Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Draw 2024: On May 31, 2024, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in the latest Express Entry CEC draw. To qualify, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 522.
The draw specifically targeted candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), a program designed for those who have already gained valuable work experience in Canada.
This is the week’s second draw, following a program-specific draw on May 30 for Express Entry candidates with Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nominations.
Express Entry Latest Draw Highlights (May 31, 2024):
- Round: #297
- Invitations Issued: 3,000
- Minimum CRS Score: 522
- Program Specified: CEC Draw
- Tie-breaking Rule:Â March 19, 2024
As of May 29, 2024, the Express Entry Pool includes 224,404 candidates. Let’s examine the distribution of Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores among these candidates:
Express Entry CEC Draws Resumed
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is a pathway to permanent residency for individuals who have already gained valuable work experience in Canada. The candidates under the CEC category have been waiting for the program-based draw for a very long time.
CEC draws are crucial because they directly target candidates with Canadian work experience. These individuals have already integrated into Canadian society and contributed to its growth.
The most exciting part is that this is the first CEC-specific draw since September 14, 2021, and it featured the lowest CRS score of the year for a non-category-based selection.
Why is the CRS Score so high in the latest CEC draw?
Since September 14, 2021, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws experienced a significant pause. During this hiatus, a backlog of eager candidates accumulated in the Express Entry pool.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores grew as the backlog grew. Why? Because the pool became flooded with highly qualified individuals—those who had already contributed to Canada’s economy and society through their work experience.
The CRS score reflects how strong an applicant’s profile is compared to others in the Express Entry pool. Over time, the selection criteria and priorities have evolved, leading to higher cutoff scores. For context, the last draw in 2019 (pre-pandemic) had a cutoff score of 468.