IRCC invites more PNP candidates in latest Express Entry draw

Vikrant Gungash
Aug 19
3 min read

By Vikrant Singh, August 19 2025

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 192 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence in its latest Express Entry draw targeting Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates.

The draw, held on August 18, 2025, required candidates to have:

A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 800, and
An Express Entry profile created before 7:17 p.m. UTC on February 11, 2025.

This was the fourth Express Entry draw in August, and the second PNP-specific draw of the month. With a CRS cut-off of 800, it marked the second-highest score seen in 2025 so far, just below the 802-point requirement in February’s PNP draw.

Express Entry activity in 2025

So far in 2025, IRCC has issued a total of 53,320 ITAs across all program categories. PNP candidates have received the largest share of invitations, followed by Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, French-language proficiency candidates, and those in priority occupations such as healthcare, education, and social services.

Breakdown of draws by program type in 2025:

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 15 draws
Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 8 draws
French-language proficiency: 4 draws
Healthcare and social services: 3 draws
Education: 1 draw

Recent draws

The August 18 draw followed a busy sequence of invitations earlier in the month:

August 8: French language proficiency draw, 2,500 ITAs (CRS 481)
August 7: CEC draw, 1,000 ITAs (CRS 534)
August 6: PNP draw, 225 ITAs (CRS 739)

This makes August the second consecutive month with multiple rounds of invitations in quick succession, signaling IRCC’s focus on meeting immigration targets across multiple categories.

What this means for applicants

PNP draws consistently require higher CRS scores compared to other categories because candidates receive an additional 600 CRS points after securing a provincial nomination. This explains why cut-offs often remain in the high 700s or low 800s.

For candidates outside the PNP, opportunities continue to be available in targeted categories such as French language proficiency and healthcare, where CRS cut-offs have been significantly lower than PNP-specific rounds.

With more than 53,000 ITAs already issued this year, IRCC continues to use Express Entry as its primary pathway to select skilled immigrants who can meet Canada’s labour market and demographic needs.

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