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By Rebecca Major
Updated 5 days ago
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Read our full analysis of this draw on our dedicated page.
As of July 6, 2025, the Express Entry pool includes a total of 256,224 candidates. To see how these candidates are distributed across CRS score ranges—and to better understand where you might stand—check out the full article: Express Entry Pool Breakdown.
Join other like-minded individuals navigating their journey to success within the Express Entry system — from Immigration tips to settlement and job search support, you're not alone.
While we have seen 25 draws take place so far this year, the draw sizes have been relatively small (with the exception of French draws) and have had historically high CRS cut-offs across most programs and categories. Visit our dedicated page for a complete list of Express Entry draws in 2015.
This graph presents an overview of recent Express Entry draws, highlighting the CRS cut-off scores and the number of ITAs issued in each draw.
An Express Entry draw is the process used by conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to select profiles from the Express Entry pool and invite them to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
During an Express Entry draw, IRCC selects candidates from the Express Entry pool based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and other factors, like work experience or language proficiency. Those who meet or exceed the CRS score cutoff set for that particular draw are issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residency.
Draw Number: Identifies the sequence of the current draw.
Date of the Draw: Specifies when the draw took place, helping applicants track trends.
Program/Category: Indicates the specific Express Entry program or category targeted by the draw.
CRS Cut-Off Score: The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
Number of ITAs Issued: The total number of applicants who received an ITA in that draw.
Tie-Breaking Rule: Applied when multiple candidates have the same CRS cut-off score; it prioritizes those who submitted their profiles earlier by setting a specific date and time. Only candidates who submitted their profiles before this timestamp receive an ITA.
IRCC conducts three main types of Express Entry draws. These are:
General Rounds of Invitations: These draws invite top-ranking candidates across all three Express Entry programs—Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and Canadian Experience Class (CEC)—without targeting specific groups.
Program-Specific Rounds: These draws focus on candidates eligible for a particular Express Entry program. For example, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws exclusively invite candidates nominated by a province or territory, and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws exclusively invite candidates who qualify for the Canadian Experience Class program.
Category-Based Rounds: These draws target candidates with specific skills or attributes that align with Canada’s economic needs. The Minister of Immigration defines categories annually, with the following categories identified: Healthcare, STEM, Trades, Transport, and French-language proficiency. Although these six categories remain eligible for Category- based section, IRCC has said they will prioritise Healthcare, Trades, and French-language proficiency for 2025.
Each type of draw helps Canada meet its immigration and labour market priorities efficiently.
Canada’s Express Entry system continues to evolve in 2025, with draw patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has shifted toward more category-based draws this year, making it harder to anticipate exact dates.
If you’re already in the Express Entry pool or planning to join soon, stay up to date with the latest draw predictions, eligibility categories, and tips to boost your chances by reading our weekly Express Entry draw forecast and analysis.
Looking ahead, we anticipate significant shifts in Express Entry draws based on Canada’s 2025–2027 immigration levels plan. PNP draws are expected to decline sharply, with fewer invitations issued due to a major reduction in PNP admissions targets. However, their biweekly frequency is likely to remain steady. CEC draws may become more prominent, with larger invitation numbers per draw, as Canada prioritizes in-Canada applicants. Category-based draws will continue, with one to two per month, emphasizing candidates in Healthcare, Trades, and French-language proficiency. Given this shift in focus, we anticipate that general/all-program draws may be discontinued in 2025.
Although it is still very early days, based on the Immigration levels plan, we expect around 90,000 to 110,000 ITAs to be issued this year. This is in line with the number of ITAs issued in 2024.
If you’ve been watching Express Entry closely, you’ve probably noticed the consistently high CRS scores throughout the first half of 2025, and you’re not alone in wondering why they haven’t dropped. Several key factors have converged to keep cut-offs elevated, making this one of the most competitive periods in recent memory.
In 2025, Canada’s overall immigration targets, especially through the economic class, will be more modest than in previous years. The Express Entry program is being used more strategically, with fewer allocations than in previous years. With less room to invite candidates, the CRS cut-off has naturally remained high, even as the pool continues to grow.
From mid-February to mid-May 2025, IRCC paused draws for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. That three-month break caused a buildup of eligible applicants, many of whom have Canadian work experience, strong language skills, and often high CRS scores.
When CEC draws resumed, they were smaller the previous draws, meaning many qualified candidates remained in the pool. That’s added more pressure on overall CRS thresholds.
Several provinces have reduced PNP nomination allocations this year. The result? Many highly skilled candidates who would’ve received a provincial nomination and ITA are stuck in the Express Entry pool.
These are often strong profiles – Canadian experience, high education, and language proficiency – but without the nomination, they’re clustered in the 450+ range. This concentration of high-quality candidates keeps the CRS bar elevated.
While category-based draws continue to support key labour market needs, they don’t necessarily reduce CRS pressure for everyone. Category-based draws have been frequent for 2025, but they don’t pull significantly from the broader pool.
Despite tighter criteria and fewer invitations, interest in Express Entry hasn’t slowed. Pool data shows thousands of candidates sitting above 500 CRS points, and even more in the 460–500 band. Canada remains a top-tier destination, and the talent pipeline continues to grow.
There are several ways to increase your CRS score, depending on your profile and eligibility. The number of additional points you can gain varies, but there are proven strategies that can help maximize your score.
