PNP nominees, French speakers, healthcare professionals, and Canadian experience holders. With rising CRS competition, understanding these trends and choosing the right immigration pathway is more important than ever.

Whether you are already in the pool or planning to apply, staying informed and aligning your profile with Canada’s labour market needs will significantly increase your chances of receiving an ITA.