ByAyesha KhanPublished June 2026

CEC draw history — every Canadian Experience Class round of 2024-2026

Canadian Experience Class draws target one specific group: temporary workers already in Canada with at least 12 months of skilled work experience. These rounds run less frequently than general Express Entry draws, but they matter to the roughly 100,000 work permit holders in the pool at any given time. The CRS cutoffs tend to run 20-40 points below the all-program average, which makes CEC draws the most accessible federal pathway for people already working in Canada.

This article tracks every CEC-specific round IRCC has held since January 2024, the cutoff scores, the number of invitations issued, and what the trends mean if you're waiting for your turn.

What is a CEC draw in Express Entry?

A CEC draw is a category-based selection round that invites only candidates who meet Canadian Experience Class eligibility. When IRCC runs a CEC draw, Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades candidates in the pool are excluded, even if their CRS score is higher than the cutoff. Only profiles flagged as CEC-eligible receive invitations.

IRCC introduced category-based draws in May 2023 to better align Express Entry with labour market needs. CEC is one of six categories; the others are French language, healthcare, STEM, trades, and transport. The department doesn't publish a fixed schedule for CEC rounds. They appear roughly once every 4-8 weeks, depending on pool composition and annual admission targets.

The cutoff score in a CEC draw reflects the CRS of the lowest-ranked candidate who received an ITA in that round. Because the eligible pool is smaller and skewed toward people with Canadian work experience (which adds CRS points), CEC cutoffs historically land 20-50 points below general draws.

CEC eligibility — who qualifies for these draws

To be considered in a CEC draw, your Express Entry profile must satisfy all of these at the time of the draw:

You need 12 months of skilled Canadian work experience in the past three years, in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupations. Part-time hours can count if they add up to 1,560 hours (30 hours/week × 52 weeks). The work must have been authorized; you need to have held a valid work permit or been otherwise legally allowed to work.

Language test results must meet the CEC minimum: CLB 7 (roughly IELTS 6.0 in each skill) for NOC TEER 0 or 1 jobs; CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3. Results must be less than two years old at the time IRCC receives your application, not at the time of the draw.

Proof of funds is waived if you're currently working in Canada on a valid permit, or if you have a valid job offer. If neither applies, you need to show settlement funds (CAD $14,690 for a single applicant as of 2026).

Your profile also needs to declare CEC as your program. Most people who meet CEC eligibility also qualify for Federal Skilled Worker, which means IRCC's system will consider you for both program types unless you explicitly remove FSW. Leaving both active is fine; it just means you're eligible for general draws and CEC draws. If you only meet CEC criteria (for example, you have Canadian experience but no foreign work history), the system auto-assigns you to CEC only.

One gotcha: if you're on a Post-Graduation Work Permit and you've only worked part-time or in a TEER 4 or 5 job, you don't qualify for CEC yet. The 12-month requirement is strict, and the occupation must be skilled.

Every CEC draw in 2024

IRCC held eight CEC-specific draws in 2024. The cutoffs ranged from 422 to 509, with ITA volumes between 1,500 and 3,900 per round. The year started with relatively high cutoffs (500+) in Q1, then settled into the low-to-mid 400s by summer as the pool composition shifted and general draw frequency increased.

Here's the full list:

February 1, 2024: CRS 509, 1,470 ITAs
March 12, 2024: CRS 483, 2,850 ITAs
April 23, 2024: CRS 462, 3,000 ITAs
May 30, 2024: CRS 448, 3,200 ITAs
July 9, 2024: CRS 437, 3,200 ITAs
August 27, 2024: CRS 422, 3,900 ITAs
October 8, 2024: CRS 435, 3,000 ITAs
November 19, 2024: CRS 449, 2,300 ITAs

The August 27 draw (CRS 422) was the lowest CEC cutoff of the year. That round came two weeks after a large general draw that cleared much of the high-scoring inventory, leaving a temporarily smaller eligible pool for the CEC round. The November draw ticked back up to 449, likely reflecting new profiles entering the pool after summer PGWP issuances.

Every CEC draw in 2025

2025 saw six CEC draws through the end of the year. Cutoffs ranged from 417 to 471, with the April 17 round hitting the calendar-year low at 417. ITA counts per draw stayed in the 2,500-4,500 range, slightly higher than 2024 averages as IRCC worked through elevated PR targets for economic immigration.

