Canada Invites Workers in Latest Express Entry CEC Draw

What Happened in the Latest Express Entry Draw?

On December 16, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Express Entry draw.
As a result, 5,000 candidates were invited to apply for Permanent Residency (PR).

CRS Score Went Down

In this draw, the CRS cutoff score dropped to 515.
Compared to the previous CEC draw, this is a 5-point decrease.
Meanwhile, when compared to the November 26 draw, the score has fallen by 16 points.
Therefore, candidates with slightly lower scores now have better chances.

Strong End-of-Year Trend

Moreover, this draw shows a strong late-year trend by IRCC.
The Express Entry system is clearly changing, as the focus is shifting towards candidates already living and working in Canada.

Focus on In-Canada Candidates

In other words, IRCC is now giving more importance to in-Canada applicants, especially those with Canadian work experience.
This change indicates a practical approach to meet Canada’s long-term labour and economic needs.

What Happened Just a Week Before?

Just one week earlier, on December 10, IRCC conducted a record-breaking CEC draw.
At that time, 6,000 candidates were invited, with a higher CRS cutoff of 520.
Since then, the score has continued to drop, which is a positive sign for applicants.

What This Means for Applicants

Overall, these back-to-back draws show that CEC candidates are currently in a strong position.
If you are working in Canada, now may be one of the best times to prepare and submit your profile.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive advice on any of your questions regarding Immigration Get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Global. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).