IRCC issues 6,000 Express Entry invitations with second-lowest CRS cut-off of 2025
On November 28, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates with French-language proficiency through the Express Entry system. This round required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 408, and candidates needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 12:28 p.m. (UTC) on May 26, 2025. With the second-lowest CRS threshold of the year, the draw further illustrates IRCC’s ongoing prioritization of French-speaking talent.
1. Key details of the November 28 French-language draw
- Draw date: November 28, 2025
- Number of ITAs issued: 6,000
- Minimum CRS score: 408
- Profile creation deadline: May 26, 2025, 12:28 p.m. (UTC)
- Total French-language draws in 2025: 8
- Cumulative French-language ITAs issued in 2025: 42,000
French-language draws have been among the most prominent in 2025, consistently recording the largest draw sizes. Earlier rounds ranged from 4,500 to 7,500 ITAs, making this category the most frequently and heavily invited among all Express Entry streams this year.
2. Express Entry draw trends in 2025
This was IRCC’s sixth draw in November. Earlier this month, the department conducted:
- a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw on November 26,
- a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on November 25, and
- a Healthcare occupations draw on November 14.
To date, the Express Entry system has issued 94,476 ITAs in 2025, primarily targeting:
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates,
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applicants,
- French-language candidates, and
- Candidates within priority occupation categories such as healthcare, education, and trades.
Number of draws by category in 2025
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 22 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 13 |
| French-language proficiency | 8 |
| Healthcare and social services | 6 |
| Education | 2 |
| Trade | 1 |
3. Total ITAs issued by category in 2025
French-language and CEC candidates continue to receive the majority of invitations:
| Category | ITAs Issued |
|---|---|
| French-language proficiency | 42,000 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 24,850 |
| Healthcare and social services | 13,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 9,376 |
| Education | 3,500 |
| Trade | 1,250 |
4. Analysis: Rising demand for French-speaking newcomers
This year’s draw patterns show a clear and sustained federal strategy: increasing pathways for French-speaking newcomers to support bilingualism and strengthen Francophone communities across Canada. The low CRS threshold of this draw further highlights the advantageous position of French-speaking candidates in the Express Entry system throughout 2025.
Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 28 | French language proficiency | 6,000 | 408 |
| Nov 26 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 531 |
| Nov 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 777 | 699 |
| Nov 14 | Healthcare and social services | 3,500 | 462 |
| Nov 12 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 533 |
| Nov 10 | Provincial Nominee Program | 714 | 738 |
| Oct 29 | French language proficiency | 6,000 | 416 |
| Oct 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 533 |
| Oct 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 302 | 761 |
| Oct 15 | Healthcare and social services | 2,500 | 472 |
| Oct 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 345 | 778 |
| Oct 6 | French language proficiency | 4,500 | 432 |
| Oct 1 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 534 |
| Sept 29 | Provincial Nominee Program | 291 | 855 |
| Sept 18 | Trade | 1,250 | 505 |
| Sept 17 | Education | 2,500 | 462 |
| Sept 15 | Provincial Nominee Program | 228 | 746 |
| Sept 4 | French language proficiency | 4,500 | 446 |
| Sept 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 534 |
| Sept 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 249 | 772 |
| August 19 | Healthcare and social services | 2,500 | 470 |
| August 18 | Provincial Nominee Program | 192 | 800 |
| August 8 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 481 |
| August 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 534 |
| August 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 225 | 739 |
| July 22 | Healthcare and social services | 4,000 | 475 |
| July 21 | Provincial Nominee Program | 202 | 788 |
| July 8 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 518 |
| July 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 356 | 750 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 521 |
| June 26 | Provincial Nominee Program | 503 | 742 |
| June 12 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 529 |
| June 10 | Provincial Nominee Program | 125 | 784 |
| June 4 | Healthcare and social services | 500 | 504 |
| June 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 277 | 726 |
| May 13 | Canadian Experience Class | 500 | 547 |
| 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 |
IRCC issues 6,000 Express Entry invitations with second-lowest CRS cut-off of 2025
On November 28, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted another round of Express Entry invitations, issuing 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the French-language proficiency category. This round’s minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off was 408 — the second-lowest score recorded in 2025. It marks the eighth French-language draw of the year and the third-largest overall. With this round completed, French-speaking candidates have now received 42,000 ITAs in 2025, continuing to lead all categories. Year-to-date, IRCC has issued a total of 94,476 ITAs through the Express Entry system.
11/29/2025
Canada holds second monthly CEC draw, CRS score drops to lowest level since July
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted another Express Entry draw on November 26, 2025, inviting 1,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates to apply for permanent residence. This round set a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 531—the lowest CEC cut-off since July—and ended a five-draw streak where the CRS threshold was locked at 533 or 534. To date, IRCC has issued a total of 88,476 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system in 2025.
11/28/2025
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
The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) recently conducted its largest immigration draw of the year, issuing invitations to apply for provincial nomination to nearly 200 candidates through the "Labour & Express Entry" category. This draw primarily targeted candidates already working in the province, while giving priority consideration to applicants with French language proficiency and international graduates from specific institutions. This move reflects the province's strategic intent to attract skilled talent capable of directly contributing to the local economy.
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
The Government of Alberta has officially announced significant updates to the Rural Renewal Stream (RRS) under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), marking one of the most substantial overhauls since the program's inception. Scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, these changes are a response to a surge in community endorsements that have far exceeded the province’s federal nomination allocations. To realign the program with provincial economic priorities and manage labor market pressures, Alberta will implement four core changes: establishing annual endorsement allocation limits for designated communities, setting a one-year validity period for candidate endorsement letters, introducing a TEER-based occupation assessment model, and enforcing a mandatory requirement for all in-Canada applicants to hold a valid work permit at both the time of application and assessment.
11/20/2025
Ontario Suspends Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream and Returns All Applications
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has suspended its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream effective November 14, 2025, following a major program review that identified systemic misrepresentation and potential fraud. As part of the suspension, all in-progress applications will be returned with full refunds. The province states that the program’s current structure must be redesigned to ensure limited nomination spots benefit genuine candidates addressing Ontario’s skilled trades shortages. Affected applicants may submit a new Expression of Interest under another OINP stream if eligible.
11/19/2025
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