Express Entry Review For The Year 2024
We witnessed many changes to Canada’s Express Entry system. Today, we will discuss the Express Entry review for the year 2024.
Well, these major changes to Express Entry have significant implications for foreign nationals seeking Canadian permanent residence (PR).
Reviewing recent developments and highlighting trends might give us a better sense of what to expect in the coming year. So, without further ado, let us begin!
Express Entry In 2024: Overview and Comparison
In 2024, the Canadian federal government issued over 98,803 invitations to apply via Express Entry in 52 draws.
Both the number of draws and the Comprehensive Ranking System cut-off scores for applicants varied greatly by category and program.
From January to April of 2024, IRCC held General as well as category-based rounds of selection through the Express Entry system.
However, after May, the department began to focus much more closely on the Provincial Nominee Program, Canadian Experience Class, and French-Language Proficiency applicants, a trend that has continued through the end of the year.
As a result of these fluctuations as well as the increased selectivity IRCC can implement through Express Entry categories, the number of draws and the CRS cut-off scores applicants needed to be invited varied greatly by category and program:
| Program/ Category | Number Of Draws | Minimum CRS | Maximum CRS |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 14 | 663 | 816 |
| French Language Proficiency | 11 | 336 | 478 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 10 | 507 | 547 |
| General | 9 | 524 | 549 |
| Healthcare Professions | 3 | 422 | 463 |
| Trade Professions (Version 1) | 2 | 433 | 436 |
| Agriculture and Agri-Food Professions | 1 | 437 | 437 |
| STEM Professions | 1 | 491 | 491 |
| Transport Professions | 1 | 430 | 430 |
As of the latest data provided, there were over 221,310 applicant profiles in the Express Entry pool – more profiles than in 2023. The following table shows the number of applicant profiles in the Express Entry pool in December of each of the previous three years:
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Number Of Applicant Profiles | 216,512 | 232,606 | 190,953 |
IRCC issued 11,463 more ITAs in 2023 than in 2024, even though immigration targets for the Express Entry system rose by 27,890 admissions in the latter year.
Also, the increase in applicants caused CRS cut-off scores to change significantly, rising higher in 2024 than in the previous year. In addition to these changes in terminology, Express Entry draws and cut-off scores in 2024 were markedly different from those in 2023:
| Category/ Program | 2024 Draws | 2024 CRS Range | 2023 Draws | 2023 CRS Range |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 14 | 663 – 816 | 5 | 691 – 791 |
| French Language Proficiency | 11 | 336 – 478 | 6 | 375 – 486 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 10 | 507 – 547 | 0 | (Invited under ‘General’ and ‘No Program Specified’ draws) |
| General | 9 | 524 – 549 | 2 | 542 – 561 |
| Healthcare Professions | 3 | 422 – 463 | 3 | 431 – 476 |
| Trade Professions | 2 | 433 – 439 | 2 | 388 – 425 |
| Agriculture and Agri-Food Professions | 1 | 437 – 437 | 2 | 354 – 386 |
| STEM Professions | 1 | 491 – 491 | 2 | 481 – 531 |
| Transport Professions | 1 | 430 – 430 | 2 | 435 – 435 |
| No Program Specified | 0 | No draws in 2024 | 17 | 481 – 531 |
| Federal Skilled Worker | 0 | No draws in 2024 | 1 | 489 – 489 |
What Trends Will Influence Express Entry In 2025?
Apart from discussing the Express Entry review for the year 2024, let us know what trends will influence Express Entry in 2025.
Well, this year saw a number of policies instituted that have had a profound influence on how Express Entry draws have been conducted in 2024 and are predicted to continue to influence the system in 2025.
Removal Of CRS Points For Job Offers
In December of 2024, Minister of Immigration Marc Miller declared his intention to remove CRS points awarded for valid job offers. This change will be implemented in Spring of 2025 and is intended as a ‘temporary measure’. At this time, IRCC has not announced when this measure will be concluded.
Under the CRS, applicants can obtain either 50 or 200 additional CRS points for having a valid job offer.
In order to be considered a valid job offer for the purposes of Express Entry, the job should meet specific requirements. The federal government defines what constitutes a valid job offer for the CEC, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
With the impending removal of points, CRS scores within the Express Entry applicant pool might see a significant drop – though the degree to which this might occur and the outcomes of this change are difficult to predict relative to CRS cut-off score trends in 2025.
Immigration Levels Plan
In addition to discussing the Express Entry review for the year 2024, let us learn about the Immigration Levels Plan as well.
In November of this year, IRCC declared that they would be increasing immigration targets under the ‘Federal High-Skilled’ allocation, under which Express Entry falls. This allocation rises from 110,770 landings to 124,590 landings in 2025. This allocation has also been broken down into two sub-categories, i.e., the ‘In-Canada Focus’ category and the ‘Federal Economic Priorities’ category.
The increase in admissions targets to these federal pathways in 2025 occurs at the same time as a reduction in overall immigrant levels by roughly 20% of 2024 targets. By increasing the number of admissions through the federal immigration system, Canada’s federal government has implemented targets in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan that give it more control over immigration to the nation overall.
It is vital to note that landings are not the same as ITA issuances. An ITA allows an applicant in the Express Entry system to apply for permanent residence. A ‘landing’ is when a newly approved permanent resident completes a final interview with an immigration officer and formally claims their PR status by signing their Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).
IRCC’s Immigration Levels Plan details planned new immigrant landings, which differ from ITA issuances because of the department processing times between ITA issuance and obtaining PR and other influencing factors.
In-Canada Focus
The ‘In-Canada Focus’ category will primarily consider applicants within Canada, inviting them through draws for:
- The Canadian Experience Class
- Express Entry-aligned PNP Programs
- This category will also consider applicants in the FSWP and FSTP
The In-Canada Focus category makes up 66% of the total Federal High-Skilled allocation, implying that Express Entry draws in 2025 might emphasize draws for eligible groups to this category.
The prevalence of both CEC and PNP draws since July 2024 is already a sign of the prioritization of these applicants for ITAs through the Express Entry system.
Federal Economic Priorities
The ‘Federal Economic Priorities’ category allocates admissions for newcomers in the Express Entry pool with specific skills, training as well as language ability to meet Canada’s labour market needs and demographic goals.
Beginning in 2023, category-based selections within the Express Entry system were initially created to give IRCC the ability to issue invitations to certain classes of newcomers based on the federal labor market and demographic priorities.
These category-based selection draws often have much lower CRS cut-off scores than other draws due to the smaller sub-pool of applicants they consider.
The federal government has indicated that priority categories for 2025 will include:
- Healthcare professions
- Trade professions
- French-language proficiency
In 2024, priority categories also included agriculture, agri-food, transport, and STEM occupations. However, the 2025 Levels Plan does not account for these groups in the Federal Economic Priorities allocation.
Due to their special allocation, it is likely that IRCC will prioritize ITAs for healthcare, trade, and French-proficiency applicants. Though healthcare and trade occupations draws have not been as frequent in 2024, 2025 might see more draws for these categories as IRCC continues to prioritize them.
On the other hand, French proficiency draws have steadily taken place all year (and especially after July of 2024), and are likely to see continued importance within the Express Entry system.
This is due in large part to IRCC’s commitment to francophone immigration, as instituted through Canada’s Official Languages Act.
Per IRCC’s Francophone Immigration policy, IRCC plans to allocate 7% of its total immigration levels in 2025 to francophone applicants looking to settle outside of Quebec.
If you seek information on how to begin your Canada immigration application process, you can talk to our NavaImmigration experts at 1800-918-8490, or you can drop us an email at [email protected].
