Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted a surprising new Express Entry draw, inviting 5,000 candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score of just 515 — the lowest for CEC candidates in all of 2025.
This latest draw, held on December 17, 2025, marks the second CEC-specific draw in less than a week. Combined with the December 10 draw, IRCC has now issued 11,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to CEC candidates over that short period. This is a notable break from the usual biweekly pattern of Express Entry draws, especially for the CEC category, where previous draws typically featured higher CRS thresholds and invited only around 1,000 individuals.
To qualify in this round, candidates needed to have submitted their Express Entry profile by 6:58 p.m. UTC on September 9, 2025.
The December 17 draw follows several others this month as IRCC continues its push to meet immigration targets. December alone has already seen five draws, including healthcare and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)-focused selections. Notably, the December 10 CEC round was the largest in over 16 months, issuing 6,000 ITAs with a CRS cut-off of 520.
This sudden ramp-up in ITAs and a lowered CRS threshold may signal a shift in IRCC’s strategy to accelerate permanent residency invitations for candidates already in Canada with Canadian work experience. It’s also an encouraging sign for international workers looking to transition to permanent status under the CEC stream.
Throughout 2025, CRS scores for CEC draws have generally hovered in the 520–540 range, making this 515 cut-off a welcome development for lower-ranked candidates. Prior to this, the lowest CEC CRS score this year was 518 in July.
The Express Entry system remains Canada’s principal pathway to skilled immigration, and the recent flurry of invitations — especially in the CEC category — shows ongoing momentum as IRCC continues to support economic immigration amid domestic labour shortages.
Maple News will continue to monitor draw trends and provide updates for aspiring newcomers planning their Canadian journey.