Barely 24 hours before the French-language round, IRCC held a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Express Entry draw on 28 April 2026. The department invited 2,000 candidates with CRS scores of at least 514—matching the mid-month record and continuing a trend that prioritises workers who already have Canadian job experience. CEC draws have become the workhorse of Canada’s economic-immigration system; 34,250 of this year’s 67,627 ITAs have gone to CEC profiles.
![IRCC issues 2,000 ITAs to Canadian Experience Class applicants as April draw-marathon continues]()
Whether you’re gathering documents for an Express Entry profile or looking to extend a work permit while awaiting the next draw, VisaHQ’s Canada hub (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) can streamline the process. The platform offers personalised checklists, real-time status tracking, and expert review services that help applicants avoid the small errors that lead to costly delays—ideal support for CEC hopefuls racing against expiring PGWPs.
By focusing on candidates who are already contributing to the labour market, Ottawa can reduce settlement risk and answer employer calls for quicker permanence pathways for staff on temporary permits and post-graduation work permits (PGWP). For HR teams, the message is that in-country foreign workers should be encouraged to maintain valid language tests and updated Express Entry profiles. A CRS 514 candidate with a year of Canadian skilled experience can now expect an ITA within weeks rather than months, provided their documentation is up-to-date. Mobility managers may wish to align contract renewal cycles with PR timelines to avoid turnover just as key employees become eligible for permanent status. The higher CRS threshold compared with the French-language draw reflects pent-up demand in the CEC pool and the absence of occupation filters. Candidates who missed the April round can explore provincial nominations—especially Ontario’s Employer Job Offer streams—or request employer support for a Labour Market Impact Assessment to clinch the extra 50–200 CRS points needed. IRCC’s back-to-back draws underscore its strategy of staggering categories to manage inventory while still moving toward its 380,000-per-year admission target. Analysts expect at least one Trades-focused round in early May, followed by more CEC invitations as PGWP expiries spike during summer.
Whether you’re gathering documents for an Express Entry profile or looking to extend a work permit while awaiting the next draw, VisaHQ’s Canada hub (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) can streamline the process. The platform offers personalised checklists, real-time status tracking, and expert review services that help applicants avoid the small errors that lead to costly delays—ideal support for CEC hopefuls racing against expiring PGWPs.
By focusing on candidates who are already contributing to the labour market, Ottawa can reduce settlement risk and answer employer calls for quicker permanence pathways for staff on temporary permits and post-graduation work permits (PGWP). For HR teams, the message is that in-country foreign workers should be encouraged to maintain valid language tests and updated Express Entry profiles. A CRS 514 candidate with a year of Canadian skilled experience can now expect an ITA within weeks rather than months, provided their documentation is up-to-date. Mobility managers may wish to align contract renewal cycles with PR timelines to avoid turnover just as key employees become eligible for permanent status. The higher CRS threshold compared with the French-language draw reflects pent-up demand in the CEC pool and the absence of occupation filters. Candidates who missed the April round can explore provincial nominations—especially Ontario’s Employer Job Offer streams—or request employer support for a Labour Market Impact Assessment to clinch the extra 50–200 CRS points needed. IRCC’s back-to-back draws underscore its strategy of staggering categories to manage inventory while still moving toward its 380,000-per-year admission target. Analysts expect at least one Trades-focused round in early May, followed by more CEC invitations as PGWP expiries spike during summer.
