The latest Express Entry draw of 2026 was held on September 29, 2026. IRCC issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a French-language proficiency category-based round, with a CRS cut-off score of 518.
This page tracks the latest Express Entry draws in 2026, including CRS cut-off scores, draw types, and the number of invitations issued. If your score was below the latest cut-off, or you are unsure which rounds you may qualify for, Unified Immigration Lawyers can assess your Express Entry profile and permanent residence options.
What Does the Latest Express Entry Draw Mean for Your Profile?
The latest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off applies specifically to candidates eligible for the French-language proficiency category-based round. It should not be interpreted as the CRS score every Express Entry candidate now needs.
That distinction matters. CEC, PNP, general, and category-based rounds consider different groups of eligible candidates, so their CRS cut-offs should not be compared as though everyone is competing in the same round.
If your score fell below the latest cut-off, you may still qualify for another Express Entry program or category, a provincial nomination, or another permanent residence pathway. Our immigration lawyers can review your CRS score, work experience, language results, category eligibility, and provincial options to determine where your profile may realistically fit.
2026 Express Entry Draw Results
| Draw # | Date | Round Type / Category | Invitations Issued | CRS Cut-Off |
| 446 | September 29 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 518 |
| 445 | September 28 | Provincial Nominee Program | 733 | 725 |
| 444 | September 16 | Senior managers with Canadian Work Experience, 2026-Version 1 | 250 | 389 |
| 443 | September 15 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 519 |
| 442 | September 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 576 | 734 |
| 441 | September 4 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations, 2026-Version 3 | 3,500 | 475 |
| 440 | September 3 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience, 2026-Version 1 | 229 | 198 |
| 439 | September 1 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 521 |
| 438 | August 31 | Provincial Nominee Program | 562 | 697 |
| 437 | August 19 | French Language Proficiency | 5,000 | 382 |
| 436 | August 18 | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 523 |
| 435 | August 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 442 | 760 |
| 434 | August 7 | Transport Occupations | 300 | 470 |
| 433 | August 6 | French-Language Proficiency | 5,000 | 391 |
| 432 | August 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 516 |
| 431 | August 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 507 | 768 |
| 430 | July 23 | Skilled Military Recruits | 4 | 368 |
| 429 | July 22 | French-Language Proficiency | 5,000 | 399 |
| 428 | July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 516 |
| 427 | July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 511 | 744 |
| 426 | July 10 | Senior Managers With Canadian Work Experience | 500 | 392 |
| 425 | July 9 | French-Language Proficiency | 5,000 | 420 |
| 424 | July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 517 |
| 423 | July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 534 | 708 |
| 422 | June 25 | Healthcare and Social Services | 4,000 | 475 |
| 421 | June 24 | Physicians With Canadian Work Experience | 271 | 223 |
| 420 | June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 516 |
| 419 | June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 955 | 730 |
| 418 | May 28 | French-Language Proficiency | 4,500 | 409 |
| 417 | May 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 3,000 | 518 |
| 416 | May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 334 | 805 |
| 415 | May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 380 | 798 |
| 414 | April 29 | French-Language Proficiency | 4,000 | 400 |
| 413 | April 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 514 |
| 412 | April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 473 | 795 |
| 411 | April 15 | French-Language Proficiency | 4,000 | 419 |
| 410 | April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 515 |
| 409 | April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 324 | 786 |
| 408 | April 2 | Trade Occupations | 3,000 | 477 |
| 407 | March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,250 | 509 |
| 406 | March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 356 | 802 |
| 405 | March 18 | French-Language Proficiency | 4,000 | 393 |
| 404 | March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 507 |
| 403 | March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 362 | 742 |
| 402 | March 5 | Senior Managers With Canadian Work Experience | 250 | 429 |
| 401 | March 4 | French-Language Proficiency | 5,500 | 397 |
| 400 | March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 508 |
| 399 | March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 264 | 710 |
| 398 | February 20 | Healthcare and Social Services | 4,000 | 467 |
| 397 | February 19 | Physicians With Canadian Work Experience | 391 | 169 |
| 396 | February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 508 |
| 395 | February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 279 | 789 |
| 394 | February 6 | French-Language Proficiency | 8,500 | 400 |
| 393 | February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 423 | 749 |
| 392 | January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 509 |
| 391 | January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 681 | 746 |
| 390 | January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 8,000 | 511 |
| 389 | January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 574 | 711 |
VIEW OFFICIAL IRCC ROUNDS OF INVITATIONS
How Do You Read Express Entry Draw Results?
An Express Entry draw is a round in which Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) selects eligible candidates from the Express Entry pool and issues Invitations to Apply for Canadian permanent residence.
Candidates in the relevant round are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). But to understand whether a draw matters to you, look at more than the published score.
What Type of Express Entry Draw Was It?
IRCC can hold different rounds of invitations:
- General rounds can consider top-ranking candidates who qualify under the federal programs managed through Express Entry, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades Program.
