On 15 October 2026, IRCC held Express Entry draw #449 targeting the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), issuing 2,500 ITAs with a minimum CRS of 519. The draw came one day before the major CRS overhaul announcement, suggesting IRCC aimed to clear a portion of the CEC inventory before pausing draws for the system re-calculation. Historically, CEC rounds feature lower cut-offs than all-program selections, rewarding temporary foreign workers and graduates already contributing to Canada’s labour market. With the upcoming high-wage bonus points, many CEC candidates could see their scores rise further, potentially tightening future cut-offs. Employers should encourage eligible foreign workers to accept their ITAs promptly and gather police certificates early, as application volumes may surge once the new points grid restarts draws in November.
