Editors Pick

Highlights: First-Ever Express Entry draw for Education Professionals issues 1,000 ITAs

• The latest Express Entry draw #344 was held on May 1, 2025.
• This is the first category-based draw targeting education professionals.
• The Express Entry Draw issued 1,000 Invitations to Apply to candidates with a CRS score 479.
• So far, IRCC held 14 Express Entry draws in 2025, issuing 32,929 candidates to apply for Canada PR.
   

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Latest Category-based Express Entry Draw invites 1000 candidates

The most recent Express Entry draw was held on May 1, 2025. Express Entry Draw #344 issued 1,000 ITAs to Education professionals with a minimum CRS score of 479. This is the first draw targeting the education category, which was announced earlier in February 2025. The education category was recently added to the list of eligible categories for the Express Entry draws.
 

Given below are the six categories listed under the Express Entry categories:
 

1. French-language proficiency
2. Healthcare and social services occupations
3. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations
4. Trade occupations
5. Agriculture and agri-food occupations
6. Education occupations
    

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List of Occupations Eligible for Education Category

The Education category was added to the list of Express Entry categories on February 27, 2025. It was introduced to prioritize professionals in the educational sector, including teachers, allowing them to apply for Canada PR through the category-based draws.
 

The table below has details of the list of occupations along with their NOC codes:

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Highlights: Significant drop in CRS scores after the removal of bonus points for arranged employment

• Express Entry candidate pool has witnessed significant changes after the removal of the CRS score.
• The Express Entry candidate pool attracted 7,373 candidate profiles due to the removal of arranged employment.
• Candidates witnessed the most significant changes in scores among Express Entry occurred within the 501-600 CRS score range.
• There was an addition of 2,157 profiles within the score range between 461 and 470 CRS points.
   

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Major changes introduced to Express Entry pool

The removal of arranged employment points under the Comprehensive Ranking system has seen significant changes in the Express Entry candidate pool. Around thousands of candidates in the Express Entry pool have noticed that their CRS scores dropped by 50 or 200 points, with a chance of receiving an ITA to apply for Canada Permanent Residence (PR).
 

The most significant score change among Express Entry candidates occurred within the 501-600 CRS score range, which saw a drastic decrease of 5,740 profiles. A similar reduction in profile can be observed within score ranges between:
 

• 491 and 500 CRS points, which saw a decline of 1,618 profile
• 481 and 490 CRS points witnessed a drop of 984 profile
   

These three score ranges collectively witnessed a decrease of 8,347 profiles between March 16 and April 14, 2025. With the removal of arranged employment points, if the profiles have not expired, they will be distributed to a lower score range within the candidate pool.
 

The Express Entry candidate pool grew by a total of 7,373 candidate profiles within the same time frame despite the radical decrease, which indicated larger changes within the pool composition. The largest among these was the addition of 2,157 profiles within the score range between 461 and 471 CRS points.
 

Candidates who have arranged employment will receive an additional 50 CRS points. Below The table will mention the changes in the Express Entry profile between March 16 and April 14, 2025, for all score ranges:

Current composition of scores within the Express Entry pool following the CRS points change

The following table details the current composition of the Express Entry Candidate pool as of April 14, 2025:

In 2024-2025, the Express Entry pool has witnessed an increase in candidates. With the removal of CRS points for arranged employment, it means the following CRS score ranges will now have roughly the same number of candidate profiles as they did in December of 2024, which are:

• 501-600
• 490-500
• 481-490
   

This increase of 25,792 candidate profiles was despite this score from December 2024 to April 2025.|
 

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Highlights: Manitoba PNP introduced special work permit for eligible candidates

• Manitoba PNP will issue exceptional Manitoba-specific work permits for up to two years.
• Applicants must meet general and federal requirements to qualify for this special work permit.
• Manitoba will begin accepting applications for these work permits starting April 22, 2025.
• Eligible candidates can apply online for special permits till December 31, 2025.
   

