EEFederal · Express Entry
Canadian Experience Class
EE
Open Open; CEC-specific rounds are being held roughly every two weeks in 2026, most recently on 2026-09-29.
Express Entry program for people who already have skilled work experience in Canada while authorized to work. No education requirement. Candidates are ranked by CRS score and invited in CEC-specific, general or category rounds.
Who it suits
- Temporary workers with at least 1 year of skilled Canadian work in the last 3 years
- International graduates who moved into skilled work on a post-graduation work permit
- People who can reach CLB 7 (TEER 0/1) or CLB 5 (TEER 2/3)
Requirements
- Work experienceAt least 1 year (1,560 hours) of paid skilled work in Canada in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, within the 3 years before applying, while authorized to work as a temporary resident. Study-time work, self-employment (with a physician exception), volunteer work and unauthorized work do not count. ↗ canada.ca
- LanguageTEER 0 or 1: CLB 7 / NCLC 7 in all four abilities. TEER 2 or 3: CLB 5 / NCLC 5 in all four abilities. Results under 2 years old. ↗ canada.ca
- EducationNo education requirement. ↗ canada.ca
- Where you liveMust plan to live outside Quebec; Quebec work experience counts if proof is given that the candidate does not plan to settle there. ↗ canada.ca
How candidates are selected
CRS ranking in the Express Entry pool; IRCC holds CEC-specific rounds as well as general and category-based rounds.
Location requirement: none (must plan to live outside Quebec)
Processing: IRCC forward-looking estimate (updated 2026-09-03): about 6 months, about 58,900 people waiting. IRCC service standard is 6 months (5.1 months actual as of 2025-09-30).
Recent rounds
| Date | Round | Minimum score | Invitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class, draw 446 | 518 | 2,000 |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class, draw 443 | 519 | 2,000 |
| Sep 1, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class, draw 439 | 521 | 2,000 |
| Aug 18, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class, draw 436 | 523 | 1,000 |
| Aug 5, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class, draw 432 | 516 | 3,000 |
| Jul 21, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class, draw 428 | 516 | 2,000 |
Related pathways
Limited intake
Atlantic Immigration Program
ClosedHome Care Worker Immigration Pilots (Child Care and Home Support)
ClosedAgriculture and agri-food occupations category
Limited intakeEducation occupations category
OpenHealthcare and social services occupations category
Limited intakeScience, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations category
Official sources
- canada.caProgram pageChecked 2026-10-01
- canada.caLanguage testsChecked 2026-10-01
- canada.caRounds of invitationsChecked 2026-10-01
- canada.caIRCC processing timesChecked 2026-10-01
Program rules change often. This page summarizes the official pages listed above; the official page always takes precedence.