On December 16, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its third Express Entry draw of December, inviting 1,085 candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence. This particular draw was focused exclusively on applicants from the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), with the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score set at 727.
This draw continues the pattern set by earlier selections in December, including a French-language proficiency draw on December 3 and a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on December 2. The IRCC’s approach of alternating between different immigration streams—such as PNP, Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and French-language proficiency—has remained consistent throughout the year. For instance, November’s six Express Entry draws resulted in 5,507 ITAs, highlighting this continuing trend.
Increasing Emphasis on “In-Canada” Candidates
The 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan introduces a new category focusing on candidates already in Canada, particularly from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and other regional programs. It’s expected that this category will expand to include applicants from the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) as well.
In 2025, Canada plans to allocate over 40% of its immigration admissions to this “In-Canada” focus category, totaling 82,980 permanent resident spots. This shift underscores Canada’s changing immigration priorities, reflected in the continuing high volume of ITAs in the PNP and other targeted streams.
2024 Express Entry Draw Summary
Key details of Express Entry draws conducted in 2024:
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Minimum CRS |
| December 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,085 | 727 |
| December 3 | French Language Proficiency | 800 | 466 |
| December 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 676 | 705 |
| November 20 | Healthcare Occupations | 3,000 | 463 |
| November 19 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 539 |
| November 18 | Provincial Nominee Program | 174 | 816 |
| November 15 | French Language Proficiency | 800 | 478 |
| November 13 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 547 |
| November 12 | Provincial Nominee Program | 733 | 812 |
| October 23 | Trade Occupations | 1,800 | 433 |
| October 22 | Canadian Experience Class | 400 | 539 |
| October 21 | Provincial Nominee Program | 648 | 791 |
| October 10 | French Language Proficiency | 1,000 | 444 |
| October 9 | Canadian Experience Class | 500 | 539 |
| October 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,613 | 743 |
| September 19 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 509 |
| September 13 | French Language Proficiency | 1,000 | 446 |
| September 9 | Provincial Nominee Program | 911 | 732 |
| August 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,300 | 507 |
| August 26 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,121 | 694 |
| August 15 | French Language Proficiency | 2,000 | 394 |
| August 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,200 | 509 |
| August 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 763 | 690 |
| July 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 5,000 | 510 |
| July 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 964 | 686 |
| July 18 | French Language Proficiency | 1,800 | 400 |
| July 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,300 | 515 |
| July 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,391 | 670 |
| July 8 | French Proficiency | 3,200 | 420 |
| July 5 | Healthcare Occupations | 3,750 | 445 |
| July 4 | Trade Occupations | 1,800 | 436 |
| July 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 920 | 739 |
| June 19 | Provincial Nominee Program | 1,499 | 663 |
| May 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 522 |
| May 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 2,985 | 676 |
| April 24 | French Proficiency | 1,400 | 410 |
| April 23 | General | 2,095 | 529 |
| April 11 | STEM Occupations | 4,500 | 491 |
| April 10 | General | 1,280 | 549 |
| March 26 | French Language Proficiency | 1,500 | 388 |
| March 25 | General | 1,980 | 524 |
| March 13 | Transport Occupations | 975 | 430 |
| March 12 | General | 2,850 | 525 |
| February 29 | French Language Proficiency | 2,500 | 336 |
| February 28 | General | 1,470 | 534 |
| February 16 | Agriculture and Agri-food Jobs | 150 | 437 |
| February 14 | Healthcare Occupations | 3,500 | 422 |
| February 13 | General | 1,490 | 535 |
| February 1 | French Language Proficiency | 7,000 | 365 |
| January 31 | General | 730 | 541 |
| January 23 | General | 1,040 | 543 |
| January 10 | General | 1,510 | 546 |
What Is Express Entry?
Express Entry is Canada’s efficient immigration system designed to manage applications for three major federal programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). It also allows candidates to receive enhanced nominations through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), offering additional opportunities for permanent residency.
Candidates are assessed and ranked based on a points system known as the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which evaluates various factors such as age, work experience, language ability, and educational background. Provincial nominations add an extra 600 points, significantly increasing a candidate’s chances of being invited to apply (ITA).
In addition to the regular draws, IRCC has introduced category-based selections that focus on candidates with specific skills or language proficiencies needed in Canada’s labor market. These targeted draws often have lower CRS cut-off scores compared to general draws.
