Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada invited 2,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence in a Canadian Experience Class Express Entry draw held on September 15, 2026.
The round selected candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 519. That was two points lower than the previous CEC draw on September 1, when the cutoff was 521, and four points below the annual peak of 523 recorded on August 18.
Cutoff continues to ease after August spike
The latest result marks the second consecutive decline in the CEC threshold. The August 18 round issued only 1,000 invitations, the smallest CEC draw of the year, and produced the 523-point cutoff. When IRCC returned to 2,000 invitations on September 1 and again on September 15, the department reached further down the ranked pool.
CEC thresholds had generally remained between 514 and 518 from April through early August, even as invitation totals varied. The recent results suggest that the August increase was linked largely to the smaller draw size rather than a permanent rise in the score required for CEC candidates.
For comparison, the first CEC draw of 2026 issued 8,000 invitations and had a CRS cutoff of 511. Draw sizes were reduced during the spring, while the minimum score gradually moved higher. The current 519-point threshold remains above the levels seen when IRCC conducted larger rounds earlier in the year.
Details of the September 15 round
IRCC conducted the draw at 10:21:41 UTC. The tie-breaking rule used a profile submission timestamp of March 26, 2026, at 00:16:39 UTC.
Candidates with scores above 519 were selected regardless of when their profiles were submitted. Those who had exactly 519 points needed to have entered the Express Entry pool before the specified timestamp to receive an invitation. A tie-breaking date does not mean that every affected candidate had held the same CRS score since that date, since profiles can change when applicants update language results, education or work history.
Invited candidates have 60 calendar days to submit a complete permanent residence application to IRCC.
Who can qualify under the Canadian Experience Class?
The Canadian Experience Class is intended for skilled workers who have gained eligible professional experience in Canada. Applicants generally need at least 12 months of full-time skilled work, or an equivalent 1,560 hours of part-time work, in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation during the three years before applying.
Work performed while studying full time and self-employment usually does not count toward the minimum requirement. Applicants must also plan to live outside Quebec. The program does not set a minimum education requirement, although education can increase a candidate’s CRS ranking.
Language requirements depend on the occupation’s TEER level. Candidates in TEER 0 and 1 jobs need at least CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French. Those in TEER 2 and 3 occupations need at least CLB 5 or NCLC 5. Accepted tests include CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, as well as TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French.
Qualifying employment gained through a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit can count toward CEC eligibility. Unlike some other Express Entry programs, CEC applicants are not required to show proof of settlement funds.
September draw follows established IRCC pattern
The CEC round came one day after a provincial nominee program draw that issued 576 invitations at a CRS score of 734. Since March, IRCC has commonly organized Express Entry activity in clusters, often beginning with a PNP draw and followed by a CEC round within one or two business days.
The previous cluster included a PNP draw on August 31, a CEC draw on September 1, a physicians round on September 3 and a healthcare category draw on September 4. A further category-based draw could follow the latest CEC round, although IRCC does not publish a fixed schedule.
What candidates should know
An Express Entry pool snapshot from September 13 showed 20,784 profiles with CRS scores between 501 and 600. That figure covers the full pool and does not identify how many candidates were eligible specifically for the Canadian Experience Class. It therefore cannot predict the next CEC cutoff.
There were also 72,107 profiles in the overall pool with scores between 451 and 500, below the cutoff used in every CEC draw so far in 2026. Candidates close to the current threshold may be able to improve their ranking through stronger language results, an educational credential assessment, additional qualifying Canadian work experience or updated profile information.
Applicants below the CEC range may also examine provincial nomination and category-based pathways. French-language, healthcare and skilled-trades draws have offered alternative opportunities for some candidates with lower CRS scores.
IRCC has not confirmed when the next CEC draw will take place. Candidates should keep their profiles accurate, monitor their IRCC accounts and verify current requirements before submitting an application.
Source reference: Immigration News Canada