Canadian Experience Class Draws September 2026: CRS Falls to 518

Canada held three Canadian Experience Class draws in September 2026, inviting 6,000 candidates in total to apply for permanent residence. The minimum CRS score fell slightly each time, from 521 on 1 September to 519 on 15 September and 518 on 29 September, according to official data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Key facts

• 1 September 2026 (round 439): 2,000 invitations, minimum CRS 521.
• 15 September 2026 (round 443): 2,000 invitations, minimum CRS 519.
• 29 September 2026 (round 446): 2,000 invitations, minimum CRS 518.
• Total CEC invitations in September 2026: 6,000.
• The last CEC round before September, on 18 August 2026, invited 1,000 people at CRS 523.

What changed

Each Canadian Experience Class draw in September was twice the size of the 18 August round. The cut-off also moved down by a few points each time. The change is small: 523 in mid-August to 518 at the end of September.

The tie-breaking dates show how the pool is moving. In the 29 September round, candidates with exactly 518 points were invited only if they created their profile before 13 February 2026 at 20:48:08 UTC. In the 15 September round, the tie-break date for 519 points was 26 March 2026 at 00:16:39 UTC.

IRCC has said in 2026 that it wants to prioritise people already working in Canada. In its February 2026 Express Entry announcement, IRCC said it would focus on “candidates already contributing to Canada’s economy” through continued CEC draws.

Who is affected

A Canadian Experience Class draw only invites people who qualify for the CEC program. IRCC says you need:

• at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of skilled work in Canada, in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 jobs;
• that work within the 3 years before you apply, done while you had legal temporary status;
• approved English or French test results in all four abilities.

Work done while you were a full-time student does not count. Co-op work terms also do not count. In most cases self-employment does not count either.

What it means for Nepali and Indian students

Many Nepali and Indian graduates in Canada plan to move from a post-graduation work permit to permanent residence through CEC. A score above 518 is hard to reach for most young graduates without extra points. Common ways to add points include a higher language test score, French ability, or a provincial nomination.

Category-based rounds can offer lower cut-offs. On 1 October 2026, a trades round needed only 476 points, and on 4 September 2026 a healthcare and social services round needed 475. If your job is in one of these categories, you may have a better chance there than in a CEC round. Read more in our guide to the Express Entry CRS cut-off in 2026.

If you are still planning your studies, see our study in Canada from Nepal guide.

What to do now

1. Count only the skilled hours you worked after finishing full-time studies. Student and co-op hours do not count for CEC.
2. Check that your job is TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 and that your duties match the NOC description.
3. Retake your language test if your score is close to the next level. Language is one of the largest parts of your CRS score.
4. Check whether your job falls under a category such as healthcare, trades or STEM. You may be eligible for those rounds too.
5. Watch your work permit expiry date. Plan your next step well before it ends.

What we don’t know yet

IRCC does not publish draw dates, sizes or cut-offs in advance. We do not know if CEC rounds will continue at 2,000 invitations or if scores will keep falling. Canada’s 2027-2029 immigration levels plan had not been released at the time of writing, so overall permanent residence targets for next year are not yet known.

Frequently asked questions

What was the CRS cut-off in the latest Canadian Experience Class draw?

On 29 September 2026, the cut-off was 518 points. IRCC invited 2,000 candidates.

Can my part-time job during college count for CEC?

No. IRCC says work experience gained while studying full-time does not count for the Canadian Experience Class. Co-op terms also do not count.

How many CEC invitations were issued in September 2026?

IRCC issued 6,000 CEC invitations over three rounds, on 1, 15 and 29 September 2026.

Sources

• Express Entry rounds of invitations data (IRCC, canada.ca)
• Canadian Experience Class: Who can apply (canada.ca)
• Canada prioritizes top talent in 2026 immigration Express Entry categories (canada.ca, 18 February 2026)

Last checked: 2 October 2026. This is general information, not immigration advice.