Canada's Express Entry: Latest Draw Sees PNP Favoured Again, 511 Candidates Invited
加拿大移民、难民及公民部（IRCC）于2025年5月12日（加拿大时间）进行了本月第三次快速通道（Express Entry）抽签，再次将橄榄枝伸向了已获得省提名（PNP）的候选人群体。
在此次专项抽签中，共有511名已成功获得加拿大某一省份或地区提名的申请人收到了宝贵的移民邀请函（ITA）。获邀者需满足以下两个核心条件方能入选：
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 706; and
- Created an Express Entry candidate profile before 10:35 p.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on 4 March, 2025.
This PNP-specific draw followed category-based selections on May 1 for education professionals and May 2 for healthcare and social services professionals, constituting IRCC's intensive talent acquisition efforts in May. These targeted invitations reflect Canada's strategy to actively address labor shortages in key sectors.
To date, the total number of ITAs issued through the Express Entry system in 2025 has steadily risen to 33,940.
In-depth Analysis of 2025 Express Entry Draw Trends
Reviewing the Express Entry invitation strategy for 2025 thus far, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates have undoubtedly been a primary focus for IRCC, dominating in terms of draw frequency. Other draws have concentrated on Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, as well as those in IRCC's priority categories for 2025, such as French-speaking candidates and professionals in the education, healthcare, and social services sectors.
Below is a detailed record of Express Entry draws in 2025 to date:
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12 | Provincial Nominee Program | 511 | 706 |
| May 2 | Healthcare and social services | 500 | 510 |
| May 1 | Education | 1,000 | 479 |
| April 28 | Provincial Nominee Program | 421 | 727 |
| April 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 825 | 764 |
| March 21 | French language proficiency | 7,500 | 379 |
| March 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 536 | 736 |
| March 6 | French language proficiency | 4,500 | 410 |
| March 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 725 | 667 |
| February 19 | French language proficiency | 6,500 | 428 |
| February 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 646 | 750 |
| February 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 521 |
| February 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 455 | 802 |
| January 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 527 |
| January 8 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,350 | 542 |
| January 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 471 | 793 |
Number of Express Entry Draws by Category in 2025:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 8 |
| French-language proficiency | 3 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 3 |
| Education | 1 |
| Healthcare and social services | 1 |
Understanding the Express Entry Applicant Pool
Canada's Express Entry system attracts a diverse pool of applicants from over 100 countries annually. It is important to note that Canada selects skilled immigrants based not on their country of origin, but on their potential to succeed in the Canadian labor market, as assessed by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
The CRS meticulously evaluates candidates on a range of human capital attributes, including age, education level, proficiency in English and/or French, Canadian and foreign work experience, and whether they have a Canadian job offer or provincial nomination. This merit-based selection model ensures Canada can accurately attract highly skilled individuals with diverse expertise and occupational backgrounds from around the world, continuously fueling the nation's economic prosperity and social development.
Canada Announces 2026 Study Permit Target: Total Allocation Reduced to 408,000, Down 7% from 2025
On November 25, the Government of Canada officially released its 2026 study permit allocation and distribution plan for international students. According to newly published data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the total number of study permits to be issued in 2026 will be capped at 408,000. This continues the federal government’s trend of tightening temporary resident levels, representing a 7% decrease from the 2025 cap of 437,000 and a 16% decrease compared to 485,000 in 2024. The new plan outlines detailed allocation rules by student category, confirms exemptions from Provincial Attestation Letters (PAL) for master’s and PhD students, and distributes PAL-required application volumes and anticipated approvals across provinces based on population share.
11/27/2025
Manitoba invites more in-Canada and overseas skilled workers to apply for provincial nomination
On November 21, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) issued 35 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) to skilled workers both inside and outside Canada. This round of selections continued to prioritize candidates identified through Strategic Recruitment Initiatives (SRIs), including Employer Services, Francophone Community, Regional Communities, and the Temporary Public Policy. The program also reminded applicants to ensure all key information—such as language test numbers and invitation numbers—is correctly entered to avoid affecting their eligibility.
11/26/2025
Prince Edward Island Holds Largest Provincial Nominee Draw of the Year, Focusing on In-Province Workers and International Graduates
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11/25/2025
British Columbia Expands Entrepreneur Immigration Invitations, Marking Largest Draw of 2025
On November 18, British Columbia held its largest entrepreneur immigration draw of the year, issuing invitations through both the Base and Regional streams of its Entrepreneur Immigration Program. Minimum scores and invitation numbers varied by stream, reflecting the province’s continued 2025 strategy of prioritizing candidates with high economic impact.
11/24/2025
Alberta Issues 1,125 Provincial Nominee Invitations in Mid-November, Maintaining High-Frequency Draws Across Key Streams
In mid-November 2025, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) issued a total of 1,125 provincial nominee invitations across two rounds, targeting candidates in the Healthcare Priority sector under Express Entry as well as the Alberta Opportunity Stream. The November 14 draw invited 80 healthcare candidates with a minimum score of 52, while the November 10 draw issued 1,045 invitations under the Opportunity Stream—a notably large round this year. With Alberta receiving over 1,500 additional nominations in September, bringing its 2025 total to 6,403, the province continues to strengthen efforts to retain local workers and attract healthcare professionals.
11/22/2025
Canada’s Conservatives Push for Major Amendments to Border and Immigration Bill C-12
On November 20, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, announced that the Conservative Party will introduce a wide-ranging package of amendments to the federal government’s border security and immigration legislation, Bill C-12. She argued that Canada’s immigration system is under intense pressure and must undergo structural reform as soon as possible. The proposed amendments will focus on modernizing asylum procedures, strengthening border enforcement and security screening, adjusting criminality and removal thresholds, and increasing transparency across federal immigration bodies. The initiative comes amid rising asylum numbers, sustained growth in temporary residents, mounting pressure on housing and social services, and heightened scrutiny of immigration-related security reports—highlighting how immigration has become a heated issue in Canada and globally.
11/21/2025
Alberta Announces Sweeping Changes to AAIP Rural Renewal Stream: Community Quotas and New Work Permit Rules to Take Effect in 2026
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11/20/2025
Ontario Suspends Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream and Returns All Applications
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11/19/2025
Newfoundland and Labrador issues 330 ITAs in latest draw, marking the largest round since July
On November 12, 2025, Newfoundland and Labrador issued a total of 330 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), marking the largest draw since July. With 220 invitations going to NLPNP candidates, the province continues to rely heavily on its provincial nomination channels. As the province reaches its 13th draw of the year and prepares for expanded federal PNP admission targets in 2026, nomination allocations may increase further.
11/18/2025
IRCC releases latest processing time update with notable shifts across key immigration categories
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its latest processing time update on November 12, 2025, covering citizenship applications, permanent resident (PR) cards, family sponsorship programs, economic immigration categories, study permits, and work permits. The update reflects real-world timelines for 80% of applications and is refreshed weekly or monthly depending on the category. The latest data shows significant increases in processing times for parents and grandparents under family sponsorship, while Express Entry streams remain stable. Business immigration and several Quebec programs continue to face multi-year backlogs. IRCC emphasizes that processing times are estimates only and can vary depending on an applicant’s location, background checks, case complexity, and IRCC’s operational capacity.
11/17/2025
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