Canada's Express Entry Holds Second Draw in a Week, a Major Boost for Experience Class Candidates
Canada's federal department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued a new round of invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Express Entry system, marking the second draw to be held within the same week.
This draw, conducted on June 26, Canadian time, was exclusively for candidates in the "Canadian Experience Class" (CEC). According to official data, a total of 3,000 eligible candidates received the coveted invitation to apply for permanent residence.
To be invited, candidates had to meet the following two conditions:
- A score of no less than 521 on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
- Their Express Entry profile must have been created before November 21, 2024, at 3:56 p.m. (Coordinated Universal Time, UTC). This "tie-breaking rule" means that even among candidates with a score of 521, only those who submitted their profile before this specific date and time received an invitation.
2025 Invitation Overview and Recent Dynamics
Since the beginning of 2025, IRCC has continuously selected global talent through the Express Entry system. As of this draw, a cumulative total of 41,845 ITAs have been issued this year.
The month of June has been particularly active for draws. In addition to this CEC draw, two targeted draws for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were held on June 23 and June 10, along with another smaller-scale CEC draw on June 12.
Looking at the data for the year, candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) remain the primary target for IRCC invitations, with a total of 11 draws. The remaining invitations have been allocated to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, those with strong French-language proficiency, and candidates in specific occupation-based categories. The breakdown is as follows:
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 11 draws
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 6 draws
- French-language proficiency: 3 draws
- Healthcare and Social Services: 2 draws
- Education: 1 draw
A Shift in Draw Trends? CEC Category May Regain Focus
This CEC draw signals a notable change: it is the first time since early February that IRCC has conducted invitations for the CEC category in consecutive weeks within its regular (typically bi-weekly) draw schedule.
Reviewing the period from February to early June, IRCC's strategy clearly favored PNP candidates and, to a lesser extent, targeted selections based on specific occupations (such as healthcare and education), while almost completely pausing large-scale, general draws for the CEC category. Furthermore, the number of invitations in those draws was significantly smaller than the 3,000 seen today.
Therefore, this large-scale and high-frequency CEC draw may indicate a shift in IRCC's strategy, potentially renewing its focus on the pool of applicants who are already in Canada and possess local work experience. However, it is still too early to determine if this marks a definitive long-term trend. The next few draws will be crucial in assessing whether a true policy shift is underway.
Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 3000 | 521 |
| June 26 | Provincial Nominee Program | 503 | 742 |
| June 12 | Canadian Experience Class | 3000 | 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 |
Canada Charts Course for 2025-2026 Immigration Policy: New PR Pathway Planned Amid Continued Tightening of Temporary Resident Rules
On June 20, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) unveiled its 2025-2026 Departmental Plan, setting a clear direction for immigration policy over the next two years. The plan introduces new immigration avenues for specific groups while continuing and reinforcing the policy of tightening controls on the temporary resident population, a trend that began in 2024. Key measures include proposing the conversion of the 'Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot' into a permanent immigration stream, creating a new work permit for the agriculture and fish processing sectors, adjusting eligibility for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) and Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWPs), and explicitly capping the temporary resident population at 5% of Canada's total population. These initiatives reflect the Canadian government's balancing act between attracting needed talent and alleviating pressure on domestic social services.
06/27/2025
Canada's Express Entry Holds Second Draw in a Week, a Major Boost for Experience Class Candidates
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has once again issued invitations through the Express Entry system this week. This latest draw was exclusively for candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) who have prior work experience in Canada. A total of 3,000 candidates were invited to apply for permanent residence, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 521. This marks the first time since February that IRCC has held large-scale CEC draws in consecutive weeks, sparking discussions about a potential shift in future immigration selection trends.
06/27/2025
Canada Overhauls PGWP-Eligible Programs to Align with 2025 Labour Market Demands
On June 25, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a sweeping overhaul of the eligible fields of study for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). The changes, designed to align the program with Canada's projected labour market needs for 2025, introduce 119 new eligible programs while removing 178. The new policy heavily favors fields such as healthcare, education, and the trades, while significantly scaling back eligibility for programs in transport and agriculture. These adjustments will primarily impact international students in non-degree programs who apply for their study permit on or after November 1, 2024.
06/26/2025
McGill University Named Canada's Top Institution in 2026 QS World University Rankings, with Four Schools in Global Top 100
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06/25/2025
Canada's Express Entry Latest: Targeted Draw for Provincial Nominees as CRS Score Remains High
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently held another draw through the Express Entry system, this time exclusively targeting candidates who have received a provincial nomination. A total of 503 candidates were invited, with a minimum CRS score of 742. This draw continues the 2025 trend of focusing heavily on the Provincial Nominee Program. To date, the total number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued this year is approaching 40,000. Concurrently, the department issued a strong reminder to all applicants regarding the necessity of ensuring the accuracy of their application information, warning that any form of misrepresentation will lead to severe consequences.
06/24/2025
New Brunswick Holds Intensive June PNP Draws, Inviting Over 600 Candidates in Four Rounds Across Two Days
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06/23/2025
PEI PNP Draw Focuses on Key Sectors, Issues First Entrepreneur Invitation of 2025
On June 19, 2025, Prince Edward Island (PEI) held its sixth Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw of the year, issuing a total of 52 invitations to apply. A key highlight of this draw was the first invitation of 2025 issued under the entrepreneur stream. The draw also underscores the province's current immigration strategy, which prioritizes skilled workers in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, trades, and manufacturing to address urgent labour market needs.
06/22/2025
Canada Eases Path for Global Educators with Simplified Certification and New Immigration Stream
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06/20/2025
Canada's New Immigration Policies Take Effect: Population Growth Nears Standstill as Q1 Increase Hits Recent Low
Recent data from Statistics Canada reveals that national population growth nearly stalled in the first quarter of 2025, with an increase of only about 20,000 people, or 0.0%. This significant slowdown is primarily attributed to a series of restrictive immigration policies implemented by the federal government to address domestic pressures on housing and social services, including sharp cuts to temporary resident numbers and lower targets for permanent resident admissions. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the key policy measures driving this change and their specific impacts on various visa applicants.
06/20/2025
Reversing the Trend: New Brunswick Secures Increased Immigration Allocation from Ottawa in Exchange for Welcoming Asylum Claimants
Facing a landscape of significant federal cuts to provincial immigration allocations for 2025, the province of New Brunswick has announced a unique agreement with the federal government. By committing to welcome up to 400 asylum claimants over the next two years, the province has successfully secured an additional 1,500 spots for its nominee program. This move increases its total annual immigration allocation to 4,250, effectively mitigating the pressure from an earlier 50% cut. The agreement not only breathes new life into New Brunswick's priority sectors but also serves as a potential model for other provinces grappling with similar challenges.
06/18/2025
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