On the 3rd of September 2025, IRCC held the first-ever Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Express Entry draw. 1,000 ITAs were released for the applicants for permanent residence.
The lowest CRS score was 534 and the tie-breaking rule was applied to those candidates
who had submitted their profiles on or before 14 August 2025 at 08:28:38 UTC.
Express Entry Draw Details
● Draw Type – Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
● Draw Date – September 3, 2025
● Number of Invitations – 1,000
● CRS Cut-off Score – 534
● Tie-Breaker Rule – Profiles submitted before August 14, 2025, 08:28:38 UTC
The second consecutive CEC draw to have a cut-off score of 534 after the round of August
7, 2025.
Recent CEC Draws in 2025
The September draw is the latest in the series of smaller, targeted CEC draws that have
been held over the past few months.
| Date | Invitations | CRS Cut-off |
|---|---|---|
| September 3, 2025 | 1,000 | 534 |
| August 7, 2025 | 1,000 | 534 |
| July 8, 2025 | 3,000 | 518 |
| June 26, 2025 | 3,000 | 521 |
| June 12, 2025 | 3,000 | 529 |
| May 13, 2025 | 500 | 547 |
| February 5, 2025 | 4,000 | 521 |
| January 23, 2025 | 4,000 | 527 |
| January 8, 2025 | 1,350 | 542 |
Smaller draws (500-1,350 ITAs) push CRS scores to go higher on the contrary, larger draws
(3,000-4,000 ITAs) tend to affect cut-off scores and drag them below 530.
What This Draw Means
This draw highlights IRCC’s policy in selecting candidates having Canadian work
experience. With CRS held at 534, IRCC is sending a signal that competition amongst
skilled workers is very high, especially with smaller draw sizes.
Candidates with a CRS capable of exceeding these scores or those working to improve their
profiles through educational enhancements, work experience or language testing may stand
to win in upcoming rounds.
Next Steps for Invited Candidates
● Application Timeline – Once an ITA is received, a candidate has 60 days to submit
a complete application for permanent residency.
● Fees – CAD 1,365 per adult.
● Processing Time – IRCC targets to complete all CEC applications within a
six-month timeframe.
● Documents Required – Proof of the Canadian work experience, language test
results, educational credential assessments, police certificates and medical exams.
Outlook for Future Draws
The alternate cycle of smaller targeted draws and bigger all candidates rounds seems to
be a flexible approach to address labor needs in Canada. Applicants are advised to –
● Keep updating the profiles in Express Entry regularly.
● Improve CRS either with additional work experience, language enhancements, or
PNP nominations.
● Submit as early as possible since tie-breaker rules favor earlier profiles if candidates
are at the same score.
