CEC Draw

Express Entry: New CEC Draw Invites 1,000 Candidates with CRS Score of 534

• Draw Type: Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Invitations Issued: 1,000
• Minimum CRS Score: 534

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued a new round of invitations for the Express Entry system. In the draw held on October 1, 2025, IRCC invited 1,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence. This draw specifically targeted candidates eligible under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), requiring a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 534.

Key Draw Statistics:

• Draw Date: October 1, 2025
• Program: Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• ITAs Issued: 1,000
• Minimum CRS: 534

In-Depth Analysis of This Draw:

This latest draw marks a continued focus on program-specific invitations, exclusively targeting candidates with prior Canadian work experience. The minimum CRS score of 534 is notably high for a CEC-only draw, a direct result of the limited number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued. With only 1,000 invitations, IRCC selected only the highest-ranking candidates from the pool.

According to official data, there were 250,993 candidates in the Express Entry pool at the time of the draw. The data also reveals that only 288 candidates had a score above the 534 cut-off. This indicates that IRCC invited all candidates above the threshold and then applied its tie-breaking rule to select the remaining candidates who had a score of exactly 534. This draw underscores the highly competitive nature of the current Express Entry pool and reinforces the importance of achieving the highest possible CRS score.

What is the Canadian Experience Class (CEC)?

The Canadian Experience Class is a prominent immigration pathway for skilled workers who have recent work experience in Canada. To be eligible, candidates must have at least one year of skilled, professional, or technical work experience in Canada within the last three years. This program is a popular route to permanent residence for international graduates and temporary foreign workers who have already integrated into the Canadian labour market.

Understanding the CRS Score:

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is a points-based system used by the Canadian government to assess and rank candidates in the Express Entry pool. Candidates are awarded points based on a variety of factors that are proven to contribute to economic success in Canada. These factors include:

• Core Human Capital: Age, level of education, language proficiency in English and/or French, and Canadian work experience.
• Spouse or Common-law Partner Factors: Your partner's education, language skills, and work experience.
• Skill Transferability: A combination of education and work experience.
• Additional Points: A provincial nomination, a valid job offer, Canadian study experience, or a sibling in Canada.

A higher CRS score significantly increases a candidate's likelihood of receiving an ITA for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

Conclusion:

The October 1st Express Entry draw highlights IRCC's strategy of targeting candidates who are already established in Canada. The high CRS score of 534 combined with a modest draw size of 1,000 invitations signals a competitive environment for CEC candidates. Those in the Express Entry pool should continue to explore all available avenues to improve their CRS score to maximize their chances in future draws.