Canada’s Express Entry Invitation Schedule for Category-Based Draws in 2025
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has outlined its invitation strategy for the remainder of 2025, revealing how many Invitations to Apply (ITAs) are expected to be issued through category-based draws.
The plan, obtained through an Access to Information Request (ATIP) by Calgary-based immigration consultant Mandeep Lidher (RCIC), sheds light on which occupational categories are set to receive the most focus in the coming months.
Priority Categories for 2025
According to the document, IRCC is giving particular attention to three groups:
Education professionals
Healthcare and social service workers
Skilled trades
These targeted draws are meant to align with the federal Immigration Levels Plan 2025–2027, ensuring that ITAs issued in late 2025 contribute toward the immigration admission targets set for 2026.
Allocation of ITAs in 2025
The ATIP reveals the following breakdown of invitations for three major categories:
| Category | Total ITAs Planned in 2025 | ITAs Issued So Far (2025) | ITAs Remaining (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| Healthcare | 8,000 | 7,500 | 500 |
| Trades | 3,300 | 0 | 3,300 |
This distribution indicates that several category-based rounds are expected in the final five months of the year, particularly for trades and education professionals, where most invitations are still pending.
Categories Eligible in 2025
In total, six categories are eligible for category-based Express Entry draws this year:
Healthcare and social services occupations
STEM occupations (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)
Trade occupations
Agriculture and agri-food occupations
Education occupations
French-language proficiency
Focus on Francophone Immigration
The Canadian government continues to emphasize Francophone immigration outside Quebec.
Between February and March 2025, IRCC held a series of French-proficiency draws over eight weeks, resulting in 18,500 ITAs.
These draws were part of Canada’s effort to meet the 8.5% French-speaking admissions target for 2025.
On August 8, 2025, another French-language round was held, issuing 2,500 ITAs, which will likely support targets for 2026.
ITA Calendar for Provinces and Territories
Another key insight from the report is that IRCC plans to share an ITA calendar with provinces and territories.
This calendar will include:
The expected weeks when draws will occur
The types of rounds being planned
Projections of minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores for upcoming draws
With access to this three-month schedule, provinces and territories can better coordinate their Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nominations, ensuring they align with federal immigration targets.