Express Entry Draw on December 15, 2025

What Happened?

On December 15, 2025, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw. In this draw, IRCC invited 399 candidates to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

Importantly, this draw only targeted candidates who already had a provincial nomination. As a result, the required CRS score was very high and similar to the previous draw held the week before.

Why Is This Draw Important?

This was the second PNP draw in a row, which shows a clear pattern. In other words, the federal government is heavily relying on provincial nominations to select immigrants.

This approach helps Canada choose candidates who already meet local labour market needs in different provinces. Therefore, provincial programs are becoming more important than ever.

Key Details of the December 15 PNP Draw

Here are the main details of the draw explained simply:

• Program: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• Date of draw: December 15, 2025
• Number of invitations issued: 399
• Lowest CRS score invited: 731
• Rank required: 399 or higher
• Tie-breaking date: October 18, 2025, at 7:18:52 UTC

This means that only the top 399 candidates with a provincial nomination received invitations.

What Is the Tie-Breaking Rule?

Sometimes, many candidates have the same CRS score. In such cases, IRCC uses a tie-breaking rule.

Simply put, candidates who created their Express Entry profile earlier get priority. For this draw, profiles submitted before October 18, 2025 were selected first.

Therefore, keeping your profile active and updated is very important.

Why Was the CRS Score So High?

The CRS cutoff was high because all invited candidates had a provincial nomination.

A provincial nomination gives 600 extra CRS points.
So, for example:

• Base CRS score: around 131
• Provincial nomination points: 600
• Total CRS score: 731

That is why PNP draws always have high CRS cutoffs.

Why Provincial Nomination Matters So Much

Provincial nomination remains one of the most reliable ways to get an Express Entry invitation, especially for candidates with moderate CRS scores.

Therefore, candidates without a nomination should actively explore provincial nominee streams linked to Express Entry. Otherwise, it can be very difficult to get selected through general draws.

Express Entry Pool Size After the Draw

Before this draw, the Express Entry pool had over 237,000 candidates. This shows that competition is extremely high.

Most candidates fall in the 401–500 CRS range, which means higher scores are becoming more important for selection.

As a result, improving your profile is essential.

What This Means for Immigration Hopefuls

For candidates with CRS scores around 130–150, this draw sends a clear message: provincial nomination can change everything.

Provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta regularly invite candidates based on specific occupations. Therefore, even candidates with average scores still have strong chances through PNPs.

What Should Candidates Do Now?

If you are already in the Express Entry pool, experts recommend the following steps:

• Improve your language scores
• Gain Canadian work experience
• Secure a valid job offer
• Actively apply for provincial nominee programs

Meanwhile, keep your Express Entry profile accurate and updated, since tie-breaking rules still apply.

What to Expect Going Forward

Canada plans to welcome over 380,000 immigrants in 2026. Because of this, more Express Entry draws are expected.

At the same time, provincial programs will likely remain one of the strongest and most predictable pathways to permanent residence, especially for skilled workers already contributing to Canada’s economy.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive advice on any of your questions regarding Immigration Get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Global. 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).