The most recent Express Entry draw was held on April 29, 2026. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply in a French-language proficiency round at a Comprehensive Ranking System cut-off of 400. It was the 26th Express Entry draw of the year, lifting the 2026 total to 71,627 ITAs as of that date (IRCC Rounds of invitations).
This page tracks every 2026 Express Entry draw in one place. It explains how each round works, what the current cut-offs mean for your CRS score, and where the program is heading under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan. The numbers update as IRCC posts each Express Entry draw.
Latest Express Entry draw at a glance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Draw number | 414 |
| Draw date | April 29, 2026 |
| Category | French-language proficiency |
| Invitations issued (ITAs) | 4,000 |
| CRS cut-off | 400 |
| Tie-breaking rule | April 7, 2026 at 20:13:59 UTC |
| Express Entry pool size | 234,452 candidates (as of April 26, 2026) |
Source: IRCC, Express Entry rounds of invitations, April 29, 2026.
The previous French draw on April 15, 2026 cut off at CRS 419 with the same 4,000 ITAs. The 19-point drop signals that the high-end of the French-eligible pool has been cleared out by back-to-back French rounds, so IRCC dipped lower to fill the same allotment. If you have NCLC 7 across reading, writing, listening, and speaking, you are now genuinely competitive at scores that would not have made the cut in any general round this year.
Every Express Entry draw in 2026 (round-by-round)
The table below lists every Express Entry draw from January 5, 2026 through the most recent round. Sort by category to see how cut-offs differ across program-specific and category-based selection rounds.
| Draw # | Date | Category | ITAs | CRS cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 414 | Apr 29, 2026 | French-language proficiency | 4,000 | 400 |
| 413 | Apr 28, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 514 |
| 412 | Apr 27, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 473 | 795 |
| 411 | Apr 15, 2026 | French-language proficiency | 4,000 | 419 |
| 410 | Apr 14, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 515 |
| 409 | Apr 13, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 324 | 786 |
| 408 | Apr 2, 2026 | Trades occupations | 3,000 | 477 |
| 407 | Mar 31, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,250 | 509 |
| 406 | Mar 30, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 356 | 802 |
| 405 | Mar 18, 2026 | French-language proficiency | 4,000 | 393 |
| 404 | Mar 17, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 507 |
| 403 | Mar 16, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 362 | 742 |
| 402 | Mar 5, 2026 | Senior managers (Canadian work experience) | 250 | 429 |
| 401 | Mar 4, 2026 | French-language proficiency | 5,500 | 397 |
| 400 | Mar 3, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 508 |
| 399 | Mar 2, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 264 | 710 |
| 398 | Feb 20, 2026 | Healthcare and social services | 4,000 | 467 |
| 397 | Feb 19, 2026 | Physicians (Canadian work experience) | 391 | 169 |
| 396 | Feb 17, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 508 |
| 395 | Feb 16, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 279 | 789 |
| 394 | Feb 6, 2026 | French-language proficiency | 8,500 | 400 |
| 393 | Feb 3, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 423 | 749 |
| 392 | Jan 21, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 509 |
| 391 | Jan 20, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 681 | 746 |
| 390 | Jan 7, 2026 | Canadian Experience Class | 8,000 | 511 |
| 389 | Jan 5, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 574 | 711 |
Source: IRCC Ministerial Instructions and Rounds of invitations table, canada.ca.
A few patterns are doing the work in 2026:
- PNP cut-offs sit at 700 to 800 because the score includes the 600-point provincial nomination boost. Do not panic at an “800 cut-off.” The candidate’s underlying CRS is in the 100s or 200s.
- CEC has held a tight band of 507 to 515 across every round this year. That is your real benchmark if you are inside Canada on a work permit.
- French rounds have run between 393 and 419. If you are at NCLC 7 and over CRS 400, you are inside the 2026 envelope.
- Physician draws hit a record low of 169 on February 19, 2026. That is the floor of category-based selection in 2026 so far.
What is an Express Entry draw?
An Express Entry draw, also called a “round of invitations,” is the moment IRCC reaches into the Express Entry pool and pulls out a group of candidates who score above a chosen CRS cut-off. Selected candidates receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. They then have 60 days to submit a complete application.
