Maple News reports that on August 18, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a targeted Express Entry draw for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates, issuing 192 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required was 800 — a significant increase of 61 points from the previous PNP-specific draw held on August 6, which invited 225 candidates.
This latest draw places increased emphasis on candidates with both provincial nominations and robust CRS profiles. By comparison, the previous draw on August 8 focused on French-speaking candidates, inviting 2,500 applicants with a much lower minimum CRS score of 481, reflecting Canada’s ongoing efforts to support bilingual immigration.
So far in 2025, the federal government has conducted 31 Express Entry draws, including:
– 15 targeting PNP candidates
– Eight focused on Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
– Four for French-speaking applicants
– One for education-related occupations
– Three for healthcare and social services professionals
Looking back at previous years, IRCC issued 98,903 ITAs in 2024 and 110,266 in 2023. The record remains 114,431 ITAs in 2021, all issued under CEC and PNP streams. As of now in 2025, Canada has issued 53,320 ITAs across various Express Entry categories.
The tie-breaking rule for the August 18 draw was based on Express Entry profiles submitted before February 11, 2025, at 3:17 p.m. EST. This means that among candidates with a score of 800, only those who submitted their profiles before this timestamp received invitations.
Candidates who receive an ITA now have 60 days to submit their complete permanent residence application. IRCC aims to process these applications within six months, following the department’s standard timeline.
For employers in Canada looking to fill skills gaps through immigration, Maple News highlights the importance of leveraging tools like the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or nominating candidates through PNPs to enhance employee retention and support immigration efforts.
As Express Entry continues to evolve with category-specific draws, candidates are encouraged to boost their profiles through language proficiency, education, and Canadian job offers — steps that can substantially improve their chances of receiving an ITA in upcoming draws.