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Eligibility Criteria to apply for exceptional Manitoba-specific work permits

To qualify for an exceptional Manitoba-specific work permit, an applicant must:
 

• Holder of a work permit that will expire within 45 days or holder of a work permit that expired in 2024 or 2025
• Continuously residing in Manitoba since January 15, 2025
• A valid MPNP Express Entry Interest Profile and still have it since January 15, 2025
• Have a letter of employment from their current employer in Manitoba
   

Manitoba PNP will begin to accept applications for work permits from April 22, 2025. If an MPNP candidate qualifies, they can apply online to the MPNP for a support letter, which they can use in their work permit application to IRCC. These applications for work permits will be open until December 31, 2025. Applicants who have already received a letter of Advice to apply for the Manitoba PNP are not eligible for the special work permit. IRCC’s Temporary public policy will issue these work permits to facilitate work permits for prospective Provincial Nominee candidates.
 

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Federal requirements to apply for special Manitoba-specific work permits

To apply for exceptional Manitoba-specific work permits, an applicant must fulfill the Federal requirements such as:
 

• Valid work permit
• Holder of a work permit since May 7, 2024
• Maintained works permit status since May 7, 2024, and submitted a work permit extension application permit before this date
   

Documentation required for special Manitoba-specific work permits

Applicants who have fulfilled the requirements can apply for

• Support letter
• Copy of your Expression of Interest Profile
• Letter of employment from current employer
• Current work permit
• Proof of authorization to work
• Holder of valid work permit since May 7, 2024
   

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Highlights: New Federal Rule Mandates IDs for immigrants in the USA

• A new U.S. federal rule has been announced for immigrants in the USA.
• According to the rule, all immigrants above 18 years of age must always carry proof of registration or ID.
• Non-citizens in the country will be given 30 days to register with the federal government.
• The new rule for non-citizens in the US was effective from April 11, 2025.
   

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Immigrants in the US will now have to carry an ID at all times

According to the new Federal rule, implemented on April 11, 2025, all immigrants in the US, including H-1B visa holders, F-1 visa holders, US visitor visa holders, and Green card holders, will be required to carry proof of registration, irrespective of their visa status. The new policy makes it compulsory for non-citizens aged 18 years and above to always carry their ID card. Immigrants who have yet to be registered will be given around 30 days to complete their registration with the US federal government.
 

Individuals currently in the country with US student visas (F-1), I-94 admissions, and H-1B visas, EADs, or Green Cards will automatically be considered registered. However, the new rule requires them to carry their proof of registration everywhere to avoid any consequences.
 

Also, read…

US Extends Employment Document Renewals to 540 Days
 

What are the new registration rules in the US?

The new rule also requires individuals to meet specific requirements, such as:

• Children turning 14 will be required to re-register and submit biometrics (fingerprints) within 30 days of celebrating their birthday.
• Any address changes must be informed within 10 days, failing which a fine of $5,000 or one month of jail time may be imposed.
   

Note: Violating these rules may result in losing their legal status in the US, detention, or re-entry to the US after traveling abroad.   
 

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Highlights: $100 Million Australian university program to support women in STEM

• Tech founder Robin Khuda has recently funded $100 million to the University of Sydney.
• The record donation is set to fund a two-year program to support women enrolled in STEM.
• According to the STEM Equity Monitor 2024, women represent only 15% of individuals working in STEM jobs.
• The STEM course aims to support female students in relevant high school courses and further encourage them to pursue STEM.
   

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Record $100m donation to the University of Sydney

Tech Founder Robin Khuda has funded nearly $100 million from the Khuda Foundation to the University of Sydney. This is recorded to be the largest ever amount of funds to be received by any of the universities in New South Wales. The donation is directed towards encouraging young women to enroll in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.) The funds will go towards the two-decade program to support women studying and employed in STEM jobs.
 

Mark Scott, the vice-chancellor of the University of Sydney, said that he and Robin Khuda had consulted for two years to devise the program. Robin Khuda had earlier donated $22m to over 300 of his employees after he acquired a $24 billion acquisition from a US firm. Khuda chose the University of Sydney because it has a strong research, academic, and teaching reputation.
 

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