Express Entry in 2025: Trends, Shifts, and What It Means for Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan

As Canada moves into the final quarter of 2025, the Express Entry system is undergoing one of its most significant evolutions since its inception. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has adjusted both draw strategies and program targets in response to the federal government’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, tabled last year.

The data from this year’s draws depicts the direction of IRCC’s priorities: more targeted draws, a stronger emphasis on applicants already in Canada, and a long-term recalibration of immigration volumes to balance labour market needs with housing, integration, and economic sustainability.

Canada Express Entry in 2025: By the Numbers

As of November 25, 2025, Canada has issued 87,476 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) across 50 rounds of invitations. The following breakdown is compiled from IRCC’s publicly available ministerial instructions table:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 23,850 ITAs (12 draws)
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 9,376 ITAs (21 draws)
• French Language Proficiency (Category-based): 36,000 ITAs (7 draws)
• Healthcare & Social Services Occupations: 13,500 ITAs (6 draws)
• Education Occupations: 3,500 ITAs (2 draws)
• Trade Occupations: 1,250 ITAs (1 draw)

A few key themes emerge:

1. CEC-Focused Pathways – With 11 rounds and consistently high cut-off scores (in the 518–547 CRS range), IRCC is clearly prioritizing candidates with Canadian work experience. This aligns with the plan’s focus on transitioning temporary residents already in the country to permanent status.
2. Francophone Immigration Surge – 36,000 ITAs have been issued through the French-language stream alone, which has already surpassed targets for 2025, thus reflecting Canada’s goal of raising Francophone immigration outside Quebec.
3. Occupation-Based Targeting – Healthcare, education, and trades have each received dedicated rounds, consistent with labour market shortages in these critical areas. Over 13,500 ITAs were issued to healthcare and social services professionals in 2025 alone.
4. Sustained PNP Activity – With 22 separate PNP rounds, provinces remain key drivers in distributing immigration benefits regionally, even though total ITAs under PNP remain relatively modest compared to other streams.

CEC Draws in 2025: An Overview

As of November 12, 2025, the Canadian Experience Class has seen 12 draws, issuing a total of 23,850 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), per IRCC’s published round data. CRS cut-offs have generally remained high, ranging between the low 520s and mid-540s earlier in the year, before stabilizing around 533–534 in recent months.

Recent draw history shows important trends:

1. Early 2025 – Larger Rounds: The largest draws took place in January and February, each issuing 4,000 ITAs with CRS cut-offs between 521–542, emphasizing in-Canada applicants.
2. Mid-Year – Consistency: During June and July, CEC rounds averaged 3,000 ITAs with CRS scores above 520.
3. Late 2025 – Smaller, Controlled Draws: Since August, IRCC has maintained smaller CEC draws of around 1,000 ITAs at CRS 533, suggesting tighter intake control.

How This Connects to the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan

The 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, released in late 2024, signalled a pause in the upward trajectory of immigration admissions. By reducing targets by approximately 105,000 in 2025 compared to earlier projections, Canada aimed to relieve housing and infrastructure pressures while still meeting labour market needs.

Key elements of the plan stand out, all of which are visible in 2025’s Express Entry results:

1. Prioritizing in-Canada applicants. With more than 23,000 CEC ITAs, IRCC continues to focus on transitioning temporary residents already working in Canada.
2. Targeted Draws for Key Sectors – Dedicated rounds for healthcare, education, and trades ensure immigration directly supports critical labour needs.
3. Strengthening Francophone immigration. French-language draws issuing 36,000 ITAs emphasize IRCC’s push to increase Francophone admissions outside Quebec, in line with rising targets set for 2025–2027.
4. PNP consistency. Consistent PNP draws throughout the year ensures that immigration continues to support regional economic growth, another goal explicitly outlined in the Plan.

In March 2025, IRCC also removed job-offer points from the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), a significant reform that has influenced competitiveness and shifted draw outcomes, particularly in general rounds.

The Broader Impact: What Applicants Should Know

For prospective immigrants and their families, 2025 Express Entry trends indicate several clear takeaways:

• CRS Cut-Offs Remain High: With reduced PR admissions and a focus on targeted draws, CEC cut-offs remain high, with smaller draws as of late, while PNP rounds continue to yield very high scores — typically in the 700+ range due to the 600-point nomination boost.
• French Language Advantage: The surge in Francophone invitations confirms that strong French proficiency offers a distinct edge across categories.
• Occupation-Based Pathways: Healthcare, trades, and education professionals are benefiting from lower CRS thresholds within category-based draws. Professionals in the healthcare sector benefited in a large draw.
• Plan Early for PR Transition: With Canada reducing temporary resident volumes, those on study or work permits should prepare early to transition to PR as pathways like PGWP evolve.

