Express Entry for people already in Canada: the Canadian Experience Class, CRS points and the latest draws

In the last Canadian Experience Class draw before this guide was written, on 15 September 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 2,000 candidates, and the lowest score invited was 519. Express Entry is not an immigration program in itself: it is the platform that manages three federal permanent residence programs. The one closest to people already working in Canada is the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Note one important change: since 25 March 2025, a job offer no longer gives you any points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

This guide is general information, not legal advice. If your situation is complicated, for example a previous refusal or a gap in your legal status, speak to an immigration lawyer or a licensed immigration consultant.

How Express Entry works, step by step

The process has four stages, and each one has a deadline you need to watch:

1. Create your profile: you fill in your Express Entry profile through your IRCC account. You have 60 days to complete and submit it, or you start over.
2. Enter the pool: if you are eligible for at least one program, your profile enters the pool and gets a CRS score. The profile stays valid for 12 months; if you are not invited in that time, it expires automatically.
3. Invitation to apply (ITA): in each draw, invitations go to the highest-scoring candidates within that draw type. An invitation is valid for 60 days only.
4. Permanent residence application: within those 60 days you submit the full application with documents and fees, then wait for a decision.

Language test results have a shelf life: they must be less than two years old both when you create your profile and when you submit your permanent residence application. If yours are close to expiring while you are in the pool, plan to retake the test early.

The three programs: which one fits someone living in Canada?

FSW also requires 67 points on its own selection grid, which is separate from your CRS score. FST requires either a job offer for at least one year or a Canadian certificate of qualification in your trade.

The Canadian Experience Class: the exact requirements

If you are working now on a work permit or a post-graduation work permit, this is most likely your program. The core requirements:

• One year of skilled experience in Canada: at least 1,560 hours, the equivalent of 30 hours a week for a year, within the three years before you apply, in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs.
• Authorized work: the experience must have been gained while you were authorized to work as a temporary resident.
• What does not count: self-employment (with a temporary exception for some physicians), work done while you were a full-time student, including co-op terms, volunteering, and unpaid internships.
• No education requirement: but a credential raises your score in the pool.
• Matching the job description: you must have performed the lead statement and most of the main duties listed for your occupation in the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

What about Quebec? Experience gained in Quebec counts toward your CEC year, but you must plan to live outside Quebec, because the province runs its own selection system. If you intend to stay there, start with our Quebec page.

CRS points: where they come from and what actually raises them

The Comprehensive Ranking System awards up to 600 points for core factors and skill transferability, plus 600 more for a provincial nomination, for a maximum of 1,200. Core factors are worth up to 500 points if you have no accompanying spouse, or 460 if you do; skill transferability is worth up to 100.

If you work in Canada, your core points rise with each year of Canadian experience. For a candidate without a spouse: 40 points for one year, 53 for two, 64 for three, 72 for four and 80 for five years or more. Staying in your job for one more year can change your position in the pool.

What raises a score most in practice: a better language test result, adding French, getting an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for your foreign degree if you have not entered one, and building up years of Canadian experience. A provincial nomination is the biggest jump of all. Work out your score now with the CRS calculator, then change only your language result to see what difference it makes.

Category-based draws: the route that doesn't need the highest scores

Alongside general and program-specific draws, IRCC runs draws for categories the minister sets to meet economic goals. Because competition within them is narrower, the cut-off is sometimes much lower than in CEC draws. The categories listed on the official page are:

• French-language proficiency: at least NCLC 7 in all four abilities.
• Healthcare and social services, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), trades, education, and transport occupations: 12 months of full-time experience, or the part-time equivalent, in the last 3 years, in or outside Canada. It does not have to be continuous.
• Physicians, senior managers and researchers, provided the experience itself was gained in Canada.
• Skilled military recruits.

Each draw has its own instructions setting out the eligibility details, so read them on the page for that draw rather than relying on the category name.

The latest draws up to 16 September 2026

These figures come from the official rounds page. They change almost every week, so check IRCC's rounds of invitations page before making any decision.

What this table means in practice: over the last two months the CEC cut-off has ranged from 516 to 523. The two French draws dropped to 382 and 391. If your score is in the 400s, French or an occupation in one of the categories may be a shorter route than trying to raise your overall score.

Heads-up: since April 2026, IRCC has been running a public consultation on merging the three programs into one and changing CRS points, including possibly reducing the points for French, Canadian study and a sibling in Canada. Nothing had been decided as of the verification date, but it is one more reason not to put off anything you can do now.

Fees and processing time

According to IRCC's fee list, the principal applicant pays $1,590 including the right of permanent residence fee ($990 without it), the same amount for a spouse or partner, and $270 for each dependent child. Biometrics fees are extra: $85 per person, up to a maximum of $170 per family.

We don't publish a fixed processing time, because it changes with application volumes. Check the current time with the official processing times tool. If your work permit will expire before a decision, read about extending your permit and keeping your status in My Canada journey.

Common mistakes that cost people already in Canada their invitation

• Counting hours worked while you were a full-time student toward your CEC year. They don't count.
• Choosing a NOC code that doesn't match your actual duties. A job title alone is not enough: your employer's reference letter must list what you did.
• Letting your language test expire while you are in the pool, which makes your profile ineligible.
• Declaring information you can't prove once you are invited, including hours, dates and pay.
• Ignoring your foreign degree: read our guide on credential assessment versus professional licensing to see which assessment helps you.

If you need certified translations of documents in another language, such as a marriage certificate or academic transcripts, search the translators directory. If your score needs a better language result, start with English courses.

Frequently asked questions

Does a job offer still help me in Express Entry?

It has not given any CRS points since 25 March 2025. It still matters elsewhere, though, including exempting FSW and FST applicants from proof of funds if they are authorized to work in Canada.

I work in Quebec. Can I apply through the CEC?

Your Quebec experience counts, but you must plan to live outside Quebec. If you want to stay in Quebec, your route is Quebec's own selection programs.

Do I need proof of funds for the Canadian Experience Class?

No. Proof of funds is only required for FSW and FST, with the exception above for people working in Canada with a valid job offer.

What happens if I'm not invited within 12 months?

Your profile expires automatically, and you can create a new one if you are still eligible. When you do, check that your language test and credential assessment are still valid.

I worked part-time. Does my experience count?

Yes, as long as it adds up to 1,560 hours in skilled jobs within the last three years. Hours you worked while you were a full-time student don't count, though.

Sources and next step