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Canadian Experience Class · Express Entry

CEC after AOR: what happens, and roughly when.

CEC is the Express Entry program for skilled work experience gained in Canada - the main PR route for PGWP and work-permit holders. Below: every stage with its typical window. For day-precise medians and your AOR-month cohort, the free tracker takes two minutes.

6 monthsIRCC standard from AORNo funds proofCEC skips settlement fundsInland finishP1 → P2 → eCOPR, no landing trip

722 tracked applicants · updated July 29, 2026

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Stage by stage

The CEC timeline after AOR - typical windows

Ranges below reflect when each stage usually lands for tracked CEC files. Every file differs - treat these as orientation, and the official IRCC tool as the live estimate.

Inland CEC · months after AOR722 tracked applicants · updated July 29, 2026
M1M2M3M4M5M6M7+
Biometrics letter (BIL)Instruction to give fingerprints
weeks 2–3
Biometrics completedService Canada appointment
weeks 3–5
Medical passed“Results received” in account
months 2 – 2½
Background check startsFirst “In progress” - longest stage
months 2–3
Eligibility passed“Recommended / Passed”
months 3–4
Final decisionApproved - portal emails follow
months 4–6
eCOPRYou become a PR - no landing trip
+1–3 wks after decision
PR card arrivesMailed after eCOPR
+4–8 wks after eCOPR
Want it sharper than a range?The tracker holds what this page can't: day-precise medians for your stream, live cohort percentages, and background-check sub-stages.
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Stage definitions summarized from IRCC. Official pages: after you apply and check your application status. Full stage explanations: our AOR-to-PR-card guide.

What shapes this stream

Three things CEC applicants should know

No proof of funds

CEC applicants don't need settlement funds, which keeps files simpler and refusal risks lower than FSW. One less document to expire, one less thing to explain.

Inland flow: P1 → P2 → eCOPR

After approval you confirm your presence in Canada and upload a photo through the PR Confirmation Portal - you become a PR without a landing trip or passport request.

Cleanest background checks

With recent Canadian residence, CEC files tend to clear criminality and security faster than multi-country histories - though the status still flips between “Not applicable” and “In progress”, which is normal.

Cohort groups

What cohorts are seeing right now

Everyone who got AOR the same month, on the same stream, is one cohort. One live snapshot per group below - the full milestone breakdown for your month is inside the tracker.

March 2026 · InlandMajority now in background check · first decisions arriving112 trackingFebruary 2026 · InlandDecisions flowing · about a third past final decision96 trackingJanuary 2026 · InlandMore than half approved · eCOPRs landing daily88 trackingDecember 2025 · InlandMostly landed · PR cards arriving in mailboxes74 tracking
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Common questions

CEC timelines, answered

How long does CEC take after AOR?+
IRCC's service standard for Express Entry, including CEC, is 6 months for most complete applicationscounted from AOR. In community-tracked inland files, final decisions most commonly land between months 4 and 6, with eCOPR a few weeks after. The live official estimate is in IRCC's Check processing times tool; day-precise community medians are inside the tracker.
When does the CEC background check start?+
For most tracked inland CEC files it flips to “In progress” during months 2–3, usually once medicals are recorded. It can toggle back to “Not applicable” several times as criminality, security and information-sharing checks run - that flip-flop is normal, not a red flag.
Do CEC applicants get a PPR?+
Usually no. Inland applicants receive PR Confirmation Portal emails (P1, then P2) leading to an eCOPR - no passport request or landing trip. A PPR generally only applies if you need a visa counterfoil or are processed outland.
How do I know if my CEC file is on pace?+
Compare against your own AOR-month cohort. The free tracker places you in it automatically, shows the share of your group at each milestone, and flags when you're a full milestone behind the typical day for files like yours.
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Other streams

Tracking a different pathway?

FSW trackerFederal Skilled WorkerFST trackerFederal Skilled TradesPNP-EE trackerEnhanced nomination (+600)PNP paper trackerBase / non-EE nominationSpousal · InlandInland spousal sponsorshipSpousal · OutlandOutland spousal sponsorshipFamily trackerParents, grandparents & children