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Canada’s Express Entry Draw Invites 4,500 with Lowest CRS Cut-Off Since August 2024
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently sent out 4,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Express Entry candidates, focusing on those with French-language proficiency.
To qualify, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 410 and had to submit their Express Entry profile before 7:47 a.m. UTC on February 11, 2025.
This was the second draw in March, following a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on March 3. So far this year, IRCC has mainly targeted in-Canada applicants, with four PNP draws and three Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws completed.
Express Entry Draws List of 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
| 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 |
As of March 6, 2025, IRCC has conducted two category-based draws for French-speaking candidates, including one on February 19 that resulted in 6,500 ITAs.
New Priority Categories for 2025
IRCC introduced updated priority categories for 2025, adding education occupations to the list. The current categories are:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and social services occupations
- Trade occupations
- Education occupations
CRS Points for Job Offers, What’s Changing?
IRCC plans to eliminate CRS points for arranged employment later this year, which could lower some candidates’ scores by 50 to 200 points.
It’s important to know what qualifies as a valid job offer. Simply working in Canada or holding a work permit doesn’t automatically count. To earn CRS points, a job offer must:
- Be full-time and non-seasonal
- Last for at least one year
- Fall under NOC TEER categories 0, 1, 2, or 3
- Be issued within the past year
- Come from an employer who is not a diplomatic mission
Most valid job offers also require a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to show that no Canadian worker was available to fill the position.
If your CRS score relies on points from a job offer, you might be affected by this change. However, CRS points for Canadian or foreign work experience will remain unaffected.