Even without a provincial nomination, it’s possible for foreign nationals aged 40 and older to get permanent residence through the Express Entry system.
If you’re a foreign national aged 40+ and not a good PNP candidate, you can still get PR through a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw or category-based draw, provided that you have a high enough Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
In this article, we will provide you with a few fictional profiles of candidates aged 40 or older who would have been selected in previous CEC and category-based draws, as well as tips and tricks for increasing your CRS score.
How CRS cut-off scores are determined
IRCC conducts periodic draws where they issue Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Express Entry candidates with competitive CRS scores.
To be selected in a draw, your CRS score must meet or exceed the cut-off score for that round of invitations.
A draw’s cut-off score is determined by the Express Entry pool’s composition, the type of draw being held, and the number of candidates invited.
For example, if IRCC decides to issue 1,000 invitations in a healthcare and social services draw, the CRS score of the 1,000th highest scoring profile eligible for that category becomes the cut-off score for that round.
If more than one profile has a CRS equal to the cut-off score, IRCC uses a tie-breaking rule based on the date of submission of the Express Entry profile.
Range of CRS cut-off scores in earlier draws in 2025
The table below shows the CRS cut-off score ranges for recent CEC and category-based draws.
In 2025 thus far, IRCC has focused on three categories: healthcare and social services, French-language proficiency, and education.
| Draw type | CRS cut-off score range |
|---|---|
| CEC | 518 – 547 |
| Healthcare and social services | 470 – 510 |
| French-language proficiency | 379 – 481 |
| Education | 479 |
Example profiles
In this section, we will look at some fictional profiles that would have qualified to receive an ITA in recent CEC and category-based draws.
Canadian Experience Class
Example 1 – CEC or CBS
Lizan is a single 44-year-old from the Philippines who has completed a two-year master’s degree program at a Canadian university.
After graduating, he applied for and received a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and worked in Canada as a data analyst for three years.
Prior to coming to Canada to study, he worked as an economic consultant in a bank for 15 years.
Discover more from MaplesTime
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
