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Tag Archives: #tradeoccupations

September 19, 2025

Dear future neighbour,

On September 18, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) ran a category-based Express Entry draw for trade occupations, issuing 1,250 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). The lowest-ranked candidate invited in that draw had a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 505.

See below details of September 18 Express Entry draw

  • Date & type: IRCC held a trades-category Express Entry draw on September 18, 2025.

  • Number of ITAs: 1,250 candidates were invited

  • Minimum CRS score: The cut-off (lowest CRS score among invited candidates) was 505.

  • Tie-breaker timestamp: November 5, 2024

Who this draw targeted

IRCC’s trade draws are category-based selections that require candidates to have experience in one of a small set of eligible trade occupations. Candidates needed at least six months’ experience in an eligible trade to be considered.

See the full list of 25 trades-eligible occupations below:

Occupation NOC code
Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services 82021
Floor covering installers 73113
Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) 73112
Roofers and shinglers 73110
Concrete finishers 73100
Other technical trades and related occupations 72999
Water well drillers 72501
Electrical mechanics 72422
Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics 72402
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics 72401
Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics 72400
Bricklayers 72320
Cabinetmakers 72311
Carpenters 72310
Gas fitters 72302
Plumbers 72300
Industrial electricians 72201
Electricians (except industrial and power system) 72200
Welders and related machine operators 72106
Sheet metal workers 72102
Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors 72100
Home building and renovation managers 70011
Construction managers 70010
Cooks 63200
Construction estimators 22303

How this draw compares to past trade draws

This 505 cut-off is substantially higher than previous trade draws (previous trade cut-offs in 2023–2024 ranged mostly in the high-300s to mid-400s), which makes this round unusually selective for a trade-category draw. Various analysts point to the long gap since the last trades draw (October 2024) and a smaller number of ITAs compared with some past rounds as reasons the cut-off rose.

Summary of Express Entry draws in 2025

Date Draw Type Number of ITAs Cut-off CRS score
September 17 Education 2,500 462
September 15 Provincial Nominee Program 228 746
September 4 French language proficiency 4,500 446
September 3 Canadian Experience Class 1,000 534
September 2 Provincial Nominee Program 249 772
August 19 Healthcare and social services 2,500 470
August 18 Provincial Nominee Program 192 800
August 8 French language proficiency 2,500 481
August 7 Canadian Experience Class 1,000 534
August 6 Provincial Nominee Program 225 739
July 22 Healthcare and social services 4,000 475
July 21 Provincial Nominee Program 202 788
July 8 Canadian Experience Class 3,000 518
July 7 Provincial Nominee Program 356 750
June 26 Canadian Experience Class 3,000 521
June 23 Provincial Nominee Program 503 742
June 12 Canadian Experience Class 3,000 529
June 10 Provincial Nominee Program 125 784
June 4 Healthcare and social services 500 504
June 2 Provincial Nominee Program 277 726
May 13 Canadian Experience Class 500 547
May 12 Provincial Nominee Program 511 706
May 2 Healthcare and social services 500 510
May 1 Education 1,000 479
April 28 Provincial Nominee Program 421 727
April 14 Provincial Nominee Program 825 764
March 21 French language proficiency 7,500 379
March 17 Provincial Nominee Program 536 736
March 6 French language proficiency 4,500 410
March 3 Provincial Nominee Program 725 667
February 19 French language proficiency 6,500 428
February 17 Provincial Nominee Program 646 750
February 5 Canadian Experience Class 4,000 521
February 4 Provincial Nominee Program 455 802
January 23 Canadian Experience Class 4,000 527
January 8 Canadian Experience Class 1,350 542
January 7 Provincial Nominee Program 471 793

What this means for trade candidates

  • If you’re in the Express Entry pool and in a listed trade occupation: a CRS of ~505 or higher would have been needed to receive an ITA in this round; if your score is lower, consider improvements (language test upgrades, additional qualifying work experience, education, or a provincial nomination).

  • Tie-break preparedness: if your CRS equals a published cut-off, IRCC uses the profile submission date/time to decide who receives an ITA — updating your profile doesn’t change your original submission timestamp. Make sure you know the exact timestamp on your profile.

Practical next steps (if this affects you)

  1. Confirm your NOC/occupation matches one of the eligible trades listed for this draw

  2. If your CRS is close to 505, consider: retaking language tests, getting an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if not done, gaining additional verified work experience, or pursuing a provincial nomination.

  3. If you already received an ITA — submit a complete PR application within IRCC’s time limit and gather medicals, police checks, and supporting documents immediately.

Need help with your Canadian immigration process?

Whether you’re applying for a visitor visa, submitting a work permit or visa application, creating an Expression of Interest (EOI), setting up an Express Entry or Provincial Nomination profile, preparing your application after receiving an Invitation to Apply, or simply want a professional review of your self-prepared application, we’re here to assist you.

Schedule a consultation or contact us at:
info@eseumohimmigration.com

July 5, 2024

Dear future neighbour,

On Thursday, July 4, 2024, the first Trade Express Entry draw of 2024 issued 1,800 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency, targeting 10 trade occupations. Profiles with a comprehensive ranking system (CRS) score of 436 or higher and at least six months of experience in one of these trades received ITAs.

See below full list of the 10 Trade occupations

See below details of latest Trade Express Entry Draw

  • Category: 10 Trade occupations(Version 1)
  • Number of invitations issued: 1,800
  • Rank required to be invited to apply: 1,800 or above
  • Date of round: July 4, 2024
  • CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 436
  • Tie-breaking rule: July 16, 2023

See below Express Entry draws of 2024 so far:

Immigration Program No. of Draws Total
Invitations
Average
CRS Score
Lowest
CRS Score
Highest
CRS Score
General or No Program Specified 9 14,445 536 524 549
Targeted Draw for French Speakers 4 12,400 375 336 410
Provincial Nominee Program 3 5,404 693 663 739
Canadian Experience Class (CEC) 1 3,000 522 522 522
Agriculture and Agri-food draw 1 150 437 437 437
Transport-targeted draw 1 975 430 430 430
STEM Targeted Draw 1 4,500 491 491 491
Healthcare Targeted Draw 1 3,500 422 422 422
Trades Targeted Draw 1 1,800 436 436 436

 

See below latest CRS Score Distribution In The Pool

CRS score range Number of candidates
601-1200 940
501-600 16,521
451-500 64,761
491-500 10,295
481-490 12,447
471-480 16,371
461-470 13,883
451-460 11,765
401-450 54,148
441-450 11,031
431-440 11,342
421-430 9,947
411-420 10,876
401-410 10,952
351-400 54,902
301-350 25,752
0-300 5,523
Total 222,547

A total of 46,174 invitations to apply (ITAs) have been issued by IRCC across 22 Express Entry draws up to this point in 2024.

Need help obtaining a visitor visa to visit Canada, or professional help putting in a study visa application, work permit application, Expression of Interest, creating an express entry or provincial nomination profile, preparing your application after receiving an invitation to apply or even just reviewing an application you prepared yourself? Book a consultation or send us an email on info@eseumohimmigration.com