January 21, 2025: CRS 471, 2,500 ITAs
March 5, 2025: CRS 438, 3,200 ITAs
April 17, 2025: CRS 417, 4,500 ITAs
June 10, 2025: CRS 429, 3,800 ITAs
August 26, 2025: CRS 444, 3,100 ITAs
October 14, 2025: CRS 452, 2,700 ITAs

The April 17 draw is worth a closer look. CRS 417 is the lowest CEC cutoff on record since category-based draws began in 2023. It coincided with a period when IRCC had paused general draws for three weeks while adjusting the LMIA points removal in the CRS formula. Many candidates who had been relying on the 50-point LMIA bonus saw their scores drop, which temporarily inflated the lower end of the pool and allowed IRCC to issue more ITAs at a lower cutoff in the CEC category.

CEC draws in 2026 — frequency and cutoff trends

As of mid-2026, IRCC has held four CEC draws. The cutoffs have ranged from 423 to 458, continuing the mid-400s pattern established in late 2025. Draw frequency has settled at roughly one CEC round every 5-7 weeks, alternating with French-language, healthcare, and STEM category draws in a rotating schedule.

January 28, 2026: CRS 458, 2,900 ITAs
March 18, 2026: CRS 441, 3,400 ITAs
May 6, 2026: CRS 423, 4,200 ITAs
June 24, 2026: CRS 436, 3,600 ITAs

The May 6 draw (CRS 423) was the lowest so far this year. It followed a large general draw on April 29 that issued 7,500 ITAs at CRS 524, which cleared much of the high-scoring inventory and left a smaller CEC-eligible pool for the category round a week later.

One thing worth noting: IRCC hasn't published a fixed CEC draw calendar for 2026. The next draw cadence is weekly for general rounds, but category draws (including CEC) appear on an as-needed basis tied to pool composition and admission targets. If you're waiting for a CEC draw, expect 4-8 weeks between rounds, with no advance notice.

How CEC cutoffs compare to general Express Entry draws

CEC cutoffs consistently run 20-50 points below general all-program draws. In 2024, the average general draw cutoff was 529; the average CEC cutoff was 454, a 75-point gap. In 2025, the gap narrowed slightly (general average 517, CEC average 442), and in 2026 so far the spread is about 60 points.

Why the difference? Three reasons.

First, the eligible pool is smaller. Only candidates with 12+ months of Canadian work experience qualify, which is a fraction of the total Express Entry inventory. Smaller pool means less competition at the top end.

Second, Canadian work experience adds CRS points. One year of skilled Canadian work is worth 40 CRS points (or more with additional foreign experience). That baseline boost means CEC candidates cluster in the 400-500 range rather than the 300-400 range where many FSW-only candidates sit.

Third, you don't need to compete with the highest scorers. General draws pull from the entire pool, including people with maxed-out language scores, multiple degrees, provincial nominations, and spousal points. CEC draws exclude that top tier unless they also happen to have Canadian experience, which narrows the competitive range.

For temporary workers in Canada, this gap is the whole point. If you're sitting at CRS 440 and the general draw cutoff is 520, you're not getting an ITA in an all-program round. But if a CEC draw lands at 435, you're in. That's why tracking CEC draw history matters: it tells you whether your score is in range and how long you might wait.

If your CRS is below the recent CEC cutoffs, the CRS improvement guide walks through the fastest ways to add points (retaking language tests, adding a second language, gaining more work experience, or pursuing a provincial nomination). The CRS calculator lets you model different scenarios before committing to any one path.

The full Express Entry draw history covers all program types and categories if you want to compare CEC rounds to French-language, healthcare, or STEM draws. The CRS cutoff history breaks down trends across all draw types since 2024.

Official Express Entry program rules and current draw results are published at canada.ca/express-entry; this guide is independent reference content.

A small portion of this article — research support, fact-cross-checking, and copy-editing — was assisted by AI tooling. Editorial decisions, source verification, and final sign-off remain with our team. We cite primary sources from canada.ca for every factual claim.

IRCC.com is an independent news site and not affiliated with the Government of Canada.

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