Express Entry Pool Breakdown: And What Does That Mean For You

How Many Candidates Are In The Express Entry Pool in October 2025?

Snapshot of Active Profiles in the Pool on October 26, 2025

• As of October 26, 2025, there are 248,253 profiles in the Express Entry pool.

• The pool size decreased from 248,342 on October 13, 2025.

• Between October 13 and October 27, the 501–600 CRS range increased from 25,411 to 25,997.

• Want to know how competitive your CRS score is compared to the Express Entry pool? Check out our online Express Entry CRS points calculator.

Current Distribution of CRS Scores in the Express Entry Pool on October 26, 2025

What is the Express Entry Pool?

The Express Entry pool represents all candidates with an active Express Entry profile. The number of profiles in the pool changes daily as draws take place and as new applicants submit their profiles, while others leave due to expiry, receiving an invitation, or a change in eligibility.

Express Entry Pool Breakdown – October 27, 2025

Here’s a snapshot of the current candidate spread in the Express Entry pool:

Overall Express Entry Pool Size Over Time

After a long stretch of a rapidly increasing pool size from September 2024 through to mid-June 2025, Canada has seen a stabilization and the start of a slow decrease in the Express Entry pool size so far in Q3 2025.

Unfortunately, that stabilization is at a historically high level of people in the Express Entry pool.

Overall Pool Size During 2025

• In January, the pool grew from 227,763 candidates on January 8 to 232,924 on January 23—a net increase of about 5,161 candidates in just over two weeks.
• By February 5, the total had reached 234,052. This steady rise underscores sustained interest in Express Entry as a pathway to Canadian immigration.
• After a temporary dip in early March, the Express Entry pool saw a strong rebound. The total number of candidates fell to 227,822 on March 3, likely the result of significant draw activity in late February. However, by March 16, the pool had grown to 236,909 candidates—an increase of 9,087 candidates in just under two weeks, and the highest total recorded in 2025 so far.
• In April, the Express Entry pool reached 244,282 candidates. This increase followed a month-long pause in draws and a significant policy change that removed points for arranged employment (LMIA-based job offers). As a result, thousands of candidates were reclassified into lower CRS bands, particularly the 451–500 and 401–450 ranges, both of which grew substantially. Notably, the 501–600 range shrank by more than 5,700 candidates, while the 400s bands absorbed the majority of this shift.
• By May 13, the pool climbed to 250,082 candidates, up roughly 5,700 from early April.
• With 7,475 more candidates in the pool on June 11 than in mid-May, data in early June showed a significant surge, particularly at the 501-600 and 451-500 ranges, which each added over 2,500 earlier in the month.
• The pool data on June 22 showed the first signs of relief in the 501-600 range and the first decrease in pool size since March.
• In July, the overall pool nudged upwards from 256,224 on July 6 to 256,914 on July 20 (+690).
• By August 17 the pool fell to 254,113 and 501–600 slid back to 22,930, a net drop of 2,472 in total pool size from Aug 5.
• The pool size overall increased slightly by September 1, but did not reach the highs we saw earlier this year — thanks to the larger healthcare draws we saw earlier in August.
• Towards the end of September, the pool size again grew beyond 250k candidates. But it seems that more frequent category-based draws are helping to stabilize the overall pool size.
• In October, there was a slight decrease in profiles, but the range of scores above 501 continued to increase.

Trends in the Express Entry Pool

Here’s an overview of the candidate score ranges in the Express Entry pool, during 2025:

Profiles in the 601-1200 Range

This range doesn’t typically see the huge numbers of candidates that we have seen during 2025. This is because the numbers of provincial nominations are limited each year at the provincial level. Since those are limited to align with IRCC’s immigration targets for PNPs, this range generally stays relatively small.

However, this year the competition is fierce, and the government has increased the cap for Provincial Nominee Programs in some provinces.

Profiles in the 501-600 Range

We’ve seen a month-over-month increase since August 2025 in the 500–600 score range, which indicates that more people are improving their profiles during the second half of the year.

In the first half of the year, the number of applicants in this range showed large fluctuations after each round of invitations. However, as the number of invitations has decreased and applicants have strengthened their profiles, this figure has only continued to rise since August.

Month after month, the profiles focused on improving their scores have increased their chances of receiving an invitation. Based on the trend we’ve seen throughout the year, we don’t expect the minimum score per category to drop — at least for the remainder of 2025.

Profiles in 451-500 Range

The 451–500 band weakened through September: 74,183 on Sept 1 → 71,427 on Sept 14 → 70,583 on Sept 28 (net −3,600 from Sept 1). This is quite interesting, since we saw a number of category-based draws with a CRS cut-off in that range.

We can’t conclude that this means that 3,600 of the 9,250 candidates invited in September were in the 450-500 range, since it’s likely new candidates joined the pool at this range in September. But it does mean that it is likely that thousands of candidates in the 501+ range were drawn in September in category-based draws.

Our recent analysis in our healthcare category-based draw from October 15 revealed an increase in the CRS cut-off between the August healthcare round and the October healthcare round. You can read the full post for more details, but it does highlight that competition for category-based rounds is very competitive and high volumes of qualified people are continually entering the pool and improving their CRS scores.

