Canada has reduced the number of invitations in the Express Entry draw for provincial nomination
The latest December Express Entry draw for provincial nominees was more selective: the passing score increased and fewer invitations were issued.
On December 15, 2025, the Canadian government held another selection round in the Express Entry system for candidates with a provincial nomination. 399 people received invitations to apply for permanent residence status.
The minimum passing score on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) was 731. For comparison, in the previous draw on December 8, the minimum score was 729, and 1,123 candidates received invitations. In this new round, the cutoff threshold increased slightly, while the number of invitations issued decreased significantly.
The increase in the minimum score and the reduction in the number of invitations may be related to changes in the pool of candidates with provincial nominations, as well as current priorities in Canada's immigration policy.
Candidates with a provincial nomination receive an additional 600 CRS points, which significantly strengthens their position in the system. This means that in this draw, having just 131 points based on core criteria was enough to receive an invitation, including age, education, English or French language proficiency, work experience, and adaptability factors in Canada.
Want to know how many points you could score? Use our online CRS calculator to get a preliminary assessment of your immigration chances.
The results of this round once again highlight the important role of Provincial Nominee Programs, which allow Canadian regions to attract candidates who best match their economic and demographic needs.
How Provincial Nominee Programs work
Each Canadian province and territory independently sets requirements for candidates, based on labor market needs and regional priorities. Typically, to receive a nomination you need to:
- meet the requirements of one of the federal immigration programs;
- create a profile in the Express Entry system;
- receive a provincial nomination, which adds 600 CRS points and significantly increases your chances of receiving an invitation.
Stay updated on the latest Express Entry draws so you don't miss new opportunities to immigrate to Canada.
