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First CEC Express Entry Draw of 2025 Issues 1,350 PR Invitations

Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada IRCC has conducted the first Canadian Experience Class CEC draw through express entry on January 8th, 2025, and has issued 1350 ITAs for PR.

This is the beginning of yet another year of hope for immigrant workers with skills in Canada.

This draw established that only those with CRS score of 542 where by this was an increment of 3 points from the previous draw that was conducted specifically for CEC on 19th November 2024 and the cut off score was 539.

In the following sections of this article, we look at the specifics of this draw as well as the implications that it holds for the Express Entry hopefuls.

Details of the First CEC Express Entry Draw of 2025

Program: Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Number of invitations issued: 1,350

Rank required to be invited to apply: 1,350 or above

Date and time of round: January 8, 2025

CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 542

Tie-breaking rule: December 7, 2024, at 01:10:06 UTC

What Is the Canadian Experience Class (CEC)?

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the immigration programs which operate within the framework of the Express Entry system of the IRCC.

It is worked out for the applicants with Canadian work experience and those who intend to become immigrants to Canada.

To qualify for the CEC, candidates must meet the following criteria:

CRS score rangeNumber of candidates
601-1200171
501-60023,240
451-50065,699
491-50012,811
481-49012,492
471-48014,965
461-47013,034
451-46012,397
401-45060,704
441-45011,938
431-44013,030
421-43011,901
411-42012,224
401-41011,611
351-40050,607
301-35021,788
0-3005,554
Total227,763

Work Experience: Skilled work experience in Canada in the last 3 years before the submission of the application at least 1 year.

Language Proficiency: Speaking and understanding English or French language or any other language recommended with IELTs, CELPIP or TEF.

Education: Education is not compulsory for CEC but if the applicant has been assessed through ECA then the trade test scores of CRS can be enhanced.

CRS Cut Off Score: What Does 542 Mean for Candidates?

CRS cutoff score of 542 hence works as a significant standard for candidates within the pool of Express Entry.

This score represents the minimum number of candidates, ranked at the lowest ITA status, by which the draw was completed.

Age

Education

Language proficiency

Canadian and foreign work experience

Job offers or provincial nominations

The higher the CRS score, the better the chances of receiving an ITA.

A cutoff of 542 means that candidates with reasonable background, especially those who have good language results and experience of working in Canada exercised success in this round.

CRS Score Distribution in the Pool (As of January 8, 2025)

The majority of the candidates have scored above 500 bins, and this suggests that competition at the higher end of the CRS scale is intense.

There is no other option for candidates hoping to be invited by CEC other than work hard and get better scores.

Comparison with Previous CEC Draws in 2024

Here’s how the latest CEC draw compares to the draws conducted in 2024:

Draw NumberDateProgramInvitations IssuedCRS Cutoff
326November 19, 2024Canadian Experience Class400539
323November 13, 2024Canadian Experience Class400547
320October 22, 2024Canadian Experience Class400539
317October 9, 2024Canadian Experience Class500539
315September 19, 2024Canadian Experience Class4,000509
312August 27, 2024Canadian Experience Class3,300507
309August 14, 2024Canadian Experience Class3,200509

Trends Observed in CEC Draws:

Higher Cutoff Scores: CRS score has still averaged well, and most draws in the year 2024 have been above 500.

Larger Draw Sizes: The latest draw of 4,000 ITAs is indicative of the larger draw sizes of September 2024.

Tips to Improve CRS Scores for Future CEC Draws

If your CRS score is below the current cut off score, then worry not! There are ways to enhance your profile:

Retake Language Tests: Our IELTS, CELPIP, or TEF score can greatly impact CRS points, so raising your score can help.

Gain Canadian Work Experience: Carry on working in Canada in order to gain more of the skilled experience.

Obtain a Provincial Nomination: When it comes to provincial nomination programs, many aboard provinces have horizontal schemes that give your CRS score an astounding 600 points boost.

Education: In certain cases, attending a university in Canada or getting an ECA report of foreign education is useful.

CEC Express Entry draw of the first time in 2025 opens a very promising year in the field of Canadian immigration.

A total of 1,350 ITAs were provided, and the CRS minimum requirement was 542; candidates should prepare for new invites.

It is relevant whether you are already in the water playing or intending to jump and swim, it is important to always look at the trends of the Express Entry.

For any doubts or concerns regarding the CRS or any query regarding your eligibility for BC PNP , you should consider speaking to a licensed immigration consultant to help you through the process.

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