Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published the information about the first Express Entry draw of the month, December 8, 2025.
The most recent round of invitations to apply (ITAs) to permanent residence issued 1,123 under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
This is the biggest PNP-specific round of Express Entry in 2025, which represents the vigorous growth of provincial immigration thresholds set by the federal government as part of the Immigration Levels Plan that was announced in early November 2025.
Having a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off of 729, this round was a continuation of low-scoring, nomination-based selections taking over the Express Entry strategy of late 2025 Canada.
The entire draw breakdown, including the draw receivers and their invitation, what the numbers do to the remaining pool of candidates, and their direct connection to the Canadians changing immigration priorities is below.
Full Details Of Express Entry Draw #1 of December 2025
Here are the official details of the December 8, 2025 Express Entry draw:
Program: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Date: December 8, 2025
CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 729
Number of invitations issued: 1,123
Rank needed: 1,123 or above
Tie-breaking rule: March 05, 2025 at 05:10:48
If more than one candidate had the same lowest CRS score, IRCC applied the standard tie-breaking rule, selecting the candidate who submitted their Express Entry profile earlier.
Who Got an Invitation in This Round of Invitations
Every candidate who received an invitation in this draw met one defining requirement: they held a valid provincial nomination.
This means:
Candidates had a base Express Entry CRS score of 129 or above
After receiving a provincial nomination, they gained an automatic 600 CRS points
This pushed their total score to 729 or above, making them eligible for invitation
In simple terms, anyone with:
A valid Express Entry profile
A general CRS score of 129 or higher
An approved provincial nomination
was eligible and selected in this draw.
This confirms that the December 8 draw was exclusively focused on provincially selected skilled workers already aligned with regional labour market needs.
Latest CRS Score Distribution in the Pool
IRCC also released the updated CRS distribution for candidates in the Express Entry pool a day before this draw.
These numbers reflect total active profiles across all score bands.
Here is the full breakdown:
CRS Score Range
Number of Candidates
601–1200
1,110
501–600
27,096
451–500
68,679
491–500
12,445
481–490
12,303
471–480
14,851
461–470
14,351
451–460
14,729
401–450
66,302
441–450
13,844
431–440
14,166
421–430
12,613
411–420
12,193
401–410
13,486
351–400
52,344
301–350
18,799
0–300
8,049
Total
242,379
What Happens Next for Invited Candidates
Candidates who received ITAs on December 8 now have:
60 days to submit a complete permanent residence application
To upload police certificates, medical exams, proof of funds (if required), and work experience documentation
To confirm their provincial nomination remains valid and active
Once submitted, most PNP-linked Express Entry applications continue to follow the standard 6-month processing target.
This first December draw sends three very clear signals:
Provincial nominations continue to dominate Express Entry selection
Candidates without nominations must prepare for category-based draws, not general CEC ones
As Canada moves toward a system heavily focused on in-Canada transitions, labour shortages, and regional selection, provincial programs are no longer optional—they are the core gateway to permanent residence.
Canada Issues 1,123 PR Invitations in December’s First Express Entry Draw
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published the information about the first Express Entry draw of the month, December 8, 2025.
The most recent round of invitations to apply (ITAs) to permanent residence issued 1,123 under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
This is the biggest PNP-specific round of Express Entry in 2025, which represents the vigorous growth of provincial immigration thresholds set by the federal government as part of the Immigration Levels Plan that was announced in early November 2025.
Having a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off of 729, this round was a continuation of low-scoring, nomination-based selections taking over the Express Entry strategy of late 2025 Canada.
The entire draw breakdown, including the draw receivers and their invitation, what the numbers do to the remaining pool of candidates, and their direct connection to the Canadians changing immigration priorities is below.
Full Details Of Express Entry Draw #1 of December 2025
Here are the official details of the December 8, 2025 Express Entry draw:
If more than one candidate had the same lowest CRS score, IRCC applied the standard tie-breaking rule, selecting the candidate who submitted their Express Entry profile earlier.
Who Got an Invitation in This Round of Invitations
Every candidate who received an invitation in this draw met one defining requirement: they held a valid provincial nomination.
This means:
In simple terms, anyone with:
was eligible and selected in this draw.
This confirms that the December 8 draw was exclusively focused on provincially selected skilled workers already aligned with regional labour market needs.
Latest CRS Score Distribution in the Pool
IRCC also released the updated CRS distribution for candidates in the Express Entry pool a day before this draw.
These numbers reflect total active profiles across all score bands.
Here is the full breakdown:
What Happens Next for Invited Candidates
Candidates who received ITAs on December 8 now have:
Once submitted, most PNP-linked Express Entry applications continue to follow the standard 6-month processing target.
This first December draw sends three very clear signals:
As Canada moves toward a system heavily focused on in-Canada transitions, labour shortages, and regional selection, provincial programs are no longer optional—they are the core gateway to permanent residence.
Author: Shubham
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