Category-Based Express Entry: What the Latest 2025 Numbers Mean

The results show that category eligibility did not always lead to an invitation through a dedicated category-based round. In some cases, large numbers of eligible candidates were selected through other Express Entry draw types, while certain categories received few or no targeted rounds at all.

In this article, we breakdown this data, compare the 2025 results across each category, examine where the strongest opportunities appeared, and consider what the data could mean for Express Entry selection in 2026.

Key Takeaways

• French dominated category-based selection: Approximately 78 percent of French-language candidates were outside Canada.
• Education was strong for overseas applicants: Around 64 percent of education ITAs went to candidates abroad.
• Healthcare offered opportunities in both locations: Candidates in Canada had a modest advantage, but more than 8,000 ITAs went overseas.
• Trades strongly favoured candidates in Canada: Approximately 78 percent of successful trades candidates were already in the country.
• STEM had a balanced split but low volume: The 50–50 location split looks positive, but only 5,942 STEM candidates received ITAs.

When reviewing this data, it is also important to distinguish between category eligibility and category-based draws. All invitations can count toward IRCC’s category targets, regardless of the type of round in which they were issued. In some cases, targets can be reached without a dedicated category draw.

We therefore look at three factors: location, total invitation volume, and the type of draw through which candidates were selected.

Here’s what the 2025 data shows:

French-Language Proficiency

Total ITAs issued to French-language-proficiency candidates: 50,701

ITAs issued to French-language-proficiency candidates in Canada: Approximately 11,154, or 22 percent

ITAs issued to French-language-proficiency candidates outside Canada: Approximately 39,547, or 78 percent

Average CRS score among invited French-language-proficiency candidates: 449

CRS score range among invited French-language-proficiency candidates: 379 to 770

ITAs issued through French-language-proficiency category-based draws: 48,000

ITAs issued to French-language-proficiency candidates through other Express Entry draw types: 2,701

French-language proficiency was by far the largest category in 2025. Almost all French-eligible candidates were invited through dedicated French-language rounds, and more than three-quarters were outside Canada.

What This Means for Outside Canada Applicants

French remains the clearest category-based opportunity for candidates abroad. The combination of high invitation volume, a strong overseas share, and a comparatively low average CRS score make it difficult for any other category to compete with French as a pathway from outside Canada.

What This Means for In Canada Applicants

Only 22 percent of French-language ITAs went to candidates in Canada, but that does not make French a weak option for them.

For Canadian Experience Class candidates facing uncertain draw schedules or high CRS cut-offs, improving French could open access to targeted rounds with lower qualifying scores. The 2025 data also suggests that many CEC candidates in Canada had not yet taken full advantage of the French-language category, although this may have started to change since then.

Healthcare and Social Services

Total ITAs issued to healthcare and social services candidates: 19,200

ITAs issued to healthcare candidates in Canada: 10,944, or 57 percent

ITAs issued to healthcare candidates outside Canada: 8,256, or 43 percent

Average CRS score among invited healthcare candidates: 476

CRS score range among invited healthcare candidates: 379 to 630

ITAs issued through healthcare category-based draws: 14,500

ITAs issued to healthcare candidates through other draw types: 4,700

Healthcare produced the second-highest invitation volume among the categories reviewed.

Candidates in Canada received a modest majority of healthcare ITAs, likely reflecting the value of Canadian work experience, licensing, education, and employer connections.

What This Means for Outside Canada Applicants

The 43 percent overseas share still represents approximately 8,256 invitations.

Healthcare therefore remained a realistic and high-volume pathway for qualified candidates abroad.

What This Means In Canada Applicants

The numbers are positive for healthcare workers already in Canada. They received approximately 10,944 ITAs and held a clear, though not overwhelming, advantage over overseas candidates.

Education Occupations

Total ITAs issued to education candidates: 9,200

ITAs issued to education candidates in Canada: 3,312, or 36 percent

ITAs issued to education candidates outside Canada: 5,888, or 64 percent

Average CRS score among invited education candidates: 459

CRS score range among invited education candidates: 379 to 619

ITAs issued through education category-based draws: 3,500

ITAs issued to education candidates through other draw types: 5,700

Education was introduced as a category in 2025 and produced encouraging first-year results for overseas candidates.

Interestingly, most education professionals were selected through other draw types rather than through dedicated education rounds.

What This Means Outside Canada Applicants

Education was the second-strongest category for overseas representation after French. Approximately 5,888 ITAs went to candidates abroad. This should be encouraging news for anyone outside of Canada eligible for the Education category.

What This Means In Canada Applicants

Candidates in Canada received 36 percent of education ITAs, representing 3,312 invitations.

