There are 4 major changes to Canada’s Express Entry system in 2025 and their potential impacts on immigration candidates will be significant.
The changes to Canada’s Express Entry system in 2025 reflect a more focused and strategic approach to immigration. From increased targets for Express Entry pathways to targeted category-based draws, skilled workers have clear opportunities—but also new challenges. Here we will discuss four major changes in the Express Entry System which are as follows:
1. Increased Focus on Express Entry
In 2025, Canada’s immigration strategy will prioritize the Express Entry system more than ever and this includes:
- Higher Targets:
Admissions under the Federal Economic programs will increase to 124,590 landings, compared to 110,770 in 2024. - Reduced Immigration Levels:
Overall immigration levels are being scaled back by 20%. This gives the federal government more control, shifting admissions away from provincial programs to federal pathways.
As a result, Express Entry will represent 31.5% of all permanent resident admissions, up from 22.8% in 2024. This is coupled with a reduction in Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocations, dropping from 110,000 in 2024 to just 55,000 in 2025. For skilled workers aiming to immigrate, Express Entry will be the primary pathway.
2. Removal of CRS Points for Job Offers
A major shake-up is coming in Spring 2025 according to which the CRS points for valid job offers will no longer be awarded. According to the current system, the Express Entry candidates receive 50–200 points for valid job offers, depending on the job level.
Without these points, CRS scores for many candidates may drop, increasing reliance on other factors like language proficiency and work experience. Though this is described as a temporary measure, it’s unclear when the points will be reinstated.
3. New Allocations: Federal Economic Priorities & In-Canada Focus
The Federal High Skilled (FHS) allocation is being replaced by two sub-categories:
| Category Name | Landings Allocation | Eligible Candidates |
| In-Canada Focus | 82,890 | Candidates already in Canada, including those under CEC, PNP, FSWP, and FSTP. |
| Federal Economic Priorities | 41,700 | Candidates targeted for labor market needs and demographic goals, including priority sectors like healthcare and trades. |
This shift emphasizes targeted selections for specific labor and demographic priorities while favoring candidates already in Canada.
4. Emphasis on Category-Based Selections
Category-based draws, introduced in 2023, will play a pivotal role in Express Entry selections for 2025.
- Priority Categories for 2025:
- Healthcare occupations
- Trades occupations
- French-language proficiency
While healthcare and trade draws were limited in 2024, they are expected to increase due to their designation as priority sectors.
Additionally, French language proficiency will remain a consistent focus, with a target of 8.5% of new immigrant admissions in 2025, rising to 9.5% in 2026. These categories are:
- Healthcare
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
- Trades
- Transport
- Agriculture and Agri-food
- French language proficiency
Canada’s New Immigration Level Plan 2025-2027
Canada announced in October last year its immigration level plan 2025-2027, allowing about 1.14 million candidates to acquire the PR. The immigration department is also scaling back the number of immigrants as per the announcement on 24 October. About 20% cut has been decided for the year 2025 alone.