Take a look at our dedicated page which covers both short-term and long-term ways you can increase your CRS score.
On July 7, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)-specific Express Entry draw, inviting 356 candidates to apply for permanent residence. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required was 750, and the tie-breaking rule was set for March 19, 2025, at 04:09:09 UTC. This draw reflects the ongoing trend in 2025 of frequent PNP-specific rounds, which now account for half of the 24 total draws held so far this year. However, despite their frequency, PNP draws have issued fewer invitations overall—just 5,851 ITAs—compared to other categories. For instance, French-language proficiency draws have issued 18,500 invitations in only three rounds, while Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws have surpassed 15,000 ITAs across six rounds. The July 7 draw was slightly smaller than the previous PNP draw on June 23, which invited 503 candidates with a slightly lower CRS cutoff of 742.
Once an applicant enter the Express Entry system, they are given a CRS score. Applicants are selected from the Express Entry pool during Express Entry draws, where IRCC issue invitations to apply (ITA) to candidates with the highest ranking CRS score.
The CRS cut off is determined by the number of Express Entry profiles IRCC wish to issue an ITA to in the draw. Once they have determined the number of ITA’s they wish to issue, they simply invite that number starting with the highest ranking applicants and going down the list. The CRS cut off becomes the CRS cut off score the last invited applicant.
The CRS tie-breaking rule complements the CRS cut-off to determine which applicants in the pool should receive an ITA. Take our example above, where the CRS cut-off for the latest draw was 469.
But, what happens if there are many applicants in the pool with this CRS score? This is where the tie-breaking rule becomes important. The tie-breaking rule determines the time and date by which an applicant must have entered the pool to receive the ITA. This means it is more advantageous to enter the pool as soon as you become eligible, irrespective of your CRS score. You can always update your profile and increase your CRS later on.
In each draw, IRCC first determine how many applicants they would like to issue ITAs to. They then invite that many applicants, starting from the highest-ranking applicant and moving down the list in order of highest to lowest ranking applicant. If they wanted to invite 3500 applicants in one draw, the CRS cut off and tie-breaking rule would become the CRS score for the 3500th profile selected, and the tie-breaking rule will be the time and date that the applicant entered the pool.
Express Entry draws are less predictable than they once were. With the introduction of category-based draws, IRCC conducts multiple draws throughout the week but tends to group the draws to have one week of draws and one week without draws.
The quickest way to find out when an Express Entry draw has taken place is to create a free Moving2Canada account and sign up for our newsletter.
Like the frequency of draws, the time of day draws happen varies. IRCC use universal time, and generally conduct draws in the afternoon.
There is no minimum score needed to enter the Express Entry pool. Anyone, irrespective of their CRS can enter the Express Entry pool so long as they are eligible for an immigration program that uses the Express Entry pool. The only points requirement is that required to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW). Applicants who wish to immigrate through the FSW program must be able to demonstrate they score at least 67 points in the FSW eligibility grid.
Express Entry profiles are selected from the Express Entry pool based on their CRS score. The CRS cut-off score depends on the specific draw. For all program draws, the cut-off will likely be around 500 whereas for category-based draws, the cut-off can be substantially lower than this depending on the category. For example, French speakers in the Express Entry pool may be selected with a CRS cut-off as low as 336.
The largest Express Entry draw took place on February 13th 2021 and saw 27,332 Canadian Experience Class applicants receive and ITA. The CRS cut off for this draw was 75. This draws remains the largest draw ever to have taken place and also holds the title of the lowest CRS score ever invited.
Yes, IRCC has held several CEC draws so far in 2025, and we expect this trend to continue.
The 2025-2027 immigration levels plan allocates over 80,000 spots for in-Canada applicants. With this, we expect IRCC to continue CEC draws in 2025.
IRCC has not conducted a general, all-program draw since April 23rd, 2024. This draw had a CRS cut-off of 529. The lowest CRS score we have seen in a general, all-program draw this year is 524. Understandably, those waiting for a general draw are wondering 2 things: when is the next general draw and what will the CRS cut-off be.
It is impossible to tell when the next general draw will be although the 2025-2027 immigration levels suggest that there may be no general draw in 2025. As we have not seen a general draw since April 23, 2024, if there is one in 2025, we expect the CRS cut-off to be extremely high.
Since Express Entry category-based draws were introduced last summer, more invitations have been issued under the French language category draws. This dwarfs any other category, with the healthcare category in second place.
The 2025-2027 immigration levels plan states an intention to increase the number of French-speaking immigrants and also allocates 41,700 spots for category-based draws, in Healthcare and Trade Occupations and French Language Proficiency. Here is how we think this will be distributed:
If you are invited, you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA). This is your chance to apply for Canadian immigration.
You have 60 days to respond to your ITA. Once you have submitted an application, you may receive a decision on your application at any time. IRCC’s standard is six months, but it may take more or less time.
If you are approved, you will get a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). Then it’s just a matter of following IRCC’s instructions to officially become a permanent resident of Canada!
To see if you are eligible for Express Entry, take the free Canada Immigration Quiz.
IRCC publishes Express Entry draw information as soon as it happens. You can stay informed by checking the official IRCC website or subscribing to Canadian immigration newsletters for updates directly in your inbox. Moving2Canada also provides detailed draw information and analysis, helping you understand what each draw could mean for you. To receive these updates, sign up for the Moving2Canada newsletter through your Moving2Canada account.
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