The fact that 5,700 education candidates were invited through other draw types also suggests that education professionals remained competitive beyond dedicated category rounds.

STEM Occupations

Total ITAs issued to STEM candidates: 5,942

ITAs issued to STEM candidates in Canada: 2,971, or 50 percent

ITAs issued to STEM candidates outside Canada: 2,971, or 50 percent

Average CRS score among invited STEM candidates: 479

CRS score range among invited STEM candidates: 379 to 698

ITAs issued through STEM category-based draws: 0

ITAs issued to STEM candidates through other draw types: 5,942

STEM candidates were divided evenly between those inside and outside Canada. At first glance, that looks positive for both groups.

However, the overall invitation volume was low. There were no dedicated STEM draws, and only 5,942 STEM candidates received invitations through other draw types.

What This Means Outside Canada Applicants

Because there was no STEM-specific draw in 2025, any STEM worker outside Canada who received an ITA must have been selected through a different type of draw.

Based on the volume of French-language invitations, many likely also qualified for the French-language-proficiency category. Others may have previously worked in Canada and remained eligible for the Canadian Experience Class.

This means the 50 percent overseas share does not necessarily show that STEM itself was accessible from abroad. Instead, many of these candidates likely received an ITA because they qualified through another category or had prior Canadian work experience.

What This Means in Canada Applicants

STEM workers in Canada are not faring particularly well either.

In 2023, 79 percent of ITAs issued to STEM workers went to candidates in Canada. By 2025, that share had fallen to 50 percent, with only 2,971 ITAs going to in-Canada STEM candidates.

Both the proportion and the overall volume have declined. This suggests that STEM workers in Canada are no longer benefiting from Express Entry selection to the same extent as they did in 2023.

The numbers suggest that unlike previous years, simply working in a STEM occupation in Canada was not enough to provide a strong advantage in 2025. This has likely continued into 2026 therefore STEM workers in Canada should look at alternative ways to get an ITA.

Trade Occupations

Total ITAs issued to trades candidates: 4,589

ITAs issued to trades candidates in Canada: Approximately 3,579, or 78 percent

ITAs issued to trades candidates outside Canada: Approximately 1,010, or 22 percent

Average CRS score among invited trades candidates: 499

CRS score range among invited trades candidates: 379 to 636

ITAs issued through trades category-based draws: 1,250

ITAs issued to trades candidates through other draw types: 3,339

Trades strongly favoured candidates already in Canada and interestingly, recorded the highest average CRS score among the categories reviewed.

For candidates outside Canada, the low invitation share suggests that those hoping to secure an ITA under the Trades category are at a disadvantage compared to in- Canada applicants.

For candidates in Canada, the results were much more favourable.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

Total ITAs issued to agriculture and agri-food candidates: 101

ITAs issued to candidates in Canada: Approximately 60, or 59 percent

ITAs issued to candidates outside Canada: Approximately 41, or 41 percent

Average CRS score among invited candidates: 498

CRS score range among invited candidates: 382 to 555

ITAs issued through category-based draws: 0

ITAs issued through other draw types: 101

The location split was relatively balanced, but the volume was extremely low. With only 101 invitations and no dedicated draws, agriculture and agri-food was not a reliable Express Entry pathway for candidates in either location.

What Could This Mean for 2026?

For a bit of fun, we can apply the 2025 inside and outside Canada split to the number of ITAs issued through selected category draws so far in 2026.

We have only applied this exercise to categories that do not require Canadian work experience. This is not a prediction, but it gives us a rough idea of how the 2026 results could look if last year’s location patterns continued.

French-Language Proficiency

If approximately 40,500 French-language ITAs are issued and the 2025 split continues:

Candidates in Canada: Approximately 8,910, or 22 percent

Candidates outside Canada: Approximately 31,590, or 78 percent

Healthcare and Social Services

If approximately 8,000 healthcare ITAs are issued and the 2025 split continues:

Candidates in Canada: Approximately 4,560, or 57 percent

Candidates outside Canada: Approximately 3,440, or 43 percent

Trades

If approximately 3,000 trades ITAs are issued and the 2025 split continues:

Candidates in Canada: Approximately 2,340, or 78 percent

Candidates outside Canada: Approximately 660, or 22 percent

Looking back at past Express Entry data is useful, and for immigration nerds like us, it is also a bit of fun.

However, past trends are not a guarantee of what will happen next. Draw types, category priorities, invitation volumes, and CRS cut-offs can all change quickly.

Use this data as a guide, not a prediction. The strongest strategy is to understand every category and program you may qualify for, then build the strongest Express Entry profile possible.