How Recent Express Entry Draws Impact Your Chances for PR

February 20, 2025

Ishita Soni

What You Need to Know About Recent ITAs and CRS Scores

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently issued more invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency (PR) through the Express Entry system. Let’s break down the main points of this update in simple terms.

Recent Express Entry Draws

On February 19, 2025, IRCC held a major draw and issued 6,500 ITAs. This was part of a French-proficiency category-based draw. To qualify for this round, candidates needed to:

• Have a minimum CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score of 428.
• Create their Express Entry profile before 4:41 pm UTC on February 10, 2025.

This is the fourth Express Entry draw of February, and IRCC has issued a total of 11,601 ITAs this month.

Focus of 2025 Draws

So far, most of the 2025 draws have targeted candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). This is because IRCC is working to meet its goal for immigrant landings (arrivals) in Canada. In particular, the “In-Canada Focus” category in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan aims for 82,890 admissions for CEC and PNP candidates in 2025.

Key Terms:

• ITA (Invitation to Apply): This is the invitation candidates receive to apply for PR.
• Landing/Admissions: Refers to when candidates arrive in Canada after their PR application is approved.
• Express Entry Draw: A process where IRCC invites the highest-ranked candidates to apply for PR.

How to Improve Your CRS Score

If you’re in the Express Entry pool and want to improve your chances of getting an ITA, there are several ways to boost your CRS score:

• Provincial Nomination: If you receive a provincial nomination, you get an additional 600 CRS points, which virtually guarantees an ITA.
• Language Proficiency: Boosting your language skills (English or French) can add up to 310 CRS points, especially when combined with other factors like education.
• Spouse/Partner’s Profile: If your spouse or partner has a higher CRS score, you can switch profiles to have them as the principal applicant or submit separate profiles.
• Education: Gaining additional educational qualifications, especially from Canadian institutions, can increase your CRS score by up to 250 points.
• Work Experience: More skilled work experience, both Canadian and foreign, can add significant points to your profile. Proper documentation of your work experience is key.

Understanding the Express Entry System

Express Entry is Canada’s main system for managing applications for permanent residency through economic immigration programs. It works like this:

• Profile Submission: You submit your profile to the Express Entry pool if you want to immigrate to Canada.
• CRS Score Calculation: Your profile is given a CRS score based on factors such as your age, education, work experience, and language ability.
• Draws and Invitations: Periodically, IRCC conducts draws, inviting the highest-scoring candidates to apply for PR.
• Application Process: Once you receive an ITA, you have 60 days to submit your complete PR application.
• Processing Time: Applications are typically processed in about 5 months, making Express Entry one of the faster pathways to Canadian PR.

What is the Tie-Breaking Rule?

The tie-breaking rule is a special rule used when multiple candidates have the same CRS score. If this happens, IRCC issues ITAs based on the submission time and date of their profiles. So, even if you have the same CRS score as someone else, the earlier your profile was submitted, the better your chances of receiving an ITA.

Conclusion

The IRCC continues to issue ITAs through the Express Entry system, with a particular focus on French-speaking candidates, PNP, and CEC applicants. If you’re hoping to increase your chances of receiving an ITA, focusing on improving your CRS score, whether through language, education, or work experience, could make a big difference. The Express Entry system offers a relatively quick path to Canadian permanent residency, and understanding the process can help you navigate it successfully.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive professional advice on any of your questions regarding Canadian immigration. get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Canada. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).

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