IRCC’s latest Express Entry draw showered 4,500 French-speaking candidates with Invitations to Apply (ITAs), setting the bar at a breezy 410 CRS—the lowest since last August. Profiles had to be locked in by 7:47 a.m. UTC on February 11, 2025, to make the cut. Hot on the heels of a March 3 PNP draw, this is 2025’s second French-focused round, following a 6,500-ITA blitz on February 19, as IRCC doubles down on in-Canada talent via CEC and PNP lanes—seven of nine draws this year hit those beats.
With new priority categories for 2025 adding education jobs to the mix alongside French skills, healthcare, and trades, IRCC’s got big plans. But watch out: this spring, job-offer CRS points are toast, slashing up to 200 points for some. If you’re working here, don’t bank on it—only full-time, skilled, year-long offers with an LMIA qualify, not just any work permit gig. Time to crunch the numbers if you’re chasing that permanent residency dream.