First Express Entry Draw of December Issues 1,123 PR Invitations
Asif Consulting Update
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released details of the Canada’s First December Express Entry Draw 2025, and it brought major developments for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates.
IRCC invited 1,123 applicants to apply for permanent residence in the latest round. This is the largest PNP-specific draw of 2025, showing Canada’s strong focus on welcoming skilled workers selected by provinces. The draw follows Canada’s new Immigration Levels Plan announced in November 2025.
The minimum CRS cut-off score was 729, which includes the additional 600 points given to candidates who already had a provincial nomination. Without the nomination, their core CRS score was 129 or higher.
Full Details of the Canada’s First December Express Entry Draw 2025
- Program: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Date: December 8, 2025
- Lowest CRS Score Invited: 729
- Invitations Issued: 1,123
- Rank Required: 1,123 or above
- Tie-Breaking Date: March 5, 2025, at 05:10:48
IRCC used the standard tie-breaking rule. If multiple candidates had a score of 729, the one who created their profile earlier received the invitation.
Who Received an Invitation?
All candidates invited in this draw had valid provincial nominations. This means they:
- Had a base CRS score of 129 or more
- Received a provincial nomination worth 600 points
- Reached a total CRS score of 729 or above
To put it simply, any candidate with:
- A valid Express Entry profile
- A CRS score of 129+
- An active provincial nomination
was selected in this draw.
This shows that provinces are playing a central role in choosing skilled workers who match their labour market needs.
Latest CRS Score Distribution in the Express Entry Pool
IRCC also shared the updated number of candidates in each CRS range. Here is the complete distribution:
| CRS Score Range | Candidates |
| 601–1200 | 1,110 |
| 501–600 | 27,096 |
| 451–500 | 68,679 |
| 491–500 | 12,445 |
| 481–490 | 12,303 |
| 471–480 | 14,851 |
| 461–470 | 14,351 |
| 451–460 | 14,729 |
| 401–450 | 66,302 |
| 441–450 | 13,844 |
| 431–440 | 14,166 |
| 421–430 | 12,613 |
| 411–420 | 12,193 |
| 401–410 | 13,486 |
| 351–400 | 52,344 |
| 301–350 | 18,799 |
| 0–300 | 8,049 |
| Total | 242,379 |
What Happens Next for Invited Candidates?
Those who received an ITA now have 60 days to:
- Submit their full PR application
- Upload police certificates and medical exams
- Provide proof of funds (if needed)
- Submit complete documents for work experience and education
- Ensure their provincial nomination is still active
Most PNP-linked PR applications will continue to follow the 6-month standard processing time.
Key Takeaways
This draw clearly shows:
- Provincial nominations are leading Express Entry selections.
- Candidates without a nomination should expect category-based draws, not general ones.
- Canada is moving toward more regional and skills-focused immigration, making PNPs one of the strongest pathways to permanent residency.
Asif Consulting will continue to bring you the latest updates on Canada’s immigration system.
