Significant shifts have occurred in the Express Entry candidate pool following the removal of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points previously awarded for arranged employment.
As a result of this policy change, thousands of candidates experienced a considerable drop in their CRS scores—by either 50 or 200 points—substantially affecting their chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence.
Notable Changes in the Express Entry Pool
The most pronounced decline in CRS scores occurred within the 501–600 range, which saw 5,740 profiles drop out. This was followed by decreases in the:
- 491–500 range: down by 1,618 profiles
- 481–490 range: down by 984 profiles
Altogether, these three upper-tier ranges (typically within the top 10% of scores) lost a total of 8,342 profiles between March 16 and April 14, 2025. Many of these profiles, assuming they haven’t expired, have likely shifted into lower score ranges as a result of the change.
Note: The numbers reported do not differentiate between profiles naturally expiring or being added, versus those affected by the March 25, 2025 CRS update.
Despite these sharp decreases, the overall pool expanded by 7,373 new profiles in the same timeframe—highlighting that the reconfiguration was largely due to the removal of arranged employment points.
Score Ranges with Growth
Several CRS brackets saw notable increases, most significantly:
- 461–470 range: +2,157 profiles
- 451–460 range: +1,750 profiles
- 401–450 range: +5,814 profiles
These increases suggest that many candidates previously above the 500-point threshold have now shifted into the high 400s, particularly if they lost 50 CRS points from arranged employment.
Here’s a breakdown of profile changes between March 16 and April 14, 2025:
|
CRS Score Range |
Change in Profiles |
|
601–1200 |
+123 |
|
501–600 |
-5,740 |
|
491–500 |
-1,618 |
|
481–490 |
-984 |
|
471–480 |
+182 |
|
461–470 |
+2,157 |
|
451–460 |
+1,750 |
|
441–450 |
+1,817 |
|
431–440 |
+1,722 |
|
421–430 |
+1,465 |
|
411–420 |
+1,101 |
|
401–410 |
-291 |
|
351–400 |
+1,677 |
|
301–350 |
+1,496 |
|
0–300 |
+2,516 |
|
Total |
+7,373 |
Updated CRS Score Distribution (as of April 14, 2025)
Here’s how the Express Entry pool currently looks post-change:
|
CRS Score Range |
Number of Candidates |
|
601–1200 |
816 |
|
501–600 |
19,782 |
|
491–500 |
12,093 |
|
481–490 |
12,359 |
|
471–480 |
16,215 |
|
461–470 |
16,189 |
|
451–460 |
14,686 |
|
441–450 |
14,131 |
|
431–440 |
14,740 |
|
421–430 |
13,084 |
|
411–420 |
13,020 |
|
401–410 |
12,326 |
|
351–400 |
53,479 |
|
301–350 |
22,799 |
|
0–300 |
8,563 |
|
Total |
244,282 |
Key Observations
Even though the Express Entry pool has surged—reaching its highest total in over a year—the removal of arranged employment points has brought the number of candidates in certain CRS ranges (501–600, 491–500, 481–490) back to levels similar to December 2024.
This outcome reflects a significant redistribution of scores rather than an overall drop in participation—underlining the impact of policy adjustments on Express Entry dynamics.
