“IRCC Invites CEC Candidates for the Second Week in a Row!”

According to IRCC’s latest Immigration Levels Plan, federal immigration targets through the Express Entry system are set to rise in the coming year. The department aims to welcome 124,680 Express Entry candidates in 2025.

Of this total, over 82,000 admissions will focus on a new “In-Canada Focus” category, primarily targeting CEC candidates but also including those in the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and PNP-aligned Express Entry streams.

The remaining 41,700 permanent resident admissions will be allocated to the “Federal Economic Priorities” category, which prioritizes candidates with experience in high-demand occupations across the Canadian labor market.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is the system used to manage applications for three key economic immigration programs: the CEC, FSWP, and FSTP. Candidates in these programs are evaluated through the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assigns scores based on factors such as age, education, work experience, language proficiency, and occupation.

Additional points are awarded for factors like having a sibling in Canada, applying with a spouse, or combining education and work experience in Canada and abroad. Those with a provincial nomination through an enhanced PNP stream receive an extra 600 CRS points, significantly boosting their chances of receiving an ITA.

Candidates with the highest CRS scores are most likely to receive ITAs in upcoming Express Entry draws, provided they meet the specific criteria of the draw.

Express Entry in 2024

This year, IRCC has consistently focused on draws targeting various categories, aligning with its strategy to meet Canada’s economic and labor market needs.