Canada Holds New Express Entry Draw, Prioritizing Provincial Nominee Program Candidates
On September 15, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its fourth Express Entry draw of the month, continuing to issue Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to eligible immigration candidates.
This draw was a program-specific round for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), with a total of 228 candidates who had already received a provincial nomination being invited. To be invited, candidates had to meet two conditions:
- First, have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of no less than 746; and
- Second, have created and submitted their Express Entry profile before 1:39 p.m. Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on March 31, 2025.
The latter condition serves as the tie-breaking rule, meaning all candidates who scored 746 and submitted their profile before this specific time received an invitation. As a provincial nomination automatically adds 600 points to a candidate's CRS score, the minimum score of 746 in this draw indicates that invited candidates had a base score of at least 146 before receiving their nomination.
September has been an active month for draws. In addition to this PNP draw, IRCC also held a large-scale draw for French-language proficiency candidates on September 4, a smaller Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw on September 3, and another PNP draw on September 2.
Year-to-date figures for 2025 show that IRCC has issued a total of 57,297 ITAs through the Express Entry system. This year's draw strategy has placed a clear emphasis on candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program. Among all draw types, PNP-specific draws have been the most frequent, totaling 17.
The remaining invitations were allocated to candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (9 draws), those with French-language proficiency (5 draws), and category-based draws for specific priority occupations, including Healthcare and Social Services (4 draws) and Education (1 draw). This trend underscores that securing a provincial nomination remains a key pathway for applicants looking to enhance their competitiveness and receive an invitation through the Express Entry system.
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 17 draws
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 9 draws
- French-language proficiency: 5 draws
- Healthcare and social services: 4 draws
- Education: 1 draw
Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Newfoundland and Labrador Issues 217 Provincial Nominee and Atlantic Immigration Invitations
On September 26, 2025, the Newfoundland and Labrador Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism issued a total of 217 immigration application invitations through the Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). This marks the first time since the province implemented an Expression of Interest system for both immigration programs in February of this year that the number of Atlantic Immigration Program invitations exceeded those for the Provincial Nominee Program. To date, the province has issued a cumulative total of 2,821 provincial immigration invitations in 2025.
10/08/2025
IRCC Issues Over 4,000 Invitations, Benefiting French-Language Category Applicants
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system on October 6, 2025, specifically targeting candidates with French-language proficiency. This marks the second draw in October and one of the largest French-language category draws this year. To date, the Express Entry system has issued over 70,000 invitations in 2025, with French-language category candidates receiving the highest number of invitations.
10/07/2025
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Issues 485 Invitations to Skilled Workers and Entrepreneurs
On October 2, 2025, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted another round of draws for the year, issuing a total of 485 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination to candidates across two major immigration categories. The Skills Immigration category issued 474 invitations, marking the first reopening of this category since May 8, 2025. The Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream issued 11 invitations, continuing the province's policy direction of attracting entrepreneurial talent.
10/06/2025
Canada Targets U.S. H-1B Visa Applicants, Plans New Immigration Pathway
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently confirmed that the federal government is studying targeted measures to attract technical professionals affected by the new U.S. H-1B visa policy. This move comes in response to President Trump's sudden announcement of a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas. Canada previously launched a work permit program specifically for H-1B holders in July 2023, with 10,000 spots filling up in less than 48 hours, demonstrating strong market demand. Immigration experts and business groups are urging Canada to seize this opportunity, while also noting the need to streamline permanent residence application processes to truly retain talent.
10/04/2025
Canada Experience Class Immigration Issues 1,000 Invitations in First October Draw
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the first Express Entry draw of the month on October 1, 2025, issuing 1,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement for this draw was 534 points, and candidates needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 4:01 AM UTC on February 21, 2025. This marks the 10th CEC category draw of 2025, and the third consecutive draw maintaining both the 1,000-invitation scale and the 534-point threshold.
10/03/2025
Canada Closes Permanent Residence Pathway for Overseas Caregivers
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently updated its official website to indicate that the "applicants not working in Canada" stream under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP) has been officially closed. This stream was marked as "closed" on September 29, 2025, without ever having opened to accept applications since the program's launch. Despite this closure, overseas caregivers still have alternative pathways to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, and other routes. Industry analysts suggest this decision may be linked to severe application backlogs and the federal government's policy shift toward prioritizing the transition of temporary residents already in Canada to permanent residence status.
10/02/2025
Canada's Immigration Department Issues 291 Provincial Nominee Program Invitations via Express Entry in Late September
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 291 invitations to apply to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates through the Express Entry system on September 29, 2025. This marks the seventh draw in September and the 18th PNP category draw since the beginning of 2025. The draw required candidates to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 855 points.
10/01/2025
Prince Edward Island Issues 129 Provincial Nomination Invitations, Focusing on Healthcare, Trades and Other In-Demand Sectors
The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) conducted its ninth draw of 2025 on September 19, issuing 129 invitations to foreign nationals through the Labour and Express Entry category. The province continues to maintain a pace of approximately one draw per month, with a strategic focus on skilled workers in high-demand sectors including healthcare, trades, and manufacturing. Against the backdrop of reduced 2025 provincial nomination allocations by the federal government, Prince Edward Island is adjusting its immigration strategy to prioritize candidates who can meet the province's economic and labour market needs.
09/30/2025
New Brunswick Issues Over 1,000 Provincial Nomination Invitations in August, Focusing on Healthcare, Education, and Construction Industries
The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP) conducted four rounds of invitation draws between August 11 and 19, 2025, issuing a total of 1,052 invitations to apply for provincial nomination. These invitations were distributed through two channels: the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream and the New Brunswick Express Entry stream. To date, the province has issued a cumulative total of 3,067 invitations in 2025, exceeding its annual allocation of 3,000 nomination spots.
09/29/2025
Alberta Holds Three Immigration Draws in Mid-September, Issuing Over 1,400 Invitations to Tech, Law Enforcement, and General Workers
Between September 12 and 17, 2025, Alberta conducted three rounds of immigration invitations across different categories through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), issuing over 1,400 invitation letters to technology professionals, law enforcement workers, and candidates under the Alberta Opportunity Stream. This series of invitations demonstrates the province's targeted immigration strategy addressing specific labor market demands.
09/28/2025
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