Maple News reports that Canada’s Express Entry pool grew modestly between April 12 and April 26, adding 897 profiles—far below the prior period’s gain of 2,193—but competition at the top end continues to intensify.
The 501–600 CRS band expanded by 250 profiles, marking the second consecutive period of growth after months of decline.
At the upper end, the 601–1,200 range gained 147 profiles, driven by new provincial nominees entering with 600-point CRS boosts.
Between April 12 and 26, the overall pool grew from 233,555 to 234,452 profiles.
A notable shift occurred in the mid-range bands: every 10-point bracket from 421 to 460 declined by a combined 1,317 profiles, likely reflecting the impact of the April 15 French-language proficiency draw (CRS cutoff 419) and the April 2 Trades Occupations draw (CRS cutoff 477).
Note: The April 26 pool snapshot does not reflect the three Express Entry draws held from April 27–29, which issued 6,473 Invitations to Apply (ITAs).
In addition, the April 28 Canadian Experience Class draw issued 2,000 invitations with a CRS cutoff of 514, and the tie-break date extended to September 24, 2025, signaling a persistent backlog at this score level.
Overall, eleven CRS score ranges posted small increases, while four declined.