What to Expect from Express Entry ITA Draws in December?

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will issue approximately 3,522 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry Program in December. These estimates are based on previous years’ data and the landing target 2025. However, this figure is an estimate and may vary depending on actual government policy decisions.

How can we estimate the number of ITAs IRCC might issue this year?

IRCC distributes ITAs to achieve a specific target for landings. It is either when an immigrant arrives in Canada as a new permanent resident or when a temporary resident already in Canada transitions to permanent residency.

The two factors one should keep in mind:-

• ITAs issued in a year do not immediately result in permanent residency landings due to processing times.

• Not all ITAs convert to landings as some are returned or rejected.

For 2025, IRCC’s Express Entry system aims to land 124,680 new permanent residents. Between July and November 2024, 52,888 ITAs were issued, representing 42.42% of this target. According to the historical averages, December’s ITAs are expected to form an additional 2.825% of the target, equating to approximately 3,522 ITAs.

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Who Will Receive These ITAs?

The Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2025-2027 provides insights into the types of candidates in the Express Entry pool who are most likely to receive ITAs. For 2025, the Federal High-Skilled allocation is split into two categories:

Federal Economic Priorities - This category focuses on skilled professionals from in-demand sectors as well as those with strong French language proficiency. The eligible categories are from:-

• Healthcare Occupations
• Trades Occupations
• French-Language Proficiency

Moreover, the target is to increase Francophone immigration outside Quebec from 8.5% in 2025 to 10% by 2027.

In-Canada Focus - Candidates already residing in Canada are emphasized to meet immigration targets while maintaining population stability.

In 2025, this category will include candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and those nominated through Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams aligned with Express Entry. It may also potentially include candidates from the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

Based on trends, many of the December ITAs may go to healthcare professionals, trades workers, French-speaking candidates, and those already in Canada through the CEC or PNP streams.

The table below shows the previous 49 Express Entry draws and the category the draw targeted:-

The estimated 3,522 ITAs in December reflect IRCC’s commitment to meeting Canada immigration targets while addressing economic needs. Candidates meeting the priorities of healthcare, trades, French proficiency, or having Canadian experience stand the best chance in upcoming draws.

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Source: canada.ca

Tags: Express Entry Express Entry Program Next Express Entry Draw Express Entry Draw Canada Immigration Levels Plan Federal Skilled Worker Program Federal Skilled Trades Program Canada Immigration News