September 29, 2026 Express Entry CEC Draw: 2,000 ITAs at CRS 518

IRCC has posted another Canadian Experience Class round. On its rounds of invitations page, opened on September 30, 2026, the latest block is a Canadian Experience Class round dated September 29, 2026 at 10:19:21 UTC. The department issued 2,000 invitations. The Comprehensive Ranking System score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited was 518.

The same figures appear as invitation 446 on the ministerial instructions list. The tie-breaking rule is February 13, 2026 at 20:48:08 UTC. If more than one candidate sat at 518, only those who submitted their Express Entry profile on or before that timestamp were invited.

This is a program-specific CEC round, not a new program. Eligibility for the Canadian Experience Class did not change with this draw. The change that matters is the cutoff: 518, one point below the September 15 CEC round of 519 and three points below the September 1 cutoff of 521.

Draw results at a glance

Official IRCC figures for this round:

Compare that with the three previous CEC rounds already on IRCC's list:

Volume held at 2,000, the same as September 15 and September 1. The cutoff has now fallen across the last three CEC rounds: 521, then 519, then 518. Do not treat 518 as a standing target. The next CEC round can move either way.

This CEC round followed the September 28 Provincial Nominee Program round (733 invitations at CRS 725). That is the same cluster seen earlier in the month: a PNP round, then a CEC round the next day.

Who a CEC round actually includes

IRCC's Canadian Experience Class page, last modified September 24, 2026, sets the program floor. You generally need one year of skilled Canadian work in the three years before you apply. That work must have been gained while authorized, physically in Canada, and paid. It must match the lead statement and most main duties of a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation.

IRCC counts a minimum of 1,560 hours. That can be one full-time job at up to 30 hours a week for 12 months, the same hours part-time over a longer period, or combined full-time jobs. Hours above 30 in a week do not accelerate the clock.

Work while you were a full-time student, including co-op terms, generally does not count. Self-employment generally does not count, except for some physicians under a temporary public policy. Volunteer and unpaid internships do not count. You must be admissible and plan to live outside Quebec. Language floors remain CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 and CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3. Education is not required for CEC eligibility. Meeting the program minimums does not guarantee an invitation.

If you received an ITA

IRCC's apply for permanent residence page states that an invitation is valid for 60 days only. Start the application as soon as the invitation appears.

1. Sign in to your IRCC account and start the permanent residence application immediately.
2. Confirm that language tests, work letters, and any Educational Credential Assessment still match the invited profile.
3. Book police certificates and a medical exam with a panel physician early.
4. Recalculate your CRS if anything has changed. IRCC says that if your recalculated score is below the lowest score in your round, you should decline the invitation.
5. Support every claimed fact. Inconsistencies are a common reason for delay or refusal.

An ITA is not an approval. CEC status does not replace medical or criminality screening.

If you were not invited

Check three things against the official instructions, not against a tracker:

• Are you CEC-eligible on the live profile?
• Is your CRS at or above 518?
• Was the profile submitted on or before February 13, 2026 at 20:48:08 UTC if you sat exactly at 518?

If you sit just below 518, stay in the pool. Higher language scores can raise CRS and can open French-language category rounds. A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points. Keep the profile accurate. An expired language test or a job-title mismatch can take you out of a later round.

This draw does not change PNP, French-language, or occupation-category cutoffs. Those run on separate ministerial instructions. The day-before PNP round is in our September 28, 2026 PNP draw post. The previous CEC cutoff is in our September 15, 2026 CEC post.

If you want a structured review of your CRS score, CEC eligibility, or a complete application after an ITA, contact JSR Immigration & Legals through our consultation page or the work permit service page.

This article is general information current to September 30, 2026, and is not legal or immigration advice. Confirm the live round on Canada.ca before you act.