Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) kicked off December with a record-breaking Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on December 8, 2025, inviting 1,123 candidates to apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry system. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 729, reflecting the heightened competitiveness of PNP-linked profiles after Ottawa removed LMIA-supported job-offer points earlier this year.
This draw surpasses November’s PNP round (777 invitations) and signals that provinces remain a central pillar of Canada’s immigration strategy even as overall permanent-resident intake targets plateau in 2026. Candidates had to have created their Express Entry profile before March 5, 2025, emphasising the importance of early registration for immigrants seeking nomination.
![IRCC Conducts Largest Provincial-Nominee Express Entry Draw of 2025, Issuing 1,123 Invitations]()
For employers, the larger draw provides an expanded pool of talent whose provincial nominations already demonstrate occupational demand. Mobility professionals should review whether their foreign workers qualify for provincial streams that feed into Express Entry—particularly those in tech, skilled trades, and healthcare who may benefit from faster processing once nominated.
The draw brings the year-to-date total to 95,599 invitations across all Express Entry categories. IRCC officials hinted that more occupation-specific rounds are likely before year-end as the department balances economic needs with processing-capacity constraints. Corporations with employees in the pool should ensure documents such as police certificates and proof of funds are up-to-date so that applications can be filed quickly when an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received.
This draw surpasses November’s PNP round (777 invitations) and signals that provinces remain a central pillar of Canada’s immigration strategy even as overall permanent-resident intake targets plateau in 2026. Candidates had to have created their Express Entry profile before March 5, 2025, emphasising the importance of early registration for immigrants seeking nomination.
For employers, the larger draw provides an expanded pool of talent whose provincial nominations already demonstrate occupational demand. Mobility professionals should review whether their foreign workers qualify for provincial streams that feed into Express Entry—particularly those in tech, skilled trades, and healthcare who may benefit from faster processing once nominated.
The draw brings the year-to-date total to 95,599 invitations across all Express Entry categories. IRCC officials hinted that more occupation-specific rounds are likely before year-end as the department balances economic needs with processing-capacity constraints. Corporations with employees in the pool should ensure documents such as police certificates and proof of funds are up-to-date so that applications can be filed quickly when an Invitation to Apply (ITA) is received.
