By Ayomikun. O | September 19, 2026 | Updated: September 19, 2026 | No Comments | 4 Mins Read
Canadian immigration news — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has issued 1,000 more invitations to apply through the Express Entry system, this time to Canadian Experience Class candidates with a minimum CRS score of 534. It’s the second draw of September, and it confirms CEC is still IRCC’s favourite route for in-Canada talent.
By Maplestime Immigration Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | September 19, 2026
Sources: IRCC, CIC News, CanadaVisa | Last updated: September 19, 2026
Key Takeaways
- IRCC issued 1,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw held on September 3, 2025.
- The minimum CRS score was 534, with a tie-breaking rule for profiles created before 8:28 a.m. UTC on August 14, 2025.
- This was the second Express Entry draw of September, following a Provincial Nominee Program draw on September 2 (249 ITAs, CRS 772).
- IRCC has issued 57,069 ITAs through Express Entry so far in 2025, with PNP draws leading the year.
What Happened in This Express Entry Draw
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.
The immigration department issued 1,000 ITAs in a draw for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates.
To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 534; and
- Created an Express Entry candidate profile before 8:28 a.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on August 14, 2025.
That second condition is the tie-breaking rule — IRCC’s way of deciding between candidates with identical CRS scores. If your score was exactly 534, your profile’s age decided your fate.
Where This Express Entry Draw Fits in 2025
Today’s Express Entry draw is the second of the month and follows a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on September 2, a category-based selection for Healthcare and social services workers on August 19, and another PNP draw held on August 18.
Thus far, IRCC has issued 57,069 ITAs through the Express Entry system in 2025.
Express Entry draws this year have primarily focused on PNP draws, with the remainder of Express Entry ITAs dedicated to CEC candidates, candidates with French-language proficiency, and those in the Express Entry priority occupation categories:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 16 |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 9 |
| French-language proficiency | 5 |
| Healthcare and social services | 4 |
| Education | 1 |
The pattern is clear: PNP first, CEC second, and targeted categories filling the gaps. If you’re an in-Canada worker with a year of skilled experience, the CEC stream remains your most direct path to permanent residence.
Related: Express Entry: 4,500 candidates invited in third draw of the week
Related: Getting an ITA through Express Entry over age 40 without a provincial nomination
Related: IRCC Express Entry Invitation Schedule — Category Draw Plans for the Rest of 2025
What Is the Canadian Experience Class?
The CEC is the Express Entry stream built for people already working in Canada. To qualify, you generally need at least 12 months of full-time skilled work experience in Canada within the last three years, plus language ability in English or French.
It’s the stream IRCC turns to when it wants to convert temporary workers — the people already paying taxes, renting apartments, and filling shifts in Winnipeg, Toronto, and Vancouver — into permanent residents. That’s why CEC draws matter so much to the hundreds of thousands of international graduates and work-permit holders already here.
Is a CRS Score of 534 Competitive?
A cut-off of 534 is high — and it tells a story. Compare it with recent CEC draws: 518 on July 8, 521 on June 26, 529 on June 12, 527 on January 23, 542 on January 8. The September 3 draw sits at the upper end of that range.
With only 1,000 ITAs per CEC draw lately (down from 3,000–4,000 earlier in the year), competition has tightened. Smaller draws mean higher cut-offs. If your CRS is hovering in the low 500s, every point counts — a better language test score, a sibling in Canada, or a year of extra Canadian work experience can be the difference between an ITA and another month of waiting.
Summary of Express Entry Draws in 2025
| Date | Draw Type | Number of ITAs | Cut-off CRS Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 534 |
| September 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 249 | 772 |
| August 19 | Healthcare and social services | 2,500 | 470 |
| August 18 | Provincial Nominee Program | 192 | 800 |
| August 8 | French language proficiency | 2,500 | 481 |
| August 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 534 |
| August 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 225 | 739 |
| July 22 | Healthcare and social services | 4,000 | 475 |
| July 21 | Provincial Nominee Program | 202 | 788 |
| July 8 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 518 |
| July 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 356 | 750 |
| June 26 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 521 |
| June 23 | Provincial Nominee Program | 503 | 742 |
| June 12 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 529 |
| June 10 | Provincial Nominee Program | 125 | 784 |
| June 4 | Healthcare and social services | 500 | 504 |
| June 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 277 | 726 |
| May 13 | Canadian Experience Class | 500 | 547 |
| May 12 | Provincial Nominee Program | 511 | 706 |
| May 2 | Healthcare and social services | 500 | 510 |
| May 1 | Education | 1,000 | 479 |
| April 28 | Provincial Nominee Program | 421 | 727 |
| April 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 825 | 764 |
| March 21 | French language proficiency | 7,500 | 379 |
| March 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 536 | 736 |
| March 6 | French language proficiency | 4,500 | 410 |
| March 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 725 | 667 |
| February 19 | French language proficiency | 6,500 | 428 |
| February 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 646 | 750 |
| February 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 521 |
| February 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 455 | 802 |
| January 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 527 |
| January 8 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,350 | 542 |
| January 7 | Provincial Nominee Program | 471 | 793 |
Two things jump out from the full-year picture. First, French-language draws are the bargain of the system — cut-offs as low as 379, with thousands of ITAs at a time. If you can reach intermediate French, the door swings wide open. Second, PNP draws are the most expensive tickets in town, with cut-offs routinely above 700 — because a provincial nomination alone is worth 600 CRS points.
What to Do If You Missed This Express Entry Draw
If 534 was out of reach this time, don’t sit still. CEC draws have been running roughly monthly, and each one is a fresh chance. Practical moves that actually move the needle:
- Retake your language test. CLB 9 to CLB 10 in one ability can add up to 25+ points.
- Learn French. Even a basic NCLC 7 in French adds up to 50 bonus points — and opens the French-proficiency draws with cut-offs under 500.
- Bank another year of Canadian work experience. It pays off in both the CRS and CEC eligibility.
- Get your profile in early. The tie-break rule rewards older profiles. Don’t wait for a perfect score to enter the pool.
The Express Entry system rewards the prepared. IRCC isn’t slowing down — 57,069 ITAs and counting this year — and the CEC stream is where in-Canada candidates win.
Maplestime will provide updates from IRCC Express Entry draws as announcements are made through 2026.
Have a tip about Canadian immigration? Email [email protected]
Have a correction? Email [email protected]
Do you think Express Entry still gives in-Canada workers a fair shot — or has the CRS bar climbed so high that the system is quietly shutting out the very people already building lives here? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Canadian permanent-residence hopeful grinding through the pool right now.
Enjoying Maplestime? Support independent Canadian journalism — no paywall, no corporate owners.