- Program-specific rounds consider candidates eligible under a particular program, such as the Canadian Experience Class or Provincial Nominee Program.
- Category-based rounds target candidates who meet additional criteria, such as French-language proficiency or qualifying work experience in selected occupations.
Note: Being in the Express Entry pool does not mean you are eligible for every type of draw.
What Does the CRS Cut-Off Score Mean?
The published CRS cut-off score is the score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited in that particular round. There is no permanent Express Entry “passing score.” Different round types can have very different cutoffs because they rank eligible groups differently.
How Does the Express Entry Tie-Breaking Rule Work?
If multiple eligible candidates have the lowest CRS score invited, IRCC uses the published tie-breaking date and time to determine which of those candidates receive invitations. An Invitation to Apply (ITA) allows a candidate to submit a permanent residence application. It is not permanent residence approval.
Which Express Entry Categories Are Being Targeted in 2026?
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and social services occupations
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) occupations
- Trade occupations
- Education occupations
- Transport occupations
- Physicians with Canadian work experience
- Senior managers with Canadian work experience
- Researchers with Canadian work experience
- Skilled military recruits
Qualifying for a category still requires eligibility under an Express Entry-managed immigration program, and each category has its own requirements. If your language ability, occupation, or Canadian work experience may qualify you for category-based selection, our lawyers can assess whether your Express Entry profile accurately reflects that eligibility.
What If Your CRS Score Is Below Recent Express Entry Draws?
A score below the latest draw does not mean you have reached the end of your Express Entry options. The more useful question is whether your current profile reflects all pathways and CRS factors available to you.
Unified Immigration Lawyers can review whether you may be able to:
- Strengthen eligible language results
- Ensure qualifying education and credentials are properly reflected in the profile
- Ensure eligible Canadian or foreign work experience is accurately documented and reflected
- Qualify for French-language or occupation-based selection
- Pursue a Provincial Nominee Program
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete profile information
- Qualify under more than one Express Entry program
- Claim applicable spouse or common-law partner factors
- Pursue another permanent residence pathway outside Express Entry
We also review CRS calculations, National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes/classifications, work history, language and education documents, immigration history, and other information in an existing Express Entry profile for issues that could affect eligibility or ranking.
Not every CRS score can be increased. We help determine what your actual profile supports rather than tell you to wait for a lower cut-off.
What Are the Latest Canadian Experience Class Draw Results?
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the federal immigration programs managed through Express Entry for skilled workers with qualifying Canadian work experience. In a CEC-specific round, only candidates eligible for the Canadian Experience Class are ranked for that round. The latest CEC draw should therefore be considered separately from the latest overall Express Entry result.
Latest CEC Draw — 2026
Date: September 29, 2026
Invitations Issued: 2,000
CRS Cut-Off: 518
Meeting the CEC draw cut-off does not replace the underlying program requirements. Our lawyers can review Canadian work experience, NOC classification, language results, immigration history, and CEC eligibility before a profile or permanent residence application is submitted.
How Do Provincial Nominee Program Draws Affect Express Entry Candidates?
An Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can provide another route for candidates who meet the requirements of a participating provincial or territorial stream.
IRCC also holds PNP-specific Express Entry draws. Because provincially nominated candidates form a different eligible group, those CRS cut-offs should not be directly compared with CEC or category-based results.
If recent federal cut-offs are out of reach, our lawyers can assess whether a provincial nomination is a realistic option based on your occupation, work history, location, immigration status, and other eligibility factors.
What Should You Do After Receiving an Express Entry Invitation to Apply?
An Invitation to Apply is not approval for permanent residence. Candidates who receive an ITA currently have 60 days to submit their permanent residence application. IRCC then assesses whether the candidate actually meets the applicable program requirements and whether the information that led to the invitation can be substantiated.
Unified Immigration Lawyers can help:
- Confirm eligibility before filing
- Review the Express Entry profile for accuracy
- Prepare employment, education, and other supporting evidence
- Address inconsistencies between the profile and application
- Review proof of funds where applicable
- Identify immigration-history or inadmissibility concerns
- Prepare legal submissions where needed
- Complete the permanent residence application within the deadline
Getting the application right after an ITA can be particularly important because a refusal does more than end the permanent residence application. In many cases, the candidate must create a new Express Entry profile and return to the pool before they can be considered for another invitation. There is no guarantee the CRS cut-off will still be low enough for you to be selected.
A candidate’s CRS score can also change between invitations. Age is one factor in the Comprehensive Ranking System, so some candidates may lose CRS points over time. Combined with fluctuating draw cut-offs and changing round types, someone who previously received an ITA may not receive another one on the same terms.
That makes the period after an ITA the wrong time to discover that work experience cannot be substantiated, points were claimed incorrectly, documents do not support the profile, or another eligibility issue was overlooked.
Our Express Entry lawyers can review the profile against the permanent residence application before filing and identify issues that could put the ITA (and the opportunity it represents) at risk.
