Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued invitations to 646 candidates under the Express Entry system’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This latest round required candidates to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 750 and to have submitted their Express Entry profiles by 5:41 PM UTC on July 23, 2024.
This marks the third Express Entry draw held in February 2025, and the second to focus on provincial nominees. Earlier this month, a PNP draw on February 4 invited 455 candidates, followed by a larger draw on February 5 allocating 4,000 invitations to applicants under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Since the beginning of 2025, IRCC has concentrated its Express Entry invitations on specific program types—namely CEC and PNP. This shift in strategy has notably sidelined category-based draws for groups previously identified as priorities by IRCC, such as French-speaking candidates, healthcare professionals, and trades workers. Despite this, Canada’s 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan allocates 41,700 permanent resident spots to these category-based groups.
The latest draw reflects IRCC’s continued alignment with Canada’s broader immigration strategy, which aims to distribute skilled workers to provinces in need of their expertise. Provincial nominations significantly boost a candidate’s CRS score by 600 points, offering a practical route to permanent residence.
A review of Express Entry activity in 2025 underscores dynamic patterns. CRS cutoffs for PNP draws fluctuate: for example, 784 on June 10 for 125 PNP candidates, compared to 706 on May 12 when 511 candidates were invited. Meanwhile, category-based draws like those for French-speaking applicants and healthcare workers have seen lower CRS thresholds earlier in the year, such as 379 in March and 504 in June, respectively.
Despite higher CRS cutoffs in many PNP draws, IRCC encourages eligible individuals to enter the Express Entry pool. Doing so not only opens the door for direct invitations but also enhances opportunities to receive a provincial nomination, which can significantly improve a candidate’s ranking and chances of permanent residency.
As Canada continues to refine its immigration strategy under new political leadership, candidates should stay informed about emerging draw patterns and adjust their applications accordingly. For now, PNP and CEC applicants remain at the forefront of Canada’s efforts to welcome skilled immigrants.