If you’re waiting for an ITA, it’s important to read the recent CRS drop with some perspective.
Yes, scores have come down. That’s a good sign. But if you look at Express Entry over the years, one thing is consistent: short-term drops don’t automatically turn into long-term trends.
𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞:
🔴 In 2020–2021, CRS fell quickly because of large and targeted draws. Once things stabilised, scores climbed back up.
🔴 In 2022, when draws restarted after long pauses, cut-offs dipped briefly and then rose steadily as backlogs built again.
🔴 In 2023–2024, category-based draws created selective relief for some candidates, while overall competition continued to intensify.
December/January pushed CRS into uncomfortable territory, not because demand disappeared, but because IRCC adjusted how and who they were inviting.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐑𝐒 “𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡” 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲
CRS doesn’t move in a straight line. It never has.
If you map it out over time, what you actually see is:
👉 sudden drops when IRCC goes mum or draw sizes decrease or categories are targeted,
👉 quiet stretches when draws slow or pause,
👉 and quick jumps when IRCC changes direction.
It’s a stop-start system. Anyone expecting a smooth downward slide is ignoring how this program actually works.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲
✅ If you were working toward French points, keep going. That advantage holds up best when the system gets volatile.
✅ If you planned to retake IELTS or CELPIP, don’t put it off. Language scores remain the most reliable way to improve CRS.
✅ If your plan involved more work experience or provincial pathways, stay consistent. Those buffers matter most when scores climb again.
✅ If you were wooing an employer to get that job offer for the PNP, don’t ease up on the chocolates and flowers now or being that good employee.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞
There are real reasons to think CRS could ease further.
There are equally strong reasons to believe it could reverse just as quickly.
𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐈𝐑𝐂𝐂’𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫.
The smart move isn’t guessing the next draw, it’s sticking to the plan you already built and continuing to improve what you can control. The people who slow down during temporary dips are usually the ones scrambling when the bar moves again. 👉✅
