Canada’s Express Entry Draws Trend and Changes
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The Express Entry draws are the foundation of the immigration's economy. The Canada’s Express Entry draw has undergone a quick shift in 2025.
For the very first time in a decade-long history, Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has pulled up all program draws, drifting towards a highly targeted, selective approach.
However, now this seems a new normal, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws took over the all-program draws.
This transformation alters with Canada’s revised immigration strategy, emphasising on labour market needs, housing constraints, and economic integration.
Here are the specifics to better understand changes to the Express Entry draws in 2025.
What is Express Entry?
The Express Entry is Canada’s Flagship system meant for managing applications for three federal economic immigration programs.
Federal Skilled Workers Programs (FSWP) is meant for skilled professionals with foreign work experience.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is for candidates with Canadian work experience.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FTSP) is for skilled tradespeople.
Express Entry uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to rank candidates based on factors like age, education, work experience, and language proficiency.
Major Changes in Express Entry Draws in 2025
In a remarkable move, IRCC has conducted zero all-program draws in 2025, as of May 7.
Draw Type | Number of Draws | Recent Cut-Off CRS Scores | Recent ITAs Issued |
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 7 | 667–802 | 421–825 |
French-language proficiency | 3 | 379–428 | 4,500–7,500 |
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 3 | 521–542 | 1,350–4,000 |
Education | 1 | 479 | 1,000 |
Healthcare & Social Services | 1 | 510 | 500 |
A Quick History of Express Entry: From 2015 to 2025
To get the 2025’s changes, let’s trace Express Entry’s Evolution:
Year | Key Development & Key Trends | Draw Frequency & CRS Cut Offs |
2015 | Express Entry launches, replacing first-come, first-served with the CRS merit system. All-program draws biweekly; CRS mid-400s. | Biweekly; CRS ~450s |
2016–2019 | The system matures, attracting IT, engineering, and healthcare professionals. Draws predictable; CRS 440–500. | Regular; CRS 440–500 |
2020–2021 | COVID-19 disrupts draws. All-program draws paused; CEC & PNP prioritized. Feb 2021: 27,332 CEC invited at CRS 75. | Irregular; CRS as low as 75 |
2022–2023 | All-program draws resume (July 2022), but less frequent. Category-based selection starts in 2023. | Infrequent; targeted draws emerge |
2024 | Only six all-program draws (last on April 24). Targeted draws (occupation, French) gain prominence. | 6 all-program draws; mostly targeted |
2025 | No all-program draws. Shift to a strategic, occupation-driven model. | Only targeted/category draws |
Canada's express entry system has joined a new era in 2025, shifting from broad all-program to highly focused selection strategies. This transition is drafted to meet pressing, economic, social, and regional needs.
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