Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its second Express Entry draw of the week on March 21, 2025, inviting 7,500 new candidates. This draw, focused on French-speaking applicants, represents the largest category-based invitation round of the year dedicated to French language proficiency.
To be eligible for this invitation round, candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 379. Additionally, eligible profiles must have been submitted before March 6, 2025, at 2:53 a.m. UTC. This particular draw also marks a significant milestone by featuring the lowest CRS cut-off for any Express Entry draw since February 29, 2024.
This is the fourth Express Entry draw in March and the second one focused on French language skills, following a draw held earlier on March 6 that invited 4,500 French-speaking candidates. These moves reflect IRCC’s continued strategy to attract bilingual talent and promote Canada’s official languages, in alignment with broader national immigration goals.
So far in 2025, IRCC has issued a total of 30,683 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through various Express Entry streams, including the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Healthcare and Social Services, Education, and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Notably, IRCC has shown a consistent preference for in-Canada applicants—a trend that began in mid-2024 and continues under newly appointed Immigration Minister Rachel Bendayan. Although Prime Minister Mark Carney has yet to release her official Mandate Letter, this strategic focus aligns with policy objectives he has previously endorsed.
Recent draws have featured high CRS thresholds for PNP candidates—frequently above 700—while targeted category-based selections like French language and healthcare professionals continue to see relatively lower cut-offs. This suggests IRCC’s ongoing commitment to targeted immigration as a tool for addressing labor market needs in key sectors.
This latest draw underscores the importance of language skills as a key immigration criterion and reaffirms the federal government’s support for French-speaking communities outside of Quebec.
Maple News will continue to monitor and report on Canada’s Express Entry developments as they unfold, offering credible insights for aspiring immigrants and employers alike.