When Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issues a very large number of invitations, candidates who are ready benefit the most. Others may miss their chance to immigrate, even if their CRS score looks strong.
Over the past 30 days, IRCC has issued more than 30,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through Express Entry. This is a very high number for the system. Still, this level of activity has happened before, and once, almost all in a single draw.
On February 13, 2021, IRCC held the largest Express Entry draw ever. In that draw, 27,332 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates received ITAs. The CRS cut-off score was only 75 points.
This draw showed one important truth: big opportunities can appear without warning. While candidates cannot predict when the next large draw will happen, they can prepare for it.
Below are four key takeaways from Express Entry’s biggest draw ever and how early preparation can improve your chances.
So, without further ado, let us begin!
Lesson 1: Enter The Express Entry Pool As Early As Possible
The most important lesson is simple: you cannot benefit from Express Entry opportunities if you are not in the pool.
Many candidates with CRS scores in the 200s or 300s assume they have no real chance of getting an ITA. Because of this, they delay creating an Express Entry profile.
However, recent years have shown that this thinking can be risky.
With the introduction of category-based draws and frequent program-specific draws, some Express Entry rounds in 2025 have had CRS cut-off scores in the high 300s. This was almost unthinkable in earlier years.
In addition, four of the ten largest Express Entry draws in history have happened in just the last two years. Large draws usually mean lower CRS cut-offs.
Moreover, If you delay entering the Express Entry pool because you think your score is “too low,” you could miss:
- An unusually large draw;
- A category-based draw where your job or language skill is suddenly in demand; or
- A provincial nomination opportunity that requires an active Express Entry profile.
Once you are in the pool, you can continue to improve your profile. You can add more work experience, better language scores, or new education. But if you wait to create your profile, you remove yourself from consideration completely.
In Express Entry, being present in the pool gives you chances. Waiting often means missed opportunities.
Lesson 2: You Might Receive An ITA Earlier Than You Think
The second lesson is that staying active in the Express Entry pool has real value. In some cases, you may get an ITA even before your CRS score officially increases.
A good example is how IRCC counts work experience.
Many candidates believe that IRCC calculates work experience using exact dates. In reality, IRCC counts work experience by month, not by the exact day.
For example, if you started a job on January 27, 2025, IRCC may count your next full year of experience starting January 1, 2026, and not January 27, 2026.
Because of this rule, some candidates become eligible for an ITA before their CRS score formally increases in the system.
It is not unusual for candidates to receive ITAs up to two months before they reach their next work experience milestone. IRCC assumes that by the time the candidate submits their full permanent residence application, they will meet the required experience level.
This means waiting for a “perfect” score upgrade before entering or staying in the pool can be a mistake.
Candidates should keep their Express Entry profiles active and up to date at all times. Small changes can matter, and eligibility can come sooner than expected.
Lesson 3: The Tie-Breaking Rule Can Decide Your Fate
Another one of the four key takeaways from Express Entry’s biggest draw ever is that every Express Entry draw uses a tie-breaking rule.
If several candidates have the same CRS score as the cut-off score for a draw, IRCC invites those who submitted their Express Entry profiles earlier. The system looks at the exact date and time the profile was submitted.
This means two candidates with the same CRS score may have very different outcomes. The one who entered the pool earlier gets the ITA, while the other may miss out.
This is another strong reason to submit your Express Entry profile as soon as you are eligible.
It also shows why it is important to keep your profile valid. If your Express Entry profile expires or your language test results expire, you may need to submit a new profile. This resets your submission date and time, which can hurt you under the tie-breaking rule.
Even a strong profile can lose out if it is submitted too late.
To avoid problems:
- Submit your Express Entry profile as early as possible
- Renew your profile before it expires
- Keep your language test results valid at all times
Small delays can have big consequences in competitive draws.
How To Avoid Missing Your Chance Because Your Profile Expired?
There are two important things every Express Entry candidate should understand when applying:
- Each Express Entry profile is valid for one year
- Language test results are valid for two years
An Express Entry profile expires after one year. If it expires, you must create and submit a new profile. When you do this, your submission date starts over. This matters because it can affect the tie-breaking rule, which gives priority to candidates who submitted their profiles earlier.
For this reason, it is usually best to submit a new Express Entry profile as soon as the old one expires.
If you wait, you may miss draws while you are not in the pool. Also, the earlier you resubmit, the sooner you move into a safer position for the tie-breaking rule, where you are more likely to be included in future draws if your CRS score matches the cut-off.
Language test results, such as IELTS or CELPIP, expire after two years. If your language scores expire, your Express Entry profile becomes invalid, and you will need to submit a new profile. This also resets your submission date.
However, unlike profile expiry, you do not need to submit a new profile if you renew your language test before it expires. Uploading new language results in advance helps you save time and makes sure your profile stays active and eligible for upcoming Express Entry draws.
Lesson 4: Align Your Profile With Current Immigration Trends
Express Entry draws follow Canada’s immigration priorities.
The massive CEC draw in 2021 happened because of special pandemic-related goals. Canada wanted to invite people who were already working in the country.
Today, IRCC uses different tools to select candidates. One of the most important is category-based selection.
IRCC currently runs category-based draws for:
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and social services occupations
- Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations
- Trade occupations
- Agriculture and agri-food occupations
- Education occupations
- A newly-added Physicians with Canadian work experience category
To qualify for these draws, candidates must:
- Meet the basic requirements for Express Entry; and
- Meet extra category rules, such as
- Having at least NCLC 7 in French for French-language draws; or
- Having at least 6 months of continuous work experience in a listed occupation within the last 3 years (for the new physicians category, 1 year of Canadian work experience in the last 3 years).
Understanding these trends can greatly improve your chances.
For example, if you are gaining work experience in a job that fits a category, you should add that experience to your profile as soon as possible. This helps IRCC see that you are building skills that match Canada’s needs.
The same applies to language skills. If you are improving your French, you should update your profile as your scores increase. While NCLC 7 is required for French-language category draws, you can start earning CRS points for French from NCLC 5. This allows you to improve your CRS score step by step while working toward full eligibility.
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