If you’re currently in the pool in this range, working to improve your score could be critical if you want to receive an invitation to apply in the next round.

Profiles in 401-450 Range

The 401–450 band stayed steady through the month: Increasing from September 1, where the pool had 74,314 candidates to 74,481 on September 28, 2025. The net change from Sept 1→Sept 28 was +167.

In short: the lower half of the mid-400s is holding steady and even edged up slightly by month-end. That small net gain shows continued pressure below the 451–500 band.

If you’re within this range, it’s very important to continue working on your CRS score. This is true even if you’re hoping to receive an invitation for a category-based draw, which are also seeing high scores this year. That said, French category based draws may continue to attract lower scores than other categories this year and candidates with French proficiency in this range may be well placed to receive an invitation in a targeted draw.

Subrange changes (Sept 1 → Sept 14 → Sept 28)

451–500 Range

491–500: 12,443 → 12,341 (−102) → 12,255 (−86) — Total: −188
481–490: 12,443 → 12,555 (+112) → 12,473 (−82) — Total: +30
471–480: 16,077 → 15,569 (−508) → 15,150 (−419) — Total: −927
461–470: 17,252 → 16,158 (−1,094) → 15,781 (−377) — Total: −1,471
451–460: 15,968 → 14,804 (−1,164) → 14,924 (+120) — Total: −1,044

All together: 74,183 → 71,427 → 70,583 (Total: −3,600)

401–450 Range

441–450: 15,220 → 14,719 (−501) → 14,806 (+87) — Total: −414
431–440: 16,245 → 16,312 (+67) → 16,354 (+42) — Total: +109
421–430: 14,813 → 14,822 (+9) → 14,820 (−2) — Total: +7
411–420: 14,542 → 14,714 (+172) → 14,839 (+125) — Total: +297
401–410: 13,494 → 13,611 (+117) → 13,662 (+51) — Total: +168

All together: 74,314 → 74,178 → 74,481 (Total: +167)

351–400 Range

52,798 → 52,883 (+85) → 53,066 (+183) — Total: +268

301–350 Range

19,955 → 19,978 (+23) → 19,963 (−15) — Total: +8

0–300 Range

8,053 → 8,074 (+21) → 8,081 (+7) — Total: +28

Summary:
Between the three September snapshots, the 451–500 block declined sharply (−3,600 total), driven mainly by losses in the 461–470 and 471–480 subranges. The 401–450 band was roughly stable with a small net gain (+167), while the lower bands (351–400, 301–350, 0–300) showed modest increases.

Will CRS Scores Finally Dip Below 500?

It’s very challenging to know in the absence of consistent draws for Canadian Experience Class and since we’re only getting one glimpse into the pool each draw week, so we can’t see the nuances of each draw’s impact on the pool.

Forecasts suggest that unless the rate of new high-scoring entries slows, Canadian Experience Class draws at the 3,000 invitation range become consistent, or draw sizes increase, cut-offs are likely to remain above 520 — or even 530 — in 2025.

While the future remains uncertain, candidates are encouraged to focus on boosting their scores through language improvements, additional education, or targeting occupations eligible for category-based draws.

What’s a Good CRS Score in the 2025 Express Entry Pool?

What a ‘good’ CRS score is in Canada’s Express Entry pool changes over time, though a ‘good’ score is generally any score that make it likely that you will receive an invitation in the next few rounds. At the moment, this means a relatively high score — around 530+. Why? Well it’s based on how many candidates in the pool have scores higher than yours.

How Does Your CRS Score Compare?

Determining how your CRS score compares to others in the pool is a necessary component to a successful immigration strategy.

If you have a strong CRS score in comparison to others in the pool, your chances of receiving an ITA in an upcoming Express Entry draw are high therefore you may just need to wait for the next draw.

On the other hand, you may find that your CRS is not competitive enough, forcing you to look at ways to increase your score or explore Express Entry alternatives. 

• Note that IRCC has removed points for a valid job offer, effective March 25, 2025.

Can You Get PR With Your Current Express Entry CRS? 

Whether or not you’re invited to apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry system depends on: 

• If you’re eligible for the program or category chosen by IRCC for invitations in that round. (ie. IRCC may invite Canadian Experience Class candidates, so you won’t receive an invitation if you’re only eligible for the Skilled Trades program).
• If your CRS score is above the cut-off; and
• If you meet other criteria, like the tiebreaker date if your score is equal to the score just drawn.

Once you have submitted your Express Entry profile, you will receive your CRS score. Bear in mind that this score may change due to factors like age therefore it is important to keep a note of your CRS and competitiveness. 

• To find detailed information about your chances of receiving an invitation based on your current CRS score, check out our analysis of CRS competitiveness. You’ll learn if you can get PR with a score of 300+, 400+, 500+ and find out what to do if your score isn’t competitive.

Staying informed about immigration in Canada can help you prepare for your Express Entry journey. Join today to Moving2Canada community can help. 

Resources to Help You Boost Your CRS Score