Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted another Express Entry draw, inviting 800 candidates with French-language proficiency to apply for permanent residency. To qualify, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 466.
December brought the second Express Entry draw, with another Provincial Nominee Program candidates held in PNP draw on 2nd of December. As many as six draws and in November IRCC conducted where in a total of 5,507 ITAs have issued for permanent residence.
Consistent trends have emerged in recent months, with frequent draws targeting candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and the PNP. This trend is expected to continue with the introduction of the new “In-Canada” category, which focuses on applicants with Canadian work or study experience. This category may also include candidates from the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
Under Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan, the “In-Canada” category has been allocated 82,980 permanent residence admissions, which is more than 40% of all planned admissions next year.
French-speaking candidates continue to be a focus for IRCC. The number of permanent residence spots allocated to Francophone immigrants outside Quebec will increase to 29,235 in 2025, with further increases planned for 2026 and 2027 as part of IRCC’s Francophone immigration strategy.
Latest Draw Details
- Draw Date: December 3, 2024
- Draw Type: French Language Proficiency
- Number of Invitations: 800
- Minimum CRS Score Required: 466
Express Entry Draws List
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
| December 3 | French Language Proficiency | 800 | 466 |
| December 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 676 | 705 |
| November 20 | Healthcare Occupations | 3,000 | 463 |
| November 19 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 539 |
| November 18 | Provincial Nominee Program | 174 | 816 |
| November 15 | French Language Proficiency | 800 | 478 |
| November 13 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 547 |
| November 12 | Provincial Nominee Program | 733 | 812 |
| October 23 | Trade Occupations | 1,800 | 433 |
| October 22 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 539 |
| October 21 | Provincial Nominee Program | 648 | 791 |
| October 10 | French Language Proficiency | 1,000 | 444 |
| October 9 | Canadian Experience Class | 500 | 539 |
| October 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,613 | 743 |
| September 19 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 509 |
| September 13 | French Language Proficiency | 1,000 | 446 |
| September 9 | Provincial Nominee Program | 911 | 732 |
| August 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,300 | 507 |
| August 26 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,121 | 694 |
| August 15 | French Language Proficiency | 2,000 | 394 |
| August 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,200 | 509 |
| August 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 763 | 690 |
| July 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 5,000 | 510 |
| July 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 964 | 686 |
| July 18 | French language proficiency | 1,800 | 400 |
| July 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,300 | 515 |
| July 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,391 | 670 |
| July 8 | French proficiency | 3,200 | 420 |
| July 5 | Healthcare occupations | 3,750 | 445 |
| July 4 | Trade occupations | 1,800 | 436 |
| July 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 920 | 739 |
| June 19 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,499 | 663 |
| May 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 522 |
| May 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 2,985 | 676 |
| April 24 | French proficiency | 1,400 | 410 |
| April 23 | General | 2,095 | 529 |
| April 11 | STEM occupations | 4,500 | 491 |
| April 10 | General | 1,280 | 549 |
| March 26 | French language proficiency | 1,500 | 388 |
| March 25 | General | 1,980 | 524 |
| March 13 | Transport occupations | 975 | 430 |
| March 12 | General | 2,850 | 525 |
| February 29 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 336 |
| February 28 | General | 1,470 | 534 |
| February 16 | Agriculture and agri-food occupations | 150 | 437 |
| February 14 | Healthcare occupations | 3,500 | 422 |
| February 13 | General | 1,490 | 535 |
| February 1 | French language proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
| January 31 | General | 730 | 541 |
| January 23 | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| January 10 | General | 1,510 | 546 |
Overview of Express Entry
Express Entry is Canada’s web-based application management system. It deals with three types of federal economic immigration programs:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Express Entry-aligned PNP streams also invite candidates as enhanced provincial nominations through this system.
It awards ranking using the Comprehensive Ranking System, which ranks candidates with regard to factors such as age, education, work experience, and proficiency in language. A nomination by a province adds 600 CRS points, increasing a candidate’s chances of an ITA immensely.
Applicants can score additional points if they have siblings in Canada, apply with a spouse, or if they combine their Canadian and international work or education experience.
Recently, IRCC introduced category-based selection draws targeting candidates with specific skills, occupations, or language abilities that align with Canada’s labor market and demographic needs. The CRS cut-offs for such draws are often lower than general or program-specific draws, providing more opportunities for candidates in targeted categories to receive ITAs.
