The latest Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Express Entry draw was held on January 7 2026. IRCC issued 8,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence, making it the second‑largest CEC‑only draw ever (only the pandemic‑era 2021 draw was bigger) .Key details
– Minimum CRS score: 511
– Rank needed: the top 8,000 candidates in the pool
– Tie‑breaking rule: profiles submitted before June 10 2025
– Eligibility: at least one year of skilled work experience in Canada within the past three years, valid language test (CLB 7 for TEER 0/1, CLB 5 for TEER 2/3), and no work without authorization

The draw underscores IRCC’s focus on in‑Canada talent, especially in sectors like IT, health care and construction where labour shortages exist