Canada invites PNP candidates in first Express Entry draw after CRS points change
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more initiations to apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system.
The immigration department issued 825 ITAs to candidates in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw.
To be considered for this draw, candidates needed to have:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 764; and
- Created an Express Entry profile before 6:35 pm, Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on 17 August 2024.
Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 draw is the first of the month and follows the consequential removal of CRS points for arranged employment, a French-language proficiency draw on 21 March, and another PNP draw on 17 March.
Thus far IRCC has issued 31,508 ITAs to candidates in 2025 through the Express Entry system.
Per the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada hopes to welcome 124,680 new permanent residents through the Express Entry system in 2025.
Note that figures counted in the Immigration Levels Plan account for immigrant landings/admissions and not ITAs. An immigrant landing is when a new permanent resident arrives in Canada for the first time under their new status and completes the permanent residence (PR) process. This is when immigrants formally become new permanent residents.
An ITA, on the other hand, is an invitation to apply for PR. One ITA is not necessarily equivalent to one landing due to the possibility of ITAs being issued to individuals who are not eligible or returned to IRCC by the candidate. In addition, if an application for PR is refused by the immigration department, this will also result in an ITA being issued without leading to a landing.
How to respond to IRCC if you have received an ITA
If you have received an ITA through your Express Entry profile, you will need to respond to this invitation with an application for permanent residence if you wish to apply. Candidates who do not decline the ITA and who do not submit an application for PR will see their
Candidates are given 60 days from the issuance of an ITA to submit a complete application for PR to Canada’s immigration department.
Once an ITA is received, candidates will need to gather certain documents that IRCC requires them to present. Among these are:
- Copies of a valid passport or travel document;
- Copies of your birth certificate;
- Documentation attesting to work experience;
- Police clearance certificates;
- Results from an immigration medical exam;
- Proof of settlement funds; and
- Photographs of the principal applicant and family members included in the application.
For more information on responding to an ITA received through the Express Entry system, visit our dedicated webpage.
