Canada’s Express Entry system has just gone through a major shift — and if you’re one of the thousands of candidates waiting for an invitation, this change could directly affect your chances. As of March 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) removed points awarded for arranged employment in the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). If you had a job offer worth 50 or even 200 points, those have now been stripped away.
But what does that mean for the CRS cut-off for 2025? Let’s dive into the data and real-world implications.
What the New IRCC Data Reveals
On March 19, 2025, there were 37,170 people in the Express Entry pool who were holding on to 50-200 extra points thanks to arranged employment. That’s not a small number — it’s a significant chunk of the candidate pool.
Once those points were removed, thousands of applicants saw a major drop in their CRS scores. Some lost 50 points. Others, especially those in senior management roles (NOC 00), lost 200.
Interestingly, most of these candidates came from countries that traditionally supply a high number of permanent residents to Canada:
- India
- Philippines
- China
- Mexico
- South Korea
- Pakistan
- Brazil
- Nigeria
- United Kingdom
- Vietnam
Many of these same countries were top sources for Canadian PRs in 2024. So, it’s clear that this change has a wide-reaching impact.
CRS Cut-Off for 2025: Will It Finally Drop?
Now for the big question — will the CRS cut-off for 2025 come down? Looking at the numbers, here’s what we estimate:
- Around 237,000 people were in the Express Entry pool in March 2025.
- About 25,500 had CRS scores between 501-600.
- If 20% of them had arranged employment points, then around 5,100 people would drop below 470 after the removal.
That still leaves over 20,000 candidates with CRS scores above 500.
So while the pool has thinned out slightly at the top, it hasn’t been emptied. Most of the remaining high scorers likely have Canadian work experience — making them strong candidates for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) invitations.
What does this mean? For now, we expect the CRS cut-off to stay above 500 until at least mid-2025, especially if IRCC continues draws of 3,000 to 4,000 applicants every couple of weeks.
What About Those Who Lost 200 Points?
If you were relying on a NOC 00 job offer to boost your CRS by 200 points, this news is even harder to take. For instance, a candidate with:
- Age: 45
- Education: 2-year diploma from outside Canada
- English: CLB 7
- Experience: 3 years in Canada + 3 years abroad
might have had a CRS of 318 — even with 200 points added in. Now, without that job offer bonus, they’re looking at scores that won’t likely make the cut in any upcoming draw.
Unfortunately, these applicants may have a long wait ahead unless they qualify for a category-based draw, receive a provincial nomination, or take additional steps like learning French.
Will Things Change After June?
There’s still hope that the CRS cut-off could drop later in the year. If IRCC keeps up larger draws — around 4,000 every two weeks — we may start to see scores dip below 500 by June or July.
But one wild card here is the growing number of people learning French. Since French-speaking candidates get extra CRS points under category-based draws, the upper range of CRS scores may stay higher than expected. Also, since there haven’t been many draws for Federal Skilled Workers (FSW) recently, there’s a backlog of qualified candidates still waiting their turn.
This combination — high French-speaking scores, FSW backlog, and internal policy focus — could keep the CRS cut-off elevated a little longer.
What Should You Do Now?
If you’re wondering what this means for your own Express Entry profile, here’s some practical advice:
- Language proficiency still matters most – consider boosting your IELTS or TEF scores.
- Learn French – it’s not easy, but it can add critical points.
- Study in Canada – if eligible, enrolling in a program might improve your long-term options.
- Patience may pay off – if you’re already sitting in the high 400s, a “wait-and-see” approach may not hurt.
But don’t depend on a job offer to lift your score anymore. That door has closed — at least for now.
The CRS Cut-Off for 2025 Is Changing – Slowly
The removal of job offer points has shaken up the Express Entry pool. While it may eventually lower the CRS cut-off for 2025, don’t expect dramatic changes overnight. With around 20,000 high-scoring candidates still in the pool, the road ahead requires strategy, persistence, and adaptability. Keep working on what you can control — and prepare for when the numbers do shift in your favour. Stay updated with ImmigCanada for further developments!
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