Recently, in a dramatic turn of events, the most recent Express Entry draw in Canada of September 29, 2025 has seen the highest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cutoff in almost seven years.
The round, which was limited to applicants who were under the Provincial Nominee Program, introduced 291 invitations and the lowest CRS score was 855.
This CRS cutoff score has improved by 109 points compared to the last PNP Express Entry draw of September 15, 2025.
This is one of the most competitive attractions in the history of the Express Entry system.
Full Details Of The Express Entry Draw On September 29
- Program: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Date & Time: September 29, 2025
- CRS Score of Lowest-Ranked Candidate Invited: 855
- Number of Invitations Issued: 291
- Rank Needed: 291 or above
- Tie-Breaking Rule: April 08, 2025 at 01:25:29 UTC
In this draw, IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) gave more preference to candidates with provincial nomination which effectively increased their CRS by 600 points.
Where the invited score (855) or below is equal between two or more candidates the system uses a tie-break timestamp: candidates who had their Express Entry profile submitted before April 08, 2025 at 01:25:29 UTC were qualified.
Top 5 Highest CRS cutoff score ever in Express Entry system
This latest draw is now among the top 5 highest CRS cutoffs ever recorded in the Express Entry system:
| Date | Round Type | Invitations Issued | CRS Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2018 | Provincial Nominee Program | 200 | 902 |
| Jan 31, 2015 | No Program Specified | 779 | 886 |
| Sept 29, 2025 | Provincial Nominee Program | 291 | 855 |
| Feb 7, 2015 | No Program Specified | 779 | 818 |
| Nov 18, 2024 | Provincial Nominee Program | 174 | 816 |
As this table shows, the 855 cutoff slots are the third-highest CRS threshold since the Express Entry system’s inception.
Latest CRS Score Distribution in the Pool
At the time of the draw, the distribution of candidates in the Express Entry pool by CRS score bracket was as follows (total pool: 250,993 candidates):
| CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates |
|---|---|
| 601–1,200 | 288 |
| 501–600 | 24,531 |
| 451–500 | 70,583 |
| 491–500 | 12,255 |
| 481–490 | 12,473 |
| 471–480 | 15,150 |
| 461–470 | 15,781 |
| 451–460 | 14,924 |
| 401–450 | 74,481 |
| 441–450 | 14,806 |
| 431–440 | 16,354 |
| 421–430 | 14,820 |
| 411–420 | 14,839 |
| 401–410 | 13,662 |
| 351–400 | 53,066 |
| 301–350 | 19,963 |
| 0–300 | 8,081 |
This sharp concentration in the 451–500 ranges underscores the fierce competition among candidates just below the top tiers.
Who Got the Invitations in This Draw?
To have a clearer idea of the kind of candidates that were invited during the September 29, 2025 Express Entry Draw, some examples of profiles that met the CRS cutoff of 855 having been granted provincial nominations are as follows:
Sandeep – Software engineer (CRS 877)
Sandeep has 7 years of experience in the IT field, a Master degree and CLB 10 in the IELTS test, which earned him a provincial nomination under Ontario Human Capital Priorities stream, which significantly increased his score far beyond the cut.
Sophie – Registered Nurse (CRS 869)
Sophie has 2 years of work experience in Canada, has a score of CLB 9 in English and CLB 7 in French, and has been nominated by the Labour Market Priorities stream of the healthcare professionals program in Nova Scotia.
Diego – Electrician (CRS 862)
Diego was also nominated under the Express Entry stream of high-demand skilled trades in Alberta, where he has over 10 years of work experience, and his score rose over 855.
Sana – Business Analyst (CRS 858)
Sana was an international work experience holder, a Canadian post-graduate diploma holder and had high scores in the English tests. She won a provincial nomination on the PNP Tech Pilot in British Columbia.
Jean – Early Childhood Educator (CRS 856)
John was selected by Manitoba to work in areas of the education sector shortages with an education diploma, 4 years of Canadian work experience, and a profile in the French language.
The September 29, 2025 Express Entry draw has established a record-high CRS cutoff, and emphasizes the increase in the significance of obtaining a provincial nomination.
In the increasing competition, the candidates have to take clever measures to sell their profiles and remain competitive at the future rounds.
As there will be more draws this week, the most important thing to make Express Entry dreams become reality is to keep up and be ready.