Canadian Experience Class Draw Issues 2,000 Invitations
Canada invited 2,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates to apply for permanent residence in an Express Entry draw held on September 29, 2026.
Canada issued 2,000 invitations to Canadian Experience Class candidates in the September 29 Express Entry draw. The Comprehensive Ranking System cut-off score was 518, one point lower than the 519 recorded in the previous CEC round on September 15. This marks the third consecutive CEC-specific draw in which the minimum required score has fallen.
Eligibility and scoring context
To be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class, a candidate must have at least one year of full-time skilled work experience in Canada, or the part-time equivalent, gained in the three years before applying. This experience must be in a job classified under TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 of the National Occupational Classification.
Candidates must also hold a valid Express Entry profile. Language proficiency requirements vary by the skill level of the occupation. Applicants in TEER 0 or TEER 1 jobs need a Canadian Language Benchmark score of 7. Those in TEER 2 or TEER 3 occupations require a CLB 5.
Broader immigration activity in September 2026
September 2026 was a busy month for Express Entry, with eight invitation rounds held between September 1 and September 29. No general all-program draws occurred. The month's activities included category-based selections and Provincial Nominee Program rounds, resulting in a total of 11,288 invitations issued.
Category-based draws, which use a separate scoring scale, targeted specific occupational groups. The schedule for September was as follows:
| Draw Date | Category | Invitations Issued | CRS Cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 229 | 198 |
| Sep 4 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations | 3,500 | 475 |
| Sep 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 576 | 734 |
| Sep 16 | Senior managers with Canadian work experience | 250 | 389 |
Pool status and historical comparison
As of September 27, 2026, there were 229,904 candidates in the Express Entry pool. Of these, 21,070 had Comprehensive Ranking System scores between 501 and 600.
The third quarter of 2026, which included this latest draw, saw significant activity for the Canadian Experience Class. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 14,000 CEC invitations across seven separate draws during the quarter. The cut-off scores in those rounds ranged from 516 to 523.
Candidates with scores below the current 518 threshold may improve their ranking through several avenues. Gaining additional Canadian work experience, achieving higher language test scores, or obtaining a Canadian educational credential can all boost a candidate's points total.
