Canada’s Express Entry program, a popular immigration pathway for foreigners seeking employment and permanent residence in the country, is being modified. Canada has announced 2025 Express Entry category-based draws and plans for more in-Canada draws to reduce labour shortages.
The two significant modifications in the 2025 Express Entry program are the introduction of a new education category and a special focus on individuals with working experience in Canada to apply for permanent residence. This means, the Canadian Experience Class stream will be the priority for the Canadian government when inviting foreigners to get permanent residency.
The Canadian Experience Class is designed for skilled Canadian workers seeking permanent residency, requiring minimum qualifications in Canadian skilled job experience and language fluency.
To be qualified for the Canadian Experience Class, you must have completed at least one year of paid skilled work in Canada (or an equivalent amount of part-time work) during the three years before submitting your application. Also, you must have obtained this work experience while working in Canada as a temporary resident.
Volunteering and unpaid internships are not acceptable forms of compensation for your skilled work experience; instead, you must get compensation in the form of a salary or commissions.
However, if you have worked without permission and obtained your work experience while temporarily residing outside of Canada, you are not qualified for the Canadian Experience Class.
The last Express Entry draw for the Canadian Experience Class was conducted on February 5, 2025 when invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency were issued to 4,000 foreigners, with a cut-off score of 521.
Canada’s priority is on attracting skilled workers to contribute to Canada’s future, including transitioning temporary residents to permanent residence. Immigration is a significant contributor to Canada’s labour force growth, accounting for nearly 100% of the country’s total workforce, thereby helping to address labour shortages in key sectors.
Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller, has announced the 2025 Express Entry categories, including a new education category, to align the selection of federal economic immigrants with the country’s long-term labour shortages, emphasizing the importance of immigration in supporting economic growth.
Express Entry is Canada’s flagship application management system for those seeking to immigrate permanently through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, the Canadian Experience Class and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program.
In category-based rounds of invitations, IRCC invite candidates in the Express Entry pool who are eligible for a specific category.
Currently, the categories are – French-language proficiency, Healthcare and social services occupations, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations, Trade occupations, Agriculture and agri-food occupations.
Education occupations
The federal economic class draws for 2025 will primarily target Canadian Experience Class candidates with prior work experience in Canada for permanent residence applications.
Additionally, to meet Francophone immigration targets and meet the acute needs in health, trades and education, IRCC will conduct category-based invitation rounds in the following categories:
Strong French language skills, or
Work experience in the following fields:
Health care and social services, such as family physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and chiropractors
Trades, such as carpenters, plumbers and contractors
Education, such as teachers, child care educators and instructors of persons with disabilities.