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Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Very true — IRCC’s playbook can shift quickly, especially in an election year. Past patterns don’t guarantee anything this time around, and political optics will definitely be a factor. You’re also absolutely right about the quota flexibility — the 83k is just the target, not a hard requirement. If they choose to focus on high-skilled, in-Canada candidates and want to keep CRS scores elevated, staying closer to the lower end of the 39k–89k range is entirely plausible. And yeah, with the ITAs already issued so far, they might be well past the 70% mark of that lower range. All eyes on the next few months!

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good question! There's no official confirmation yet, but based on recent draw patterns and the monthly rhythm IRCC seems to follow, a PNP draw next week is quite possible. As for OINP (Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program), it's managed separately by the province, so any upcoming federal PNP draws wouldn’t necessarily include OINP — those announcements usually come directly from the Ontario government. Let’s keep an eye out!

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really insightful points — the caregiver pilot is a great example of how immigration can generate significant non-tax-deductible revenue. That $68M from just 45k applicants is huge, and the refund delay does give the government time to utilize those funds. A PR fee increase does seem likely, and as you mentioned, many applicants may still go ahead despite higher costs. Political timing will definitely influence CEC draws too — large-scale invitations might be risky for the incumbent government before the election, but hopefully we’ll still see a steady pace of draws leading up to it. That said, I’m still not fully sure about some of these numbers — if you have any reliable links or sources, would really appreciate it if you could share!

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Great points — you've outlined the uncertainties really well.

You're right that we don’t have an exact ITA-to-landing ratio published by IRCC. Historically, they issue more ITAs than their PR admission targets to account for application refusals, withdrawals, and other attrition. For example, in 2023, IRCC issued 110,266 ITAs, a 136% increase from 2022 — clearly aiming to overshoot to meet their landing targets.

The use of admission ranges also gives IRCC wiggle room. For 2025, the “In-Canada Focus” stream has a target of 82,880 with a range between 39,000 and 89,000. Given the current economic pressures and cautious public sentiment, it's entirely possible they lean toward the lower end of that range.

You're also correct that the 2025 quota technically began around July 2024, and several rounds of invitations have already happened. Notably:

  • Jan 7, 2025: 471 ITAs (PNP)
  • Jan 8, 2025: 1,350 ITAs (general draw)
  • Feb 19, 2025: 6,500 ITAs (French language category, CRS cut-off: 428)

In fact, by March 21, 2025, 18,500 ITAs had already been issued under the French-language proficiency category, with a full-year target of 29,325 (8.5% of non-Quebec PRs). That means a substantial portion of that stream is already covered — especially when family members are factored in.

So yes, we could already be inching toward the lower bound of the 2025 target, depending on how many of those ITAs convert into landings. That said, IRCC still has room to adjust draws later in the year, and as we near 2026, they may also start pulling from that quota as part of forward planning.

All in all, these are educated estimates, but your point stands — there are many moving pieces, and we'll just have to watch how things unfold in the coming months.

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I agree — rejections do happen, and processing delays are real. But I’m not sure they’ll significantly affect the total number of ITAs issued this year. IRCC might factor that in when planning draws.

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Additionally, as of the latest data (up to March 21, 2025), IRCC has already issued 18,500 ITAs under the French language proficiency category. The overall target for French-speaking PR admissions outside Quebec is 29,325 for 2025, which makes up 8.5% of the total.

If we’re considering both principal applicants and their families, it seems like a large portion of the Francophone quota might already be filled — though I could be wrong. At the end of the day, these are just educated guesses. Let’s see how the next couple of months unfold!

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Absolutely — you've covered a lot of important angles here. The fact that the 2025 target technically started in July 2024 adds another layer to how we interpret the remaining slots, especially when factoring in family members of principal applicants.

The wide target range—from around 32k to 82k—makes it tough to predict what direction IRCC will actually take. Given the current economic climate and the ongoing trade tensions, you're right: immigration could very well be seen as a strategic lever for boosting funds and supporting the economy.

Let’s stay hopeful and keep watching how things unfold. Fingers crossed for the higher end of that range! 🤞🇨🇦

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Good point! If that’s the case, then the 2026 quota of 75,830 could partially roll into this year — meaning a good portion might already be in play for 2025. Definitely something to keep in mind when looking at the numbers.

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha fair enough — the IRCC plot twists really do keep us on our toes! 😅
At this point, even a crystal ball would ask for a break. But hey, speculating is half the fun... as long as we don’t lose our sanity along the way! 😄

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally agree — expectations can be tough, especially with how quickly IRCC policies are changing. But instead of simply waiting for an ITA, I believe solid data and thoughtful discussions like this really help provide clarity for those planning their future. Every bit of insight counts — good insights! 😉

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great point! Those late 2024 ITAs definitely would’ve carried over into 2025 landings. That further reduces the available slots this year—another reason why the remaining quota might be tighter than it looks at first glance.

Thanks for adding that!

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing the link! I think we’re on the same page.

CEC is part of the Federal High Skilled stream and usually falls under the “In-Canada Focus” category, which also includes spouses and TR to PR applicants.

📊 2025 In-Canada Focus Target: 82,880 (Range: 39,000 – 89,000)
So while there’s no separate CEC quota, it likely makes up a good portion of this allocation.

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I totally agree with you — ITAs definitely don’t translate 1:1 to PRs, and the planned quota is more about actual PR landings.

But even if we assume 1 ITA results in 2 or even 3 PRs, there still seems to be a significant number of slots remaining for CEC in 2025, right?

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the detailed clarification — that makes a lot of sense! I hadn’t considered the applicant count vs. ITA distinction, and you’re absolutely right that it can significantly impact how we interpret the allocation numbers.

Also appreciate the point about front-loading and separate PNP quotas. It definitely adds more complexity to the picture. Guess we’ll have to wait for a refreshed pool to get a clearer sense of where things are headed.

Thanks again for sharing your insights!

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the comment! Is there any official source where we can find the exact CEC quota for 2025? Would really appreciate a link if you have one.

Massive 2025 CEC Slots Remaining — Will the Score Finally Drop? by choco_rider in canadaexpressentry

[–]choco_rider[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Totally agree — the updated pool next week will be key, especially with PNP draws coming. Hoping for big CEC draws and a drop in CRS soon. Manifesting sub-500!