October First Express Entry Draw: CEC Candidates Invited

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 1,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence through the Express Entry system in the first October First Express Entry Draw of October 2025. The October 1 draw exclusively targeted Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, maintaining the same draw size and CRS cut-off score observed in recent months.

Draw Details and Requirements

To receive an invitation in this CEC-specific draw, candidates needed to meet the following criteria:

• Minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score: 534
• Profile creation deadline: Express Entry profile created before 4:01 a.m. Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on February 21, 2025

This marks the third consecutive CEC draw with identical parameters—1,000 ITAs and a CRS cut-off of 534. The previous two draws with these exact specifications took place on September 3 and August 7, 2025, indicating a consistent pattern in IRCC’s recent selection strategy for CEC candidates.

Understanding the Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class is designed for skilled workers who have gained Canadian work experience and wish to transition to permanent residence in Canada. According to IRCC’s official guidelines, CEC candidates must meet specific eligibility requirements:

Work Experience Requirements:

• At least 1,560 hours (equivalent to one year of full-time work) of skilled Canadian work experience within the past three years
• Work must be in a skilled occupation classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories 0, 1, 2, or 3
• Experience can be accumulated through full-time work at one job, part-time work across multiple jobs, or a combination of both

Language Requirements:

• Candidates must take approved language tests in English or French
• Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) scores vary by occupation: CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 occupations, and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 occupations
• Scores must meet minimum thresholds in all four language abilities: writing, reading, listening, and speaking

Education:

• There is no mandatory education requirement for the CEC program
• However, candidates with Canadian or foreign credentials (assessed through Educational Credential Assessment) can earn additional CRS points to improve their ranking

Other Requirements:

• Candidates must be admissible to Canada (no security, criminal, or medical inadmissibility)
• Must plan to live outside the province of Quebec, which operates its own skilled worker selection system
• Self-employment and work experience gained as a full-time student do not count toward CEC eligibility (with exceptions for physicians under a temporary public policy)

Express Entry Draws in 2025: A Comprehensive Overview

As of October 1, 2025, IRCC has conducted 40 Express Entry draws and issued a total of 66,838 ITAs. The department has maintained a diverse draw strategy, targeting various categories to meet Canada’s immigration objectives.

Draw Distribution by Category

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 18 draws. The PNP category has seen the most frequent draws, reflecting Canada’s commitment to supporting provincial immigration needs. PNP draws have featured high CRS cut-off scores, ranging from 667 to 802, due to the automatic 600 CRS points provincial nominees receive.

Canadian Experience Class: 10 draws. CEC draws have become more predictable since August, with IRCC conducting approximately one CEC draw per month. Recent draws have maintained a consistent pattern of issuing 1,000 invitations at a CRS threshold of 534.

French Language Proficiency: 5 draws French-language category draws have invited the most candidates overall, with 25,500 ITAs issued year-to-date. These draws support Canada’s francophone immigration strategy, though CRS cut-offs have increased significantly from 379 in March to 446 in September.

Healthcare and Social Services: 4 draws Healthcare occupation draws have issued 7,500 ITAs total, with CRS cut-offs ranging from 470 to 510, addressing critical labor shortages in Canada’s healthcare sector.

Education: Two draws from the Education category have invited 3,500 candidates, with CRS scores of 462 and 479.

Trade: 1 draw A single trades-focused draw on September 18 invited 1,250 candidates with a 505 CRS cut-off.

Recent Draw Activity

The October 1 CEC draw follows a busy period of Express Entry activity:

• September 29: PNP draw with 291 ITAs (CRS 855)
• September 18: Trade occupation draw with 1,250 ITAs (CRS 505)
• September 17: Education category draw with 2,500 ITAs (CRS 462)
• September 15: PNP draw with 228 ITAs (CRS 746)
• September 4: French language proficiency draw with 4,500 ITAs (CRS 446)
• September 3: CEC draws with 1,000 ITAs (CRS 534)

Complete 2025 Express Entry Draw Summary

Invitations Issued by Category (Year-to-Date)

