The IRCC invites candidates to the first Express Entry Draw of the year.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) kicked off the year with its first Express Entry draw, issuing 471 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Candidates had to have a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 793 to be eligible for this round.

The Key Highlights of the Draw –
•    ITA – 471 ( PNP)
•    CRS Score- 793 

This draw follows the December concentration on PNP and French-language proficiency candidates, during which IRCC granted 2,561 ITAs over many rounds. These draws are consistent with IRCC's goal of focusing on priority categories like the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the PNP, and French-language candidates, as described in the Immigration Levels Plan. This trend, which began in 2024, is likely to continue to influence Canada's immigration situation in 2025.

Two categories of Immigration Plans - Federal Economic Priorities and In-Canada Focus.

IRCC's Immigration Levels Plan divides Express Entry candidates into two categories: "Federal Economic Priorities" and "In-Canada Focus." The Federal Economic Priorities category seeks applicants with strong French language skills and professional expertise in high-demand industries such as healthcare and skilled trades. On the other hand, the In-Canada Focus category comprises CEC, PNP, and other Express Entry program candidates, who make for a large portion of Canada's immigration targets.

In 2025, IRCC has set an ambitious goal of 124,680 landings through the Express Entry system, with the majority of admissions expected to come from the In-Canada Focus and Federal Economic Priority categories. This strategy shows that Canada is still dedicated to fixing the lack of workers in the job market and improving economic growth by luring skilled people from around the world.

The Express Entry program is still a major way for people to come to Canada for work. The IRCC makes sure that immigration rules keep up with the changing needs of Canada's economy and society by carefully aligning its actions with the country's goals. The  candidates are picked through three subcategories – 

• Federal Skilled Workers Program ( FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Traders Program ( FSTP)
• Canadian experience Class (CEC)

Today is the time to see if you can use Express Entry to move to Canada if you want to.  With the  help of Meritide Visas you can use the free Express Entry test to find out if you are eligible and to begin the process of becoming a permanent resident of Canada.