In its latest Express Entry draw, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 3,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). This draw required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 522, marking the lowest score for a non-category-based selection draw this year.
This week’s CEC-specific draw is the first of its kind since September 2021 and follows another program-specific draw earlier in the week for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. These draws reflect IRCC’s commitment to increase opportunities for temporary residents in Canada to transition to permanent residency.
CEC candidates are typically temporary residents already living and working in Canada, and the IRCC’s program-specific draws focus on helping them achieve permanent status. These program-specific draws are part of IRCC’s broader strategy to manage the influx of temporary residents and streamline the path to permanent residency.
This is also the first set of program-specific draws since the introduction of category-based selection in May 2023. While category-based draws remain a key feature, this draw highlights the continued importance of the CEC in Canada’s immigration landscape.
IRCC has not disclosed specific reasons for the month-long pause in draws prior to this week’s events but has indicated that future draws will follow a predetermined schedule in line with Canada’s 2024 and 2025 immigration targets. The size and frequency of draws are expected to align with these admissions targets, while IRCC’s processing capacity may also influence the draw schedule.