After a slower December in Express Entry draws, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has already resumed issuing Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for the 2025 immigration year, as part of its efforts to meet the landing targets for 2025.
Key trends observed in Express Entry draw types—including a continued focus on candidates from enhanced Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) and those with French-language proficiency—remained prominent through December 2024. These patterns provide insight into the likely candidate profiles IRCC will prioritize in future draws.
December 2024 saw only three Express Entry draws, a sharp contrast to the six draws held in both October and November, which issued a significantly higher number of ITAs.
This article will review the draws conducted in December 2024 and analyze the composition of the Express Entry pool at the start of 2025.
What draws took place in December 2024?
In December 2024, IRCC held three Express Entry draws: two targeted candidates from Express Entry-aligned PNPs, and the third invited candidates with French-language proficiency. A total of 2,561 ITAs were issued in December.
The number of ITAs issued in December reflects a decrease compared to November and October, as shown in the table below:
Month | ITAs Issued |
---|---|
October | 5,961 |
November | 5,507 |
December | 2,561 |
A summary of the draws conducted in December is as follows:
Draw No. | Date | Draw Type | ITAs Issued | CRS Cut-off Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
328 | December 2, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 676 | 705 |
329 | December 3, 2024 | French Language Proficiency | 800 | 466 |
330 | December 16, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,085 | 727 |
The prevalence of PNP and French-language proficiency draws in December is consistent with broader trends observed throughout the second half of 2024. The system has regularly featured an average of two PNP-focused draws and at least one French-language proficiency draw per month. This aligns with Canada’s updated Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027, which emphasizes increased immigration of Francophone candidates outside of Quebec.
Additionally, Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws were absent in December, unlike previous months where CEC candidates received invitations at similar rates to PNP nominees. This absence has led some analysts to speculate that it could be related to the potential removal of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for valid job offers, though IRCC has not confirmed this.
Current Composition of the Express Entry Pool
As of January 8, 2025, the composition of the Express Entry pool is as follows:
CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates |
---|---|
0-300 | 5,554 |
301-350 | 21,788 |
351-400 | 50,607 |
401-410 | 11,611 |
411-420 | 12,224 |
421-430 | 11,901 |
431-440 | 13,030 |
441-450 | 11,938 |
451-460 | 12,397 |
461-470 | 13,034 |
471-480 | 14,965 |
481-490 | 12,492 |
491-500 | 12,811 |
501-600 | 23,240 |
601-1200 | 171 |
Total | 227,763 |
This represents an increase of 6,453 candidates in the pool since December 16, 2024, with 52% of these new candidates falling into the 501-600 CRS score range.
CRS Score Distribution and Percentiles
The following table outlines the distribution of CRS scores in the Express Entry pool as of January 8, 2025, including the corresponding percentiles and the percentage of the overall pool within each score range:
CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates | Percentile Range | Percentage of Pool |
---|---|---|---|
0-300 | 5,554 | 0 – 2.44% | 2.44% |
301-350 | 21,788 | 2.44 – 12.00% | 9.57% |
351-400 | 50,607 | 12.00 – 34.22% | 22.22% |
401-410 | 11,611 | 34.22 – 39.32% | 5.10% |
411-420 | 12,224 | 39.32 – 44.69% | 5.37% |
421-430 | 11,901 | 44.69 – 49.91% | 5.23% |
431-440 | 13,030 | 49.91 – 55.63% | 5.72% |
441-450 | 11,938 | 55.63 – 60.88% | 5.24% |
451-460 | 12,397 | 60.88 – 66.32% | 5.44% |
461-470 | 13,034 | 66.32 – 72.04% | 5.72% |
471-480 | 14,965 | 72.04 – 78.61% | 6.57% |
481-490 | 12,492 | 78.61 – 81.66% | 5.48% |
491-500 | 12,811 | 81.66 – 89.72% | 5.62% |
501-600 | 23,240 | 89.72 – 99.92% | 10.20% |
601-1200 | 171 | 99.92 – 100.00% | 0.08% |
Candidates can use this data to assess their standing within the pool. Although several factors influence the CRS cut-off for draws, candidates with higher scores are always more likely to receive an ITA, especially as the composition of the pool shifts over time.