How Many People Are In The Express Entry Pool? (And What Does That Mean For You)

On this page, you will find our in-depth analysis of the current profiles in the pool along with what this may mean for you and your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

A Snapshot of Active Profiles in the Pool

• As of May 13, 2025, there are 250,082 profiles in the Express Entry pool (up from 244,282 this time in April).
• We got two glimpses into the pool this month — once on May 12 and then again on May 13. We saw an overall increase of 113 candidates across those two days, which means around 613 people joined the pool.
• A steady return of candidates to the 501–600 band (+1,608 since April 27) shows profile improvements and new entries among strong candidates. 119 candidates were added to the 501-600 range between May 12 and May 13.
• The pool is extremely competitive at the 451-500 points range. If you’re in this range, any increase in points will be advantageous. Your language results are the low-hanging fruit here.
• Want to know how competitive your CRS score is compared to the Express Entry pool? Check out our online Express Entry CRS points calculator.

Resources to Help You Boost Your CRS Score

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.

How Many Express Entry Profiles Are Currently in the Pool?

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

Overall Express Entry Pool Size Changes

Overall Pool Size

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. This strong growth shows that more candidates are entering the system, likely as they become eligible for an Express Entry program.

Ongoing Growth into February

By February 5, the total had reached 234,052. This steady rise underscores sustained interest in Express Entry as a pathway to Canadian immigration.

Growth Rebounds Strongly in March

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.

The March numbers confirm that interest in Express Entry remains high, and that the system is becoming more competitive, especially for those with mid-to-high CRS scores.

April Sees Significant Redistribution in CRS Scores

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.

A Quarter Million Candidates in May

By May 13, the pool climbed to 250,082 candidates, up roughly 5,700 from early April. The 501–600, 451–500, and 401–450 ranges all continued to grow, adding between 1,200 and 2,400 candidates each since April 14. Lower bands (301–350 and 0–300) edged slightly downward.

CRS Scores and The Express Entry Pool

Note that we update these figures once per month, not after each draw.*

How Many People Have a CRS Score of 500+?

Given the very high scores we’ve been seeing for the Canadian Experience Class draws this year (when IRCC holds them), we’re seeing a lot more people asking about scores in the 500+ range. We’ve studied trends in the CRS score range data over time to see how many people usually have a CRS score of 500+ at any point in the Express Entry pool.

The massive drop in candidates in April 2025 reflects the timing of IRCC removing the 50-200 point boost for a valid job offer.

Will The CRS Drop Below 500?

As you can see, the number of people in the Express Entry pool with a score of 500+ has started creeping up again after the points removal. This indicates that scores are likely to remain very competitive (above 500+ for 2025). It’s possible that scores will stay above 520+ for the rest of this year since there are high volumes of people entering into the 501-600 range. In fact, 119 candidates were added to the 501-600 range between May 12 and May 13.

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.

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

601-1200 Range

This range doesn’t typically see the huge numbers of candidates that we see in the 501+ and 451-500 ranges. 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.

501-600 Range

We discussed this range in depth above. Check out the discussion there for our thoughts.

451-500 Range

Growth at the 451-500 range has been very steady over the past months. The pool is extremely competitive within these ranges, which does mean that IF the score were to drop below 500+ (which we don’t think is likely at this point), then every point you have will count.

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

Between May 12 and May 13, 2025, every subrange within the 451–500 band ticked upward by roughly 28–41 candidates:

• 491–500: 12,399 → 12,429 (+30)

• 481–490: 12,663 → 12,704 (+41)

• 471–480: 16,612 → 16,641 (+29)

• 461–470: 16,663 → 16,691 (+28)

• 451–460: 15,245 → 15,276 (+31)

401-450 Range

April 14: 67,301

May 13: 69,673

Change: +2,372 candidates

351-400 Range

April 14: 53,479

May 13: 53,684

Change: +205 candidates

301-350 Range

April 14: 22,799

May 13: 22,069

Change: –730 candidates

0-300 Range

April 14: 8,563

May 13: 8,452

Change: –111 candidates

Other Trends in The Express Entry Pool

1. On May 13, the Express Entry pool reached 250,082 profiles—the first time topping a quarter-million candidates in 2025. This continued upward trend from 246,673 on April 27 and 249,969 on May 12 underscores persistent high demand, which is likely to persist through 2025.
2. The 501–600 band edged up from 22,316 to 22,435 on May 12–13 and grew by 1,727 candidates since April 27 (from 20,708), showing strong recovery after the mid-April policy shakeup.

3. Since January 7 (227,305 candidates) through May 13 (250,082 candidates), the pool grew by 22,777 candidates over roughly 4 months. That works out to an average increase of about 5,694 candidates per month.

   If we break it down month-to-month at our major data points:

Jan 7 → Feb 4: +5,408

Feb 4 → Mar 3: –4,891 (dip after large draws)

Mar 3 → Apr 14: +16,460 (post-pause rebound + policy shift)

Apr 14 → May 12/13: +5,687

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. A free Moving2Canada account can help. You’ll receive free access to our newsletters, immigration checklists, and a host of other settlement resources — all tailored to your immigration journey. Sign up here.