As 2025 draws to a close, Maple News examines Canada’s Express Entry program activity over the year to highlight the types of candidates who were most successful in receiving invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence.
In total, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted 58 Express Entry draws in 2025 as of December 22, issuing nearly 118,000 ITAs across various draw categories. From Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) selections to French language and occupation-based category draws, trends have emerged showing where priority was placed.
One of the most insightful trends was the dominance of French language proficiency draws. These accounted for the highest number of ITAs—48,000 in total—despite having the lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score cut-offs. French-speaking candidates clearly had a competitive edge throughout 2025, reflecting Canada’s broader goals to support Francophone communities beyond Quebec.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) remained a key pathway for international graduates and temporary workers already living in Canada. CEC draws were the second most common, with 15 rounds and 35,850 ITAs issued. However, the CRS scores for CEC were among the highest—ranging from 515 to 547—indicating that only candidates with strong profiles (language proficiency, education, experience, and age) had a real chance at receiving an ITA.
Though PNP draws occurred most frequently (24 draws), they resulted in only 9,775 ITAs. This suggests that while provinces had ample opportunity to nominate candidates aligned with their labor needs, the volume of invitations through this route remained modest compared to others.
Significant attention was also directed toward the healthcare and social services category-based draws. A total of 14,500 ITAs were issued to professionals in fields such as nursing, social work, and healthcare support. These draws had lower CRS thresholds, offering a more accessible pathway for medical professionals amid Canada’s ongoing labor shortages in health-related sectors.
These patterns suggest that Canada remains focused on addressing specific labor market needs and language-based integration goals with its Express Entry system. Candidates proficient in French, health sector workers, and those with strong Canadian work experience were in the best position to succeed in 2025.
To illustrate these findings, Maple News has created fictional candidate profiles representative of those most likely to have received an ITA this year, highlighting how various combinations of skills and experience contributed to success in the Express Entry pool.