In the third draw of the year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued additional invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Express Entry pool. A total of 4,000 ITAs were extended to candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
To be eligible, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 527 and had to have submitted their Express Entry profiles by 7:06:43 am Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on July 23, 2024.
This draw follows a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on January 7 and a CEC draw on January 8. IRCC has stated its plans to continue issuing invitations to these candidates as part of the “In-Canada Focus” outlined in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan. The department aims to facilitate 82,890 new immigrant landings to Canada under this allocation in 2025.
Latest Draw Details
- Draw Date: January 23, 2025
- Draw Type: Canadian Experience Class
- Number of Invitations: 4,000
- Minimum CRS Score Required: 527
Express Entry Draws List
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
| January 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 527 |
| January 8 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,350 | 542 |
| January 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 471 | 793 |
Overview of Express Entry
Express Entry, established a decade ago, manages economic immigration programs, including:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
Additionally, enhanced PNPs allow provinces to nominate candidates through the Express Entry system, a process known as “enhanced nomination”.
In 2023, IRCC introduced category-based selections to better target candidates with specific professional skills or French-language abilities.
By 2025, Express Entry will become the primary pathway for immigration to Canada, with IRCC planning to welcome 124,680 newcomers under the program that year, as outlined in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan.
How Can I Increase My CRS Score?
The CRS awards points based on several factors, such as:
- Core human capital factors
- Skill transferability factors
- Spouse or common-law partner factors
- Additional factors
To improve their CRS score, candidates can take steps such as:
- Obtaining higher education credentials
- Improving language proficiency in English or French (with extra points for fluency in both languages)
- Gaining more Canadian or international work experience
- Securing a provincial nomination
- (If applicable) Earning a certificate of qualification in a trade occupation from a Canadian province, which can boost points when combined with strong language skills.
Note that the points awarded for these factors vary depending on whether an applicant has a spouse or common-law partner in their application. You can use the CRS calculator to better understand how your score might change.
The Continued Importance of Express Entry While the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was initially expected to overtake Express Entry in 2024, Express Entry remains Canada’s leading economic immigration pathway. According to the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC has increased its allocation for Express Entry from 110,770 landings in 2024 to 124,590 in 2025. In contrast, the allocation for PNPs has been reduced from 110,000 in 2024 to just 55,000 in 2025.
These changes will directly impact the number of ITAs issued. With reduced PNP allocations, fewer ITAs will be issued through base PNP streams in 2025 compared to 2024. Meanwhile, Express Entry programs will likely see an increase in ITAs to meet the higher landing targets. As a result, Express Entry remains a critical pathway for foreign skilled workers aiming to immigrate to Canada in 2025.