Looking Ahead to 2026: The Next Chapter in Canada’s Immigration Strategy

With the release of Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC is signalling another shift in how Express Entry will function — one centred on balance, sustainability, and tighter alignment with economic priorities.

Restoring Control to the Immigration System

After several years of historically high immigration, the federal government is intentionally slowing intake to manage pressures on housing, healthcare, and infrastructure.

While permanent resident admissions will remain stable at 380,000 per year, the proportion of economic-class immigrants—most of whom are selected through Express Entry—will rise to 64%, the highest share in decades.

This means Express Entry will likely become the primary pathway for permanent migration, but competition will remain intense given fewer overall admissions and stricter criteria.

The plan also caps the number of temporary residents to 385,000 in 2026 (down nearly 40% from 2025), aiming to bring temporary residents below 5% of Canada’s total population.

This reduction could directly affect Express Entry because it:

1. Limits the future pool of CEC-eligible candidates (fewer workers and graduates inside Canada).
2. May lead to higher CRS cut-offs as fewer in-Canada applicants are available to fill economic immigration targets.
3. Could prompt IRCC to expand or recalibrate category-based draws to meet labour shortages in priority sectors.

Focusing on Skilled Talent and Stability

The plan’s focus on skilled trades, healthcare, and technology suggests that these fields will continue to be the focus of Express Entry category-based rounds into 2026 and beyond.

Applicants with expertise in these occupations—or with strong French language proficiency—can expect more frequent and targeted draws, often at slightly lower CRS thresholds than general rounds.

Two new one-time initiatives will also shape Express Entry indirectly:

1. Granting permanent residence to 115,000 protected persons already in Canada will free up capacity for economic immigration in later years.
2. Fast-tracking 33,000 skilled temporary workers (especially in rural and high-demand regions) may influence regional PNP draws.

Supporting Communities and Francophone Growth

Express Entry’s French language stream will remain central, as the government’s Francophone immigration target rises to 10.5% by 2028.

Candidates who combine French skills with Canadian work experience or high-demand occupations will likely enjoy the greatest selection advantage under this policy direction.

What This Means for the Future of Express Entry

The 2026–2028 Plan represents a strategic recalibration of Express Entry from a volume-based system to a precision-based selection model.

Instead of maximizing total admissions, IRCC is now focusing on who enters Canada—emphasizing skills, sectoral demand, and long-term economic fit.

Here’s what applicants can expect moving forward:

1. Higher Competition, Not Higher Intake: With stable PR targets and fewer temporary residents feeding into the CEC, Express Entry draws will likely remain competitive. CRS scores may hover at or above 530 for general draws.
2. More Category-Based Draws: Expect frequent rounds targeting healthcare, trades, technology, and French-language candidates as IRCC continues to fine-tune economic outcomes.
3. Increased Weight on Language and Experience: Strong English and French proficiency, verified Canadian work experience, and education in high-demand fields will continue to drive selection.
4. Ongoing PNP Importance: Provincial programs will remain essential for candidates with CRS scores below the federal cut-offs, offering more region-specific opportunities.
5. Sustained Policy Fluidity: IRCC is expected to adjust draw frequencies and criteria dynamically, responding to monthly labour data and economic forecasts rather than fixed annual quotas.

In short, Express Entry in 2026 and beyond will reward alignment — those whose profiles directly match Canada’s labour and demographic goals will rise to the top of the pool.

How Nihang Law Can Support You

Canada’s 2025 Express Entry system is more competitive, more targeted, and more aligned with long-term sustainability goals than ever before. Those planning to immigrate must pay close attention to policy shifts, sectoral priorities, and language targets in order to maximize their chances of selection.

At Nihang Law Professional Corporation, we recognize that navigating Canada’s immigration system in 2025 requires careful strategy and up-to-date knowledge. With higher CRS thresholds, an emphasis on Canadian work experience, and new priorities in health care, trades, education, and Francophone immigration, many applicants are uncertain about their best path forward.

Our team provides clear and practical guidance to help you position yourself for success, whether that means strengthening your Express Entry profile, exploring provincial nomination opportunities, or transitioning from temporary status to permanent residency. We work closely with clients to ensure applications are complete, persuasive, and aligned with the latest immigration priorities set out in Canada’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan.

Contact Nihang Law Today

If you are considering your next steps toward permanent residency, we encourage you to reach out to our office. A consultation with our immigration lawyers can give you the clarity and confidence to move forward with a plan that fits your circumstances and maximizes your chances of getting a draw.

Contact Nihang Law today to begin your immigration journey with trusted guidance.