One thing I’ve been explaining a lot in recent consultations is the difference between Canadian Experience Class (CEC) eligibility and CRS points, especially for candidates who already qualify under CEC but have a work permit expiring soon and are not yet competitive enough under recent draw patterns. If CLB 7 French or a category-based draw is not a realistic option, we often look to foreign work experience as a way to boost the CRS score.
There comes a point when the person is no longer gaining Canadian work experience. This is where a strong understanding of the system matters: CEC eligibility and CRS points follow different rules, and even a very competitive CRS score may not lead to an ITA if the person is no longer eligible for the program targeted in that draw.
CRS points vs CEC eligibility: not the same rule
CRS points for work experience are based on whether the experience falls within the last 10 years at the time of the PR application. That applies to Canadian and foreign work experience.
But CEC eligibility is different.
To be eligible under CEC, a person must have at least 1 year of qualifying Canadian work experience gained within the last 3 years at the time of the PR application.
And one detail matters a lot:
It’s “at the time of the application.”
That means you must remain eligible until you submit your PR application, not just until you receive an ITA.
Why staying eligible for CEC matters right now
Under Express Entry, there are three programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
Draws that included candidates from all programs were previously called “no program specified” draws. The last “no program specified” draw was October 10, 2023. After that, IRCC began calling these General draws, and the first was on December 6, 2023. We saw only two General draws in 2023 and nine in 2024.
Then, in June 2023, category-based draws began. These are a selection tool, not a fourth Express Entry program.
In 2025, we didn’t see any General draws. All draws were either:
- CEC draws
- category-based draws
- provincial nominee draws
So far, in category-based draws, IRCC has issued invitations to candidates who meet the category criteria and are eligible for at least one Express Entry program, rather than limiting invitations to a single program (for example, a CEC-only program-specific draw).
If this trend continues, a candidate eligible for programs other than CEC may have only a realistic chance of receiving an ITA through category-based draws or a provincial nomination. At the same time, given the recent focus on in-Canada skilled workers, IRCC could also choose to run category-based draws specifically targeting CEC candidates.
Because if your CEC eligibility ends, you might still have a highly competitive CRS score, but if the trend continues as it is now, and you are not eligible for a category-based draw or a provincial nomination, you may have no path to an ITA.
Let’s explain this with an example:
- November 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024 (13 months)
- March 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026 (11 months)
By the end of January 2026, Carlos accumulates two full years of Canadian skilled work experience. His current CRS score is 499.
As of that same date, Carlos has less than one year remaining on his work permit, which expires in August 2026. He knows that if he gains one year of foreign skilled work experience, his CRS score would increase to 549.
Scenario 1: Timing preserves CEC eligibility
Carlos has a job offer from an employer outside Canada. He accepts the offer and starts working in February 2026. By February 2027, he has accumulated one full year of foreign work experience.
He receives an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in April 2027, and his PR application is ready to submit on May 15, 2027.
For Canadian Experience Class, the key question is whether, at the time he submits his PR application, he still has at least one year of qualifying Canadian work experience within the previous three years.
That three-year window is: May 15, 2024 to May 15, 2027.
Within this window, Carlos has the following Canadian work experience:
- From his first period of Canadian work experience (November 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024), the portion that falls inside the three-year window is May 15, 2024 to November 30, 2024, which is approximately 6.5 months.
- His second period of Canadian work experience (March 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026) falls entirely within the window, which is 11 months.
Total Canadian work experience inside the three-year window is approximately:
6.5 months + 11 months = 17.5 months.
Because Carlos has more than 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience within the three years before May 15, 2027, he is still eligible under Canadian Experience Class at the time he submits his PR application.
Scenario 2: Timing leads to loss of CEC eligibility
Carlos’s last period of Canadian skilled work ends on January 31, 2026. After that, he takes a break and does not work for several months. He then starts working for an employer outside Canada on December 1, 2026.
By December 1, 2027, he has one year of foreign work experience, which makes his CRS score very competitive.
However, Canadian Experience Class eligibility depends on whether the applicant has at least one year of qualifying Canadian work experience within the last three years.
As of December 1, 2027, the 3-year window is December 1, 2024 to December 1, 2027.
Within this three-year window, Carlos has the following Canadian work experience:
- His first period of Canadian work experience (November 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024) falls outside the three-year window and does not count.
- His second period of Canadian work experience (March 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026) falls entirely within the window and totals 11 months.
That means Carlos has only 11 months of Canadian work experience within the last three years.
Because he does not have at least one full year of qualifying Canadian work experience within the three-year window, Carlos is no longer eligible for Canadian Experience Class by the time he completes one year of foreign work experience.
Assuming Carlos is eligible under Federal Skilled Worker, he can still remain in the Express Entry pool. However, if the current draw trends continue, a competitive CRS score alone may not result in an invitation unless he is eligible under a category-based draw (or receives a provincial nomination).
What this example shows
In Scenario 1, Carlos times his foreign work experience carefully. Even after he stops working in Canada, he still has more than one year of Canadian work experience within the three years before the relevant date. As a result, he remains eligible under Canadian Experience Class, and his higher CRS score can actually be used.
In Scenario 2, the outcome is very different. Because of the break he takes after his Canadian work ends, by the time he completes one year of foreign work experience, only 11 months of Canadian work experience remain within the three-year window. At that point, he is no longer eligible for Canadian Experience Class.
If current Express Entry trends continue, a candidate who is no longer eligible for CEC may only receive an invitation through a category-based draw or a provincial nomination. Without eligibility for those, even a very competitive CRS score may not lead to an invitation.
That is why timing matters, and why anyone planning to pause Canadian work or focus on foreign work experience needs to look beyond CRS points and understand when CEC eligibility actually ends.
Note: These scenarios are illustrative examples based on common situations I see in consultations. Actual outcomes can vary depending on individual circumstances. This post is for general information only and is not a substitute for individual legal or immigration advice. If you need guidance for your specific situation, seek professional advice.