After a relatively quiet April, Express Entry activity picked up pace through May 2025, bringing a renewed sense of movement to Canada’s immigration landscape.

Over the course of the month, 2,511 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued across four different draws—more than double the number seen in April. While the numbers still fall short of the January to March figures, May marks a clear uptick in momentum and a promising shift for many hopeful candidates in the pool.

In this article, we’ll walk through:

• The Express Entry draws held in May;

• The current distribution of scores in the Express Entry pool;

• And how candidates stack up based on CRS rankings.

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May 2025 Express Entry Draws: A Busy Month for IRCC

May turned out to be an eventful month for Express Entry. Not only did we return to four separate rounds of invitations—after a slowdown in April—but we also saw some notable milestones:

• IRCC held a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw after a pause of three months.

• There were two new category-based selection draws, including:

  • The first-ever Education category-based draw.

  • The first Healthcare and Social Services category-based draw of 2025.

  Date of draw	Draw type	ITAs issued	CRS cut-off scores
  May 1, 2025	Education occupations	1,000	479
  May 2, 2025	Healthcare and Social Services occupations	500	510
  May 12, 2025	Provincial Nominee Program	511	706
  May 13, 2025	Canadian Experience Class	500	547

These developments hint at evolving immigration priorities, with IRCC showing continued focus on targeted categories aligned with Canada’s labour market needs.

A quick glance at the numbers:

• • Total ITAs in May: 2,511

  • This figure is significantly higher than April’s, yet still trails the higher draw volumes we saw in early 2025.

Month	ITAs issued
January, 2025	5,821
February, 2025	11,601
March 2025	13,261
April, 2025	1,246
May, 2025	2,511

Importantly, the pattern of alternating French proficiency and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws—common in March and April—was broken in May, suggesting more dynamic scheduling ahead.

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Express Entry Pool Composition: Where Candidates Stand

As of May 13, 2025, the Express Entry pool saw a notable increase in profiles—up by 3,409 candidates compared to April 27.

A few trends stand out:

• • The number of candidates in the 601–1200 CRS score range dropped to just 28.

  • Meanwhile, those in the 501–600 score range increased by over 1,300.

CRS score range	Number of candidates
0-300	8,452
301-350	22,069
351-400	53,684
401-410	12,686
411-420	13,589
421-430	13,718
431-440	15,241
441-450	14,439
451-460	15,276
461-470	16,691
471-480	16,641
481-490	12,704
491-500	12,429
501-600	22,435
601-1200	28
Total	250,082

This shift suggests that higher-scoring profiles are either being invited or aging out, while more candidates are joining the pool with competitive scores just below the top tier.

The full distribution of scores (presented in both table and bar graph format) gives a detailed view of how densely populated each CRS range is.

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CRS Score Rankings: Understanding Percentiles

The CRS distribution table from May 13 offers not only raw numbers but also percentile rankings for each score range.

These percentiles are calculated using the highest CRS score within each range and help candidates understand how their score compares to the rest of the pool. For example:

• If you’re in the 480–490 range, your score places you above a large percentage of candidates, but competition remains tight.

• Candidates in the 500+ range continue to hold an advantage, especially as category-based draws increasingly target specific skill sets.

By presenting the percentile ranges, candidates gain a clearer picture of their relative standing and what it might take to secure an ITA in upcoming draws.

CRS Score Range	Number of Candidates	Percentile	Percentage
0–300	8,452	0-3.38%	3.38%
301–350	22,069	3.38% – 12.20%	8.82%
351–400	53,684	12.20% – 33.67%	21.47%
401–410	12,686	33.67% – 38.74%	5.07%
411–420	13,589	38.74% – 44.18%	5.43%
421–430	13,718	44.18% – 49.66%	5.49%
431–440	15,241	49.66% – 55.76%	6.09%
441–450	14,439	55.76% – 61.53%	5.77%
451–460	15,276	61.53% – 67.64%	6.11%
461–470	16,691	67.64% – 74.31%	6.67%
471–480	16,641	74.31% – 80.97%	6.65%
481–490	12,704	80.97% – 86.05%	5.08%
491–500	12,429	86.05% – 91.02%	4.97%
501–600	22,435	91.02% – 99.99%	8.97%
601–1200	28	99.99% – 100.00%	0.01%

Final Thoughts

May 2025 has proven to be a pivotal month for Express Entry. With new category-based draws and a return to more frequent invitations, IRCC appears to be fine-tuning its approach to meet Canada’s evolving immigration goals.

For candidates in the pool, this means staying informed, maintaining up-to-date profiles, and understanding how your CRS score fits into the broader landscape.

As always, UW Immigration is here to help you navigate the process with confidence and clarity. Whether you’re assessing your eligibility, improving your CRS score, or preparing to submit your application, our team is ready to support your journey to Canada.