Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Latest Express Entry Draw On 17 December Issued 6,000 PR Invitations to candidates with the French language proficiency, thus, being a significant selection event in Canada’s 2025 immigration calendar. The comprehensive Ranking system (CRS) score, which is based on the applicant’s profile, went down to as low as 399 points, which opened up the draw to many applicants and also indicated that IRCC is going to continue with the trend of issuing invites by category, which is the main strategy, even after the year-end.
Latest Express Entry Draw Highlights
● Draw Date – 17 December 2025
● Program – French language proficiency
● Number of Invitations – 6,000
● CRS Score – 399
The most recent Express Entry draw on December 17, 2025, was the last of the week that saw a lot of invitations given in different categories such as Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and healthcare occupations. Consequently, December became the busiest month for Express Entry activities in 2025.
December emerges as the most active month for Express Entry in 2025
Canada’s immigration pace is clearly highlighted by the latest figures after the December 17
Express Entry draw has been completed.
The IRCC has issued 19,522 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) across different Express Entry categories so far in December 2025, all within a few weeks. This number has already passed the total number of November invites which was 12,991, thus making December the most active month of the year.
The momentum is even more apparent if looked at weekly. Last week alone, IRCC granted
11,399 ITAs which means there’s a lot more selection activity going on and processing going
on than before.
The month of December is characterized by a very large number of Express Entry ITAs which marks the turning point in Canada’s immigration policy that had been handled through a small number of draws for several months earlier in the year.
The number, frequency and speed of invitations imply that the IRCC is performing with amplified processing confidence while being selective in a manner that suits the new immigration admission targets for 2026.
What This Means for Candidates?
The Latest Express Entry Draw On 17 December Issued 6,000 PR Invitations has made it very clear that the applicants who are in the Express Entry pool, especially those who are fluent in French, are in a very good position as Canada is changing its selection criteria. With a CRS score below 400, even profiles that were previously considered less competitive, either in general draws or in program-specific draws, may now discover a route to permanent residency.
The increase in invitations not only mirrors the IRCC’s wider policy change towards category-based selection but it is also an indication of a more contemporary draw method that aims at increasing the number of francophone workers in Canada and at meeting the demand for labour in regions outside Quebec.
Recap of Recent Express Entry Draws – December 2025
| Date | Number of Invitations | CRS Score | Draw Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Dec 2025 | 6,000 | 399 | French Language Proficiency |
| 16 Dec 2025 | 5,000 | 515 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) |
| 15 Dec 2025 | 399 | 731 | Provincial Nominee Program |
| 11 Dec 2025 | 1,000 | 476 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations |
| 10 Dec 2025 | 6,000 | 520 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) |
| 08 Dec 2025 | 1,123 | 729 | Provincial Nominee Program |
The newly issued invitations for permanent residency via Express Entry, mostly involving the
ones with strong French language scores, can be considered one of the major changes in
2025 and at the same time, it gives the glimpse of the category-based selection continuing throughout 2026.