Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continued its November momentum on November 12, inviting another 1,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates to apply for permanent residence. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off held steady at 533, extending a pattern of mid-530-point CEC draws that began in August.
The quick succession—only 15 days after the previous CEC round—surprised many observers who expected IRCC to pause following the November 10 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw. Analysts say the move is likely linked to the federal government’s newly released 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which prioritises candidates already in Canada and ready to integrate quickly into the labour market.
![IRCC holds second Express Entry CEC draw in two weeks, issuing 1,000 ITAs]()
For employers, the draw underscores the importance of helping temporary foreign workers accumulate at least one year of skilled Canadian experience so they qualify for the CEC. Human-resources teams should also watch pool dynamics: as of November 9 there were more than 245,000 profiles in the pool, with over 26,000 in the 501-600 band—well above historic norms. Maintaining a competitive CRS score through language re-testing or provincial nomination remains critical.
IRCC has now issued 82,223 Invitations to Apply through Express Entry in 2025, keeping it on pace to meet the year’s economic-class admissions targets despite the overall immigration slowdown announced last month. Global mobility planners should anticipate further CEC and targeted category-based draws before year-end as Ottawa focuses on talent already working or studying in Canada.
The quick succession—only 15 days after the previous CEC round—surprised many observers who expected IRCC to pause following the November 10 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw. Analysts say the move is likely linked to the federal government’s newly released 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which prioritises candidates already in Canada and ready to integrate quickly into the labour market.
For employers, the draw underscores the importance of helping temporary foreign workers accumulate at least one year of skilled Canadian experience so they qualify for the CEC. Human-resources teams should also watch pool dynamics: as of November 9 there were more than 245,000 profiles in the pool, with over 26,000 in the 501-600 band—well above historic norms. Maintaining a competitive CRS score through language re-testing or provincial nomination remains critical.
IRCC has now issued 82,223 Invitations to Apply through Express Entry in 2025, keeping it on pace to meet the year’s economic-class admissions targets despite the overall immigration slowdown announced last month. Global mobility planners should anticipate further CEC and targeted category-based draws before year-end as Ottawa focuses on talent already working or studying in Canada.
