Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted a new Express Entry draw, inviting 192 candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). To receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA), candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 800 and must have submitted their Express Entry profiles before 7:17 p.m. UTC on February 11, 2025.
This is the fourth Express Entry draw of August and demonstrates IRCC’s ongoing commitment to welcoming skilled immigrants through the PNP. The draw follows recent selections for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) on August 7, a previous PNP draw on August 6, and a targeted healthcare and social services draw on July 22.
Express Entry is Canada’s flagship system for managing permanent residence applications from skilled workers. The PNP stream in particular allows provinces and territories to nominate individuals whose skills align with local labor market needs. Candidates nominated through a PNP receive an additional 600 points toward their CRS score, dramatically increasing their chances of receiving an ITA.
So far in 2025, IRCC has issued a total of 53,128 ITAs through the Express Entry system. Of these, PNP draws have been the most frequent, with 14 invitations rounds, followed by 8 for CEC candidates, 4 for French-language speakers, 3 focused on the healthcare and social services sector, and 1 draw dedicated to education professionals.
CRS cut-off scores have varied significantly across draws, reflecting the diversity of candidate pools and selection priorities. For example, the August 8 draw for French-speaking candidates saw a CRS cut-off of 481, far lower than the 800-point threshold seen in the latest PNP draw. These variations underline the importance of category-based selections in shaping Canada’s skilled immigration intake.
Since the introduction of category-based selection draws in 2023, IRCC has used multiple criteria beyond CRS scores to target candidates with specific professional expertise or language proficiency. This aligns with Canada’s strategy to attract talent that supports long-term economic growth in key industries and geographic regions.
According to Maple News, as Canada continues to refine its immigration programs, the Express Entry system remains a vital tool for selecting the most suitable applicants to contribute to the country’s evolving labor demands.
Future candidates are encouraged to keep their profiles up to date and monitor IRCC’s draw trends to maximize their chances of receiving an ITA in upcoming rounds.