Express Entry Clients We’ve Helped
“I highly recommend Matkawsky Immigration Law [SIC]. Before hiring them, I spent a lot of time researching immigration lawyers and reading reviews because I wanted to make sure I was making the right choice. Looking back, I’m so glad I chose their team. I worked directly with McKenzie Stern, who helped me prepare my Procedural Fairness Letter (PFL) response for my Express Entry (CEC) application. She was incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and patient, taking the time to answer every question I had and ensuring I understood every step of the process… What I appreciated most was their expertise, attention to detail, and ability to bring clarity to what felt like an overwhelming situation. When you’re dealing with immigration matters, it’s easy to feel stressed and have a hundred thoughts running through your mind. They took the time to listen, organize my thoughts, identify what was actually important, and guide me through the process with clear, practical advice. Their calm and reassuring approach gave me confidence every step of the way. Thanks to their guidance, my Express Entry application was ultimately approved. While every case is different, I couldn’t have asked for a better team to represent me. If you’re looking for an immigration law firm that is knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely invested in their clients, I highly recommend Matkawsky Immigration Law [SIC].”
~ Joanna Lakiss
“Originally from South Africa, Matkowsky assisted us with our Canadian Permanent Residency applications (Express Entry) and also our recent Canadian Citizenship applications. I can wholeheartedly recommend them to any prospective immigrant to Canada.”
~ Johannes vd Merwe
“Absolutely fantastic, expertise and service! Amanat Sandhu handled our Express Entry – CEC class, STEM draw application. With her guidance and support, it was just 217 days from ITA to eCOPR! This was our second attempt, and our second law firm. Our first lawyer made a silly error on our PNP application, causing it to be marked incomplete. They had also made an error with our EE Profile, causing us to lose points. Matkowsky got our Profile sorted out, and coached us while we changed Temporary Foreign Worker visas and waited to receive our Invitation to Apply. Once the ITA was received, Amanat was with us every step of the way. Because she had done so much work preparing our file in advance, we had no problems submitting the application on time. In fact, there were NO questions on our submission AT ALL. Because the file was so complete, the only step after submission was submitting our bio-metrics. Amanat was also incredibly patient with my constant questions and requests for status updates. She was always easy to communicate with, gave good advice, and kept us on the right path! It is so so so important to find credible legal help. I highly recommend Amanat and the entire team at Matkowsky Immigration Law. After years of disappointment with our prior firm, they helped make our dream of Canadian Permanent Residence come true!”
~ Aileen Sandoval
Know Where You Stand Before the Next Express Entry Draw
Book a Consultation With an Express Entry Immigration Lawyer
Watching CRS scores tells you what happened in previous rounds. It does not tell you whether your profile is accurate, whether another category could apply, or whether you are overlooking another route to Canadian permanent residence.
Unified Immigration Lawyers can review your CRS score, Express Entry eligibility, work history, category-based selection opportunities, provincial options, and immigration history to help you make decisions based on your own profile—not someone else’s cut-off.
$250 Flat-Fee Case Review
Get Clear Answers About Your Immigration Matter
Your $250 consultation gives you dedicated time with an immigration lawyer to review your circumstances, answer your questions, and explain the options available to you. If you retain the firm, your consultation fee will be fully credited toward your legal fees.
Express Entry Draw FAQs
When is the next Express Entry draw in 2026?
IRCC does not publish a guaranteed calendar for future Express Entry rounds. The timing, draw type, category, and number of invitations can vary, so candidates should keep their profiles current rather than relying on predictions about a specific next draw date.
How long does an Express Entry profile stay in the pool?
An Express Entry profile remains active for up to 12 months if the candidate continues to meet the eligibility requirements and does not receive an invitation. If no Invitation to Apply is received within those 12 months, the profile expires and is removed from the system. A candidate who remains eligible can create a new profile.
Can I update my Express Entry profile after I submit it?
Yes. Eligible candidates can update information in a submitted Express Entry profile when circumstances change. This may be necessary after changes to work experience, language results, education, marital status, or other information used to assess eligibility and CRS ranking. Profile information should remain accurate and up-to-date while the candidate is in the pool.
What happens if my Express Entry profile expires?
If an Express Entry profile remains inactive for 12 months without an Invitation to Apply, IRCC removes it from the system. Candidates who still qualify can submit a new profile to re-enter the pool. Because the old profile information is not retained for reuse, candidates may want to keep their own records before expiration.
What happens if I decline an Invitation to Apply?
If you decline an Invitation to Apply and remain eligible for Express Entry, your profile is generally returned to the pool and may be considered in future rounds. There is no guarantee that you will receive another invitation, since CRS cut-offs and round eligibility can change.
Does entering the Express Entry pool mean I have applied for permanent residence?
No. Creating an eligible Express Entry profile places you in the pool where you can be ranked for future rounds of invitations. A permanent residence application is submitted only after you receive an Invitation to Apply and complete the required application. Being in the Express Entry pool does not guarantee an ITA or permanent residence.