Three things define each draw:
- The draw type. Either a general round (all programs), a program-specific round (CEC only, FSW only, FST only, or PNP only), or a category-based round targeting a 2026 priority category.
- The number of ITAs issued. IRCC sets this in the Ministerial Instructions for each round. Recent CEC rounds have issued 2,000 to 8,000. PNP rounds usually 250 to 700. French and healthcare rounds 3,000 to 8,500.
- The CRS cut-off. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score a candidate needs to have been selected. Anyone tied at the cut-off score is split using a tie-breaking timestamp, the moment they submitted their profile.
The mechanics have not changed since category-based selection launched in 2023. What has changed is the mix. In 2026, IRCC is leaning hard on French, CEC, and PNP rounds while running occupational categories on a slower cadence than 2025.
Types of Express Entry draws in 2026
General draws (all programs)
A general draw invites the highest-scoring candidates across all three federal programs (FSW, CEC, FST) at once. IRCC has not run a general draw since mid-2024. With the 2026 CEC and category-based focus, do not expect general draws to return in volume this year.
Program-specific draws
These pull only from one program’s eligible candidates:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): the most-used program in 2026. CEC requires at least one year of skilled Canadian work experience in the past three years and a CLB 7 (or CLB 5 for TEER 2/3 jobs). Cut-offs in 2026: 507 to 515.
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): invites candidates who already hold a provincial nomination. The 600-point bonus pushes raw CRS into the 700s and 800s. Apparent cut-off does not reflect the candidate’s underlying score.
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW): for skilled overseas applicants without Canadian experience. No FSW-only round has run in 2026 so far.
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST): for tradespeople. No FST-only round has run in 2026 so far. The trades occupations category-based draw on April 2, 2026 (CRS 477) is the closest equivalent.
Category-based draws (the 2026 priorities)
In February 2026, the Minister announced the categories IRCC would prioritize for the year (Canada.ca, Feb 27, 2026). The 2026 list:
- French-language proficiency. NCLC 7 or higher in all four French abilities. Highest-volume category-based round in 2026.
- Healthcare and social services. Expanded for 2026 to include more social services NOCs.
- Trades occupations. Renewed for 2026, with one year of qualifying experience now required (up from six months).
- Education. Renewed for 2026.
- Agriculture and agri-food. Continued.
- Physicians with Canadian work experience. New for 2026. Targets foreign-trained doctors already practising in Canada.
- Researchers and senior managers with Canadian work experience. New for 2026.
- Transport occupations with Canadian work experience. New for 2026.
STEM was confirmed as a priority category but has not had a dedicated round since April 2024. The 2026 STEM list, when it activates, focuses on data science, software, and engineering NOCs.
How CRS cut-offs differ by Express Entry draw category
Different draw types pull from different parts of the Express Entry pool, which is why the cut-off in one round looks nothing like the cut-off in another. The 2026 picture so far:
| Category | Typical 2026 cut-off | Why it sits there |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program | 710 to 802 | Includes the +600 nomination bonus on top of the candidate’s base score |
| Canadian Experience Class | 507 to 515 | Pulls from the largest sub-pool inside the country, very competitive |
| French-language proficiency | 393 to 419 | Smaller eligible pool, IRCC has to dip lower to fill ITA volume |
| Healthcare and social services | 467 (Feb 20, 2026) | Mid-range, healthcare candidates often pair Canadian experience with strong language |
| Trades occupations | 477 (Apr 2, 2026) | Moderate, fewer high-CRS trades candidates than CEC overall |
| Senior managers (Canadian experience) | 429 (Mar 5, 2026) | New category, smaller eligible pool |
| Physicians (Canadian experience) | 169 (Feb 19, 2026) | Tiny, highly targeted pool. Record low for 2026 |
For everyone outside the priority categories, a CEC profile sitting in the high 490s should expect to wait. A profile under 470 outside a category-based path is not realistically in line for an ITA in 2026 conditions.
How many Express Entry draw ITAs has Canada issued in 2026?
As of April 29, 2026:
- 26 rounds of invitations held.
- 71,627 ITAs issued across all categories.
- 234,452 candidates in the Express Entry pool (Moving2Canada pool snapshot, April 27, 2026).
