In 2025, Canada’s immigration landscape will see significant shifts, particularly within the Express Entry system.
Increased Emphasis on Express Entry
Express Entry will play a more crucial role in Canada’s immigration plans this year. The federal government has increased its reliance on Express Entry while reducing overall immigration levels and scaling back Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocations. This shift emphasizes federal control and prioritizes skilled workers who can contribute to the Canadian economy.
CRS Points Removal for Job Offers
Starting in the spring of 2025, candidates will no longer receive extra points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) for having a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.
This change could significantly impact the CRS scores of many candidates who were previously awarded points for job offers. Candidates will need to rely more heavily on other factors to increase their CRS scores, such as their language proficiency (English or French) and work experience. The government has not specified how long this change will remain in effect.
Redefining Federal Economic Immigration Pathways
In the past, Canada’s annual immigration plan included a specific allocation for immigrants selected through the Express Entry system, which was categorized under the “Family and Humanitarian Support” (FHS) allocation.
However, starting in 2025, the FHS allocation is being restructured. It will be replaced by two new sub-categories within the overall immigration levels plan: “Federal Economic Priorities” and “In-Canada Focus.”
In-Canada Focus
The landing allocations for this sub-category is set to be 82,890 candidates. Candidates already in Canada, including those in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) will be all be considered under this category.
Federal Economic Priorities
The landing allocations for this sub-category is set to be 41,700 candidates. Candidates selected under category-based selections, who meet Canada’s labour market needs and demographic goals. Priority sectors in 2025 will include healthcare occupations, trade occupations, and candidates with French language proficiency.
This change signifies a crucial shift in how candidates are chosen for permanent residency in Canada.
Shifting Focus in Category-Based Draws
In 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is expected to conduct more Express Entry draws focused on specific categories of candidates, aligning with Canada’s labor market needs.
According to the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, the government has identified several key priority areas:
- Healthcare Occupations: To address healthcare worker shortages.
- Trades Occupations: To support the skilled trades sector.
- French-Language Proficiency: To increase the number of French-speaking immigrants outside of Quebec.
While draws for healthcare and trades may have been less frequent in 2024, they are likely to increase in 2025. Draws targeting French-speaking candidates will continue to be a significant part of the Express Entry system, as they were in 2024. For 2025, Canada has set a target of 8.5% of total new immigrant admissions to the French proficiency category. This target will rise to 9.5% of admissions for 2026.
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