Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 291 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates under the Express Entry system’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This draw, held on September 29, 2025, required a notably high minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 855. To be eligible, candidates needed to have submitted their Express Entry profile before 1:25 a.m. UTC on April 8, 2025.
This marks the seventh Express Entry draw by IRCC in September alone, following recent rounds focused on trades, education, and other PNP candidates. The high CRS threshold indicates that only applicants with a provincial nomination—worth an additional 600 CRS points—were likely to be selected in this latest draw.
So far in 2025, Canada has issued 65,838 ITAs through the Express Entry system. The bulk of these invitations have been directed at PNP candidates—a strategic move that aligns with Canada’s aim to support regional labor market needs and promote economic growth across provinces and territories.
Throughout the year, IRCC has conducted 17 PNP-specific draws, marking it as the most frequent draw type. These are followed by nine draws for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), five for candidates demonstrating French-language proficiency, four for those working in healthcare and social services, two for candidates in educational fields, and one focused on skilled trades.
The varied draw types reflect the increasing importance of Canada’s category-based immigration selection, which aims to target skilled professionals across priority occupation sectors and linguistic communities. IRCC continues to issue invitations aimed at addressing labor shortages and supporting economic priorities in specific domains.
Recent draws have shown significant diversity in eligibility criteria. For instance, the trades-focused draw on September 18 required a minimum CRS of 505 and issued 1,250 invitations. Meanwhile, the education stream drew 2,500 candidates on September 17 at a far lower CRS cut-off of 462.
Candidates interested in joining the Express Entry pool should aim to enhance their CRS profiles through avenues like provincial nominations, improving language test results, gaining more work experience, or pursuing additional education. With sharper focus on strategic skills, provincial alignment is proving to be a key differentiator in receiving an ITA.
As Canada continues to fine-tune its immigration strategy, Express Entry remains a dominant pathway for skilled immigrants hoping to build a future in the country. Stay tuned to Maple News for the latest updates on Express Entry and other immigration developments.