By comparison, IRCC issued 114,102 ITAs across 58 draws in all of 2025. The current 2026 pace is on track to land near the 2025 total once Q4 rounds are factored in. Under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, total permanent resident admissions will hold at 380,000 per year, with the Federal High Skilled stream (which Express Entry feeds) increasing modestly (IRCC, 2026-2028 Levels Plan).
When is the next Express Entry draw?
IRCC does not pre-announce specific Express Entry draw dates. The pattern in 2026 has been remarkably consistent though, and that pattern is your best signal:
- One round every 1 to 2 weeks, with most weeks now running three rounds back-to-back across PNP, CEC, and a category-based draw.
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the most common draw days in 2026.
- Categories rotate rather than running every category every week. French has run roughly every two weeks. CEC has run roughly every two weeks. PNP rounds usually pair with the CEC week.
If the previous round was a French draw, the next 1 to 2 rounds are usually a PNP and CEC pair. If the previous round was a CEC, expect a category-based round (French, healthcare, or trades) within 7 to 14 days.
This page is updated within 24 hours of each draw posting.
Why the CRS cut-off is so high in 2026
Three structural pressures are pushing CEC and general cut-offs above 500 in every recent round:
- Reduced PNP allocations through 2025 left high-CRS candidates in the federal pool. Many strong candidates who would have received a provincial nomination in earlier years are still waiting in the Express Entry pool, which raises the floor.
- The CEC pause from December 2023 through February 2024 created a backlog. The pool absorbed a year’s worth of in-Canada workers, then CEC-only rounds resumed at high cut-offs to clear the strongest candidates first.
- The 2025 cap on temporary residents pushed in-Canada workers to file Express Entry profiles before their work permits expired. That added thousands of CLB 9, three-year-experience candidates to the pool simultaneously.
The pool’s distribution as of late April 2026 still concentrates around 13,209 candidates in the 501 to 600 CRS range, with the largest segment sitting between 451 and 500. Until that bulge clears, CEC cut-offs are unlikely to drop meaningfully below 505. The strongest near-term opportunity for sub-500 candidates is a category-based draw or a provincial nomination.
How to improve your CRS score before the next Express Entry draw
You cannot move IRCC’s cut-off. You can move your own score. Five levers actually shift CRS in a meaningful way:
- Hit CLB 9 in your first language. This is the biggest lever for most candidates. CLB 9 across listening, speaking, reading, and writing unlocks the full skill-transferability bonus and pushes most profiles up by 50 to 100 points. Re-take IELTS, CELPIP, or PTE Core if you are at CLB 7 or 8.
- Add NCLC 7 in French. A second-language test at NCLC 7+ adds up to 50 CRS points, even if French is not your first language. It also opens the French-language category, which is currently the lowest-cut-off path in Express Entry.
- Get a provincial nomination (PNP). Worth +600 points. Effectively guarantees an ITA at the next PNP-specific round. Saskatchewan, BC, Alberta, and Ontario each run streams aligned with Express Entry profiles.
- Add another year of skilled work experience. Years 1 to 3 add the most points; year 4 and beyond yield smaller jumps but still help. Inside Canada beats outside, so a year of Canadian work on a PGWP is worth more than a year overseas.
- Get a valid LMIA-based job offer. IRCC has signalled that the arranged-employment points are returning under the 2026-2028 Levels Plan with anti-fraud safeguards in place. This is worth between 50 and 200 CRS points depending on the role’s NOC TEER.
Two levers most people overestimate: adding a sibling in Canada (only +15) and a spouse’s language test (worth at most 20 points combined). Spend your effort where the math is.
For a full breakdown of how points are calculated, our CRS Points Breakdown for Canadian Express Entry explains every category. If you need a working number now, the CRS Calculator for Express Entry walks you through every input. We also cover how to increase your CRS score for PR in 2026 for candidates who already know their baseline.
What happens after you receive an ITA from an Express Entry draw
An ITA is not the visa. It is your invitation to file the actual application for permanent residence. The 60-day clock starts the day the ITA is issued.
