Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.
The immigration department issued 202 ITAs in a draw for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates.
To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 788; and
- Created an Express Entry candidate profile before 11:50 p.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on 5 June 2025.
Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 26 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 521 |
| June 23 | 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 2 | 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 |
Today’s Express Entry draw is the third of the month, and follows a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw on 8 July, a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on 7 July, and another CEC draw on 26 June.
Thus far, IRCC has issued 45,403 ITAs through the Express Entry system in 2025.
Express Entry draws this year have primarily focused on PNP draws, with the remainder of Express Entry ITAs dedicated to CEC candidates, candidates with French-language proficiency, and those in the Express Entry priority occupation categories.
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 13 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 7 |
| French-language proficiency | 3 |
| Healthcare and social services | 3 |
| Education | 1 |
More recently, the Express Entry system has followed a pattern of PNP and CEC draws held every two weeks.
Is 40 years of age too old to immigrate through Express Entry?
Age is one of the factors that impact your CRS score. Candidates aged 20 to 29 receive the highest age-related points (110). From age 30 onward, the points gradually decline each year, reaching 0 at age 45. For example, at age 40, you receive 50 points for age, while at 45 or older, you receive none.
Although this scoring system lowers your age-related points after 40, it doesn’t mean your chances through Express Entry are gone. Two important pathways remain available and competitive for older applicants: category-based draws and provincial nominations.
Qualifying for a Category-Based Draw
Category-based draws offer a way to receive an ITA even with a lower CRS score. These draws focus on specific skills, work experience, or language ability that Canada wants to prioritize. For example, the lowest CRS cut-off for category-based draws in 2025 so far has been 379, compared to over 520 for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws.
IRCC has established six current categories for these draws. The categories serve as filters for candidates in the Express Entry pool, sorting them first by their occupational experience or language proficiency, before ranking them on their CRS scores (a process that tends to yield lower CRS cut-offs).
For more information on using category-based draws to immigrate through Express Entry, visit our dedicated article on the topic.
Securing a Provincial Nomination
Another highly effective strategy for Express Entry candidates over 40 is pursuing a provincial nomination through a PNP. All provinces and territories except Quebec and Nunavut participate in the PNP and offer over 80 pathways to permanent residence (PR).
If you receive a nomination through an Express Entry-aligned (enhanced) stream, you will gain an additional 600 CRS points. This bonus almost guarantees that you will surpass the CRS cut-off in an upcoming draw and receive an ITA.More information on enhanced PNP streams and other immigration options for candidates over the age of 40, can be found here.
