When aiming for permanent residence (PR) through Express Entry, foreign work experience plays a crucial role, as highlighted in the most recent Express Entry report.
The report, released on November 3, 2025, delves into the Express Entry system’s dynamics in 2024. It reveals that while the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates received the highest number of invitations to apply (ITAs) last year, a significant portion of invited candidates lacked any Canadian work experience.
Surprisingly, over one-third of invited candidates had no Canadian work experience, with only one percent having no foreign work experience. Moreover, more than half (56%) of the candidates invited had two years or less of Canadian work experience.
The majority of the 98,903 ITAs issued in 2024 were granted to candidates already residing in Canada, with India leading as the top country of citizenship among the invitees. Indians received over four times the number of ITAs compared to the second most common source country, the Federal Republic of Cameroon.
The report will delve into the demographics of the ITA recipients, including breakdowns by Program/Category, Work Experience, Profession, and Country of citizenship and residence.
Insights into ITA Issuances by Program
The ITA issuances by program in 2024 set the stage for ongoing trends within the Express Entry system.
Aligned with the federal government’s focus on prioritizing in-Canada candidates for ITAs in 2024, the CEC draws accounted for the highest number of ITAs, with 26,500 invitations (27% of total ITAs) and the third-highest average CRS cut-off score at 524 points.
Similarly, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws via the Express Entry system issued the third-highest number of ITAs, with 15,483 invitations (15% of ITAs) and the highest average CRS cut-off score at 725 points.
French-language proficiency category draws issued the second-highest number of ITAs, with 23,000 invitations (23% of ITAs) in 2024 and the lowest average cut-off score among all program or category types at 409 points.
In addition to these draws, 2024 witnessed IRCC conducting various other draw types that were not utilized in 2025, including General (all-program), STEM occupation, and Agriculture and Agri-food occupation draws.
The table below provides a summary of the draws conducted throughout 2024:
| Draw type | Average CRS Cut-off | Total ITAs issued |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 524 | 26,500 |
| French language proficiency | 409 | 23,000 |
| Provincial Nomin |