The post-ITA timeline most candidates can expect in 2026:
| Step | Timing |
|---|---|
| ITA received | Day 0 |
| Submit complete e-APR with documents and fees | Within 60 days |
| Police certificates, medical exam, biometrics | Inside the 60 days |
| IRCC processing standard | 6 months for 80% of complete applications |
| COPR issued | After approval |
| Landing in Canada | Up to 12 months after COPR (or sooner) |
The fastest way to derail an ITA is to submit an incomplete application. The most common rejections in 2026: expired language tests (IELTS and CELPIP results are valid for two years from test date), missed Educational Credential Assessments (ECA results are valid for five years), and proof-of-funds shortfalls for FSW applicants.
If you do not meet the cut-off in your category, your profile stays in the Express Entry pool for one year. You can update your profile any time. A new language test, a new ECA, a job offer, or a provincial nomination changes your CRS instantly and re-ranks you in the pool.
Where Express Entry is heading in 2026 and 2027
Three signals matter for anyone planning a profile update in the next 12 months:
- Permanent resident targets are flat at 380,000 per year through 2028, but the economic share rises to 64% in 2027 and 2028. That means more ITAs going through Express Entry and PNP, not fewer.
- Arranged employment points are coming back under the 2026-2028 Levels Plan, with anti-fraud safeguards. Candidates with verifiable Canadian job offers in TEER 0-3 NOCs should benefit.
- Reforms to FSW and CRS are under public consultation in 2026 (Canada.ca consultation page). Possible changes include rebalancing the human-capital and skill-transferability factors and adding new points for in-demand occupations.
If you are mid-2026 with a CEC profile in the 480 to 505 range, your most predictable move is still language test improvement plus a category-based pathway. If you are above 510, a CEC ITA is realistic within one or two rounds.
Check Out New Canada PR Pathways to Move to Canada Without Job Offer or Express Entry:
Express Entry draw FAQs
How often does IRCC hold an Express Entry draw?
Roughly once every 7 to 14 days in 2026, with most weeks running two or three rounds back-to-back across PNP, CEC, and a category-based selection round. IRCC does not pre-publish dates.
What was the most recent Express Entry draw cut-off?
The April 29, 2026 French-language draw cut off at CRS 400 with 4,000 ITAs. CEC rounds in April cut off at 514 and 515. PNP rounds at 786 to 802 (which includes the +600 nomination bonus).
What is the lowest CRS cut-off in 2026?
CRS 169, in the February 19, 2026 physicians (Canadian work experience) draw. The lowest non-physician cut-off was 393 in the March 18, 2026 French-language draw.
Is a CRS score of 470 enough for Express Entry in 2026?
For a general or CEC round, no. CEC cut-offs have held between 507 and 515 all of 2026. For a category-based round, possibly. The healthcare round on February 20, 2026 cut off at 467, which is below 470. The trades round on April 2 cut off at 477. The fastest path for a 470 candidate is a French-language test at NCLC 7 or a provincial nomination.
How does an Express Entry draw differ from a PNP draw?
A PNP draw is a province nominating Express Entry candidates from its own pool, which adds 600 CRS points. A federal Express Entry draw, including the PNP-specific federal round, is IRCC issuing ITAs from the federal pool. The federal PNP round cuts off in the 700s and 800s only because of the 600-point bonus already on those profiles.
Can I get an ITA without a job offer or provincial nomination?
Yes. The fastest no-job-offer paths in 2026 are: French-language category at NCLC 7 (cut-offs in the 390s to 410s), CEC if you are already in Canada with one year of skilled work experience (cut-offs in the 510s), and the targeted occupational categories (healthcare, trades, education, agriculture, transport, senior managers).
What happens if my CRS profile expires?
Express Entry profiles are valid for 12 months from the day you submit them. If you do not receive an ITA in that period, the system asks you to re-submit. You can resubmit immediately with updated information.
How long does an Express Entry application take after the ITA?
IRCC’s service standard is six months for 80% of complete applications submitted after an ITA. The 60-day post-ITA window is the candidate’s deadline, not IRCC’s.
Plan your next Express Entry draw move
The Express Entry draw cycle is predictable enough now that planning around it works. Pick the lever that moves your score the most before the next round in your category, file a clean profile, and do not let your language tests or ECA expire mid-process. If you are still mapping out which Canadian immigration pathway fits, our guides on how to apply for Express Entry, the easiest ways to get PR in Canada, and how to get a job offer for Express Entry cover the practical steps.
The next Express Entry draw is most likely within the next 7 to 14 days. Be ready.