Canada has just delivered some exciting news for immigration hopefuls. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a major Express Entry draw targeting Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates—and it turned out to be the largest CEC-specific draw in more than 16 months.
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A Big Win for CEC Applicants
In this latest round, IRCC issued 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the CEC pool. Anyone hoping to be selected needed to meet two key requirements:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 520, and
- An Express Entry profile submitted before 5:30 p.m. (UTC) on July 15, 2025.
The CRS cut-off of 520 comes as a welcome shift for many candidates. For the past five CEC draws, the minimum score had stalled at 533–534, creating a lot of uncertainty and frustration among applicants waiting for movement. This draw finally breaks that pattern.
Largest CEC Draw Since Mid-2024
The last time CEC candidates saw a draw of this scale was on July 16, 2024. Today’s results mark a meaningful return to higher invitation numbers, giving thousands of workers with Canadian experience a clearer path toward permanent residence.
How This Draw Fits Into Recent Trends
This is already the second Express Entry draw of December, following a busy period of activity from IRCC:
- December 8: the year’s largest Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw
- November 28: a major draw prioritizing French-language proficiency
- November 26: the previous CEC-focused round
Taken together, these back-to-back draws show IRCC’s commitment to balancing the needs of provinces, French-speaking communities, and skilled workers with Canadian experience.
More Than 105,000 ITAs Issued This Year
With this most recent round, IRCC has now issued 105,599 Express Entry invitations in 2025. The majority have gone to PNP candidates, but the government has also continued to invite applicants through:
- CEC draws
- French-language proficiency draws
- Category-based selections for priority occupations
What This Means
The renewed momentum in CEC draws is encouraging for candidates who have been waiting through months of high CRS cut-offs and unpredictable rounds. If IRCC continues at this pace, more applicants in the Canadian Experience Class may see their chances improve in the coming months.