The distribution of ITAs across different draw types reveals IRCC’s immigration priorities:

1. French language proficiency: 25,500 ITAs (38.1%)
2. Canadian Experience Class: 21,850 ITAs (32.7%)
3. Healthcare and social services: 7,500 ITAs (11.2%)
4. Provincial Nominee Program: 6,947 ITAs (10.4%)
5. Education: 3,500 ITAs (5.2%)
6. Trade: 1,250 ITAs (1.9%)

CRS Score Trends and Competitiveness

The consistent 534 CRS cut-off for recent CEC draws indicates a highly competitive environment for candidates without provincial nominations or exceptional French language proficiency. Achieving a 534 CRS score without these advantages requires a strategic combination of factors:

• Age: Younger candidates (under 30) receive maximum age points
• Education: Advanced degrees (Master’s or PhD) significantly boost CRS scores
• Language proficiency: High scores in both official languages, particularly achieving CLB 9 or 10
• Canadian work experience: Multiple years of skilled work experience in Canada
• Arranged employment: A valid job offer can add 50-200 additional points

The rising competitiveness in French-language draws—from 379 CRS in March to 446 in September—demonstrates growing interest in these category-based selections. Similarly, specialized occupation categories such as healthcare and education maintain moderate CRS requirements (in the 460-510 range), offering viable pathways for qualified professionals.

What’s Next for Express Entry?

Key Insights from the October First Express Entry Draw

Based on IRCC’s 2025 draw patterns, candidates can expect:

• Monthly CEC draws: Likely to continue with similar parameters (1,000 ITAs, 534+ CRS)
• Regular PNP draws: Every 2-3 weeks with high CRS cut-offs due to the 600-point provincial nomination bonus
• Category-based selections: Ongoing draws for French language proficiency, healthcare, trades, and education occupations
• Following draw predictions: The next Express Entry draw is expected in mid-October, likely targeting PNP candidates or a specific occupation category

How to Improve Your Express Entry Profile

For candidates aiming to receive an ITA in future draws, consider these strategies:

1. Improve language scores: Retaking language tests to achieve higher CLB levels can add significant CRS points
2. Gain additional Canadian work experience: Each year of Canadian experience adds points
3. Obtain a provincial nomination: A nomination provides 600 additional CRS points, virtually guaranteeing an invitation
4. Pursue further education: Completing a Canadian Master’s or PhD degree increases CRS scores
5. Enhance French proficiency: Strong French language skills open doors to the French-language category draws with lower CRS requirements.
6. Secure arranged employment: A valid job offer from a Canadian employer adds 50-200 points, depending on NOC classification

Understanding the Express Entry System

Express Entry is Canada’s application management system for three federal economic immigration programs:

1. Canadian Experience Class (CEC): For temporary workers and international graduates with Canadian experience
2. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): For skilled workers with foreign work experience
3. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): For qualified tradespersons

According to IRCC’s official Express Entry rounds of invitations page, the department conducts three types of invitation rounds:

• General rounds: Inviting top-ranking candidates eligible for any of the three programs
• Program-specific rounds: Targeting candidates eligible for a specific program (like CEC or PNP)
• Category-based rounds: Selecting candidates who meet specific economic goals, such as French language proficiency or occupation-based categories

The system ranks candidates using the Comprehensive Ranking System, which assigns points based on factors such as age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and other relevant criteria. When draws occur, the highest-ranking candidates who meet the specific criteria of the draw receive ITAs.

Conclusion

The October 1 Express Entry draw continues IRCC’s methodical approach to selecting CEC candidates with consistent parameters. With 66,838 ITAs issued year-to-date across diverse categories, Canada’s Express Entry system remains active in pursuing its immigration objectives while balancing economic needs, regional priorities, and linguistic goals.

For prospective immigrants, staying informed about draw trends, maintaining an updated Express Entry profile, and strategically improving CRS scores remain crucial steps toward receiving an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residence. The predictable pattern of monthly CEC draws at 534 CRS provides candidates with clear benchmarks to target in their immigration planning.