A new Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Express Entry draw by Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on 28 October 2025, which was part of the
latest update on Canada’s Express Entry system and 1,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs)
for Permanent Residency (PR) were issued. The new minimum CRS score of 533 is an
indicator of victories on the part of Canada in its ever-fighting war for candidates with
Canadian work experience who would already be a part of the country’s immigration plan
for 2025 aimed at making the skilled workforce stronger and satisfying the labour market’s
ongoing demand.
Highlights of the Express Entry Draw
● Date of Draw – 28 October 2025
● Program – Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
● Total ITAs Issued – 1,000
● Lowest CRS Score – 533
The most recent draw held on 28 October had a cut-off of 533 indicating a 1 point
decrease from the October 1st, 2025 draw when 534 was the CRS cut off, thus, allowing a
very small number of CEC candidates to be eliminated as a result.
CRS Score Distribution in the Pool as of 28 October 2025
A breakdown of the distribution of the candidates across the score ranges of CRS around
the draw time is given here, suggesting the overall competitiveness in the pool –
| CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates |
|---|---|
| 501-600 | 25,001 |
| 451-500 | 69,503 |
| 491-500 | 12,051 |
| 481-490 | 12,092 |
| 471-480 | 14,727 |
| 461-470 | 15,792 |
| 451-460 | 14,841 |
| 401-450 | 72,542 |
| 441-450 | 14,089 |
| 431-440 | 14,766 |
| 421-430 | 14,998 |
| 411-420 | 14,820 |
| 401-410 | 13,869 |
| 351-400 | 52,468 |
| 301-350 | 19,410 |
| 0-300 | 8,027 |
| Total | 246,951 |
The figures reveal the extent to which the candidates are clustered in the middle and top
CRS ranges, which results in high competitiveness in every draw.
Recap of Express Entry Draws – October 2025
| Date | Category | CRS Score | Invitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 28 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 533 | 1,000 |
| October 27 | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 761 | 302 |
| October 15 | Healthcare & Social Services | 472 | 2,500 |
| October 14 | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 778 | 345 |
| October 6 | French Language Proficiency (Category) | 432 | 4,500 |
| October 1 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 534 | 1,000 |
What This Means for Express Entry Candidates
● CEC Candidates Are in Focus – The continuing 1,000 invite CEC draws indicate
that IRCC is still very much in favor of and thus the 2025 draw strategy will be to
candidates with Canadian work experience.
● Slight Score Relaxation – The 1 point reduction in the cut-off may look insignificant
but for a large number of Express Entry candidates, it is even this that can be a
decisive factor.
● Consistency Is Key – The target for CEC aspirants to keep a CRS score just above
533 is still very reasonable.
● Profile Optimization – Given the severe competition, candidates are advised to
check their language test results, work experience and education qualifications to be
able to compete.