IRCC issues more CEC invitations in second Express Entry draw of the week

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system.

The department issued 4,000 ITAs to candidates in a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw.

To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 521 and to have created an Express Entry candidate profile on or before 2:52:14 am on November 14, 2024, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

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Today’s draw is the second of the week and follows a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on February 4, which invited a total of 455 candidates in enhanced PNP programs.

In January, IRCC issued a total of 5,821 ITAs to candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program, and enhanced PNP programs.

Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025

Date	Draw Type	Number of ITAs	Cut-off CRS score
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

Patterns in Express Entry draws

Based on Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan, it can be expected that the majority of invitations issued by IRCC throughout 2025 will revolve around the priority categories that the federal government has set through Express Entry. These are:

• CEC and PNP candidates (through the newly created “In-Canada Focus” category); and
• Category-based selection candidates—specifically healthcare, and trades workers, and candidates with advanced French-language proficiency—(through the “Federal Economic Priorities” category).

Between these two categories, IRCC hopes to welcome more than 124,000 new permanent residents in 2025.

The latter half of 2024 focused on inviting candidates who fit into these priority categories.

What is the difference between Express Entry and the PNPs?

In Canada, both the federal and provincial levels of government run their own immigration programs (with the federal government having the authority to deliver final approval of immigrants admitted through provincial and/or territorial pathways).

Express Entry is Canada’s largest federal immigration pathway, and contains three streams:

• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC);
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP); and
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

PNPs on the other hand are provincial and territorial immigration initiatives that include region-specific immigration streams, pilots, and programs. Each PNP is different depending on the needs of the province that runs it. PNPs are run to spread the benefit of immigration all across Canada.

PNP immigration programs can be either base or enhanced (Express Entry-aligned).

Base PNP programs feature two parts of the application procedure: first the applicant must apply and clear all associated steps with the provincial government, including:

• Submitting a candidate profile in an Expression of Interest (EOI) pool and
• Responding to an ITA (or equivalent) with a complete application for provincial nomination.

If a newcomer receives a provincial nomination, they may subsequently apply to IRCC directly for permanent residence (PR). Final approval for a PR application will come from the federal government.

Enhanced or Express Entry-aligned PNP streams allow newcomers to receive a provincial nomination while also being a part of the Express Entry candidate pool. This process can happen in either direction (the candidate first has a provincial nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream and then enters the Express Entry pool, OR the candidate first enters the pool and then applies (or is passively considered) through an enhanced PNP stream, through which they can receive a provincial nomination.

In either case, candidates in this scenario benefit from receiving a provincial nomination by gaining an additional 600 CRS points, all but guaranteeing them an ITA in the next draw they qualify for.

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