Express Entry Draws 2026: CRS Scores and Latest Round

Quick answer: Express Entry draws 2026 have been frequent and targeted. From January 5 to October 1, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held 59 rounds and issued 135,215 invitations. Canadian Experience Class and French-language rounds supplied most of them. The latest round, on October 1, invited 3,500 trades workers with a CRS cut-off of 476.

Key takeaways

IRCC held 59 Express Entry rounds between January 5 and October 1, 2026, issuing 135,215 invitations to apply for permanent residence.
That is far more than the 71,338 invitations issued in 41 rounds over the same stretch of 2025, based on IRCC's published round data.
Canadian Experience Class rounds (55,250 invitations) and French-language proficiency rounds (50,500) made up nearly four in five invitations.
There have been no general all-program rounds in 2026; every round has targeted a program or a category such as healthcare, trades or physicians.
Most occupation categories now require at least 12 months of work experience in the past three years, up from six months under the previous rules, according to Gowling WLG.

Last updated: October 9, 2026

If you are tracking Express Entry draws 2026, the short version is that IRCC is inviting more people than last year, but not through open, all-program rounds. Every invitation this year has gone through a round reserved for one program or one priority group. That means your chances depend less on a single headline CRS number and more on which group you belong to. This guide summarizes all 2026 rounds from IRCC's official round data, explains the cut-off scores by stream, and sets out what workers in Canada and abroad can do with that information.

Express Entry draws 2026: how many rounds so far?

As of October 9, 2026, IRCC has held 59 rounds of invitations this year, from January 5 to October 1, issuing 135,215 invitations to apply (ITAs). Over the same period in 2025 (January 1 to October 9), IRCC ran 41 rounds and issued 71,338 ITAs, so Express Entry draws 2026 have produced roughly 90% more invitations.

Express Entry is the federal system that manages three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Candidates create a profile, receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and the highest-ranked eligible people are invited in each round. Candidates with a provincial or territorial nomination are invited through general and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) rounds.

What is the latest Express Entry draw?

The most recent round took place on October 1, 2026. It was a category-based round for trade occupations that invited 3,500 candidates, and the lowest score invited was 476.

Round number: 447
Date and time: October 1, 2026, at 12:47:55 UTC
Round type: Trade occupations (category-based)
Invitations issued: 3,500
Lowest CRS score invited: 476
Tie-breaking rule: candidates at 476 needed a profile submitted by May 28, 2026, at 16:55:23 UTC

This was only the second trades round of the year. The first, on April 2, invited 3,000 candidates at a cut-off of 477. As of this update, no other round has been posted for October. IRCC's rounds page does not show upcoming round dates, so any "next draw date" you see online is a forecast, not an official schedule.

What CRS score do you need in Express Entry draws 2026?

It depends entirely on the round type. In 2026, the lowest score invited has ranged from 169 in a physicians round to 805 in a PNP round, because each round only compares candidates who qualify for that stream.

Here is how each stream has performed in Express Entry draws 2026 (January 5 to October 1), according to IRCC's round data:

Canadian Experience Class: 17 rounds, 55,250 ITAs, cut-offs between 507 and 523 (latest: 518 on September 29)
French-language proficiency: 10 rounds, 50,500 ITAs, cut-offs between 382 and 420 (latest: 382 on August 19)
Healthcare and social services occupations: 3 rounds, 11,500 ITAs, cut-offs between 467 and 475
Provincial Nominee Program: 19 rounds, 9,270 ITAs, cut-offs between 697 and 805 (these rounds only include candidates with a provincial or territorial nomination)
Trade occupations: 2 rounds, 6,500 ITAs, cut-offs of 477 and 476
Senior managers with Canadian work experience: 3 rounds, 1,000 ITAs, cut-offs between 389 and 429
Physicians with Canadian work experience: 3 rounds, 891 ITAs, cut-offs between 169 and 223
Transport occupations: 1 round on August 7, 300 ITAs, cut-off 470
Skilled military recruits: 1 round on July 23, 4 ITAs, cut-off 368

Three of the categories IRCC lists as current, namely STEM occupations, education occupations and researchers with Canadian work experience, have not had a dedicated round so far in 2026.

How often are Express Entry draws held in 2026?

In 2026, IRCC has typically run a PNP round followed by a CEC round, usually the next day, roughly every two weeks, with category rounds slotted in between. For example, PNP and CEC rounds ran back to back on September 14 and 15, and again on September 28 and 29.

Category rounds follow a looser rhythm. French-language rounds were held once or twice a month from February to August, except June, while healthcare, physician and senior manager rounds have each come roughly once a quarter. This pattern is drawn from the published dates and is not an IRCC commitment; IRCC says it may skip a category round if enough eligible candidates are already being invited through other rounds.

What changed in Express Entry categories for 2026?

In February 2026, IRCC updated its category-based selection, adding new occupation categories and making the work-experience rule stricter. According to an analysis by law firm Gowling WLG, the minimum experience for renewed categories rose "from six months to one year."

IRCC's category page now lists 10 current categories. The key eligibility points are:

Most occupation categories (healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education, transport): at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or the part-time equivalent, within the past three years in a single listed occupation. The experience does not have to be continuous.
Physicians, senior managers and researchers: the same 12-month rule, but the experience must be gained in Canada. Physician rounds cover specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine, specialists in surgery, and general practitioners and family physicians.
French-language proficiency: a score of at least 7 in all four abilities on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC).
Skilled military recruits: members of a recognized foreign military with at least 10 years of continuous service, a job offer from the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group for at least three years of continuous full-time work in Canada in a listed Canadian Armed Forces occupation, and at least a two-year post-secondary credential.

Everyone must still qualify for one of the three Express Entry programs to enter the pool in the first place.

How crowded is the Express Entry pool?

As of September 27, 2026, IRCC counted 229,904 profiles in the pool. Only 21,798 of them scored above 500, so CEC cut-offs of 507 or higher have been out of reach for more than 90% of the pool.

601 to 1,200 points: 728 candidates
501 to 600: 21,070
451 to 500: 73,131
401 to 450: 62,611
351 to 400: 47,298
301 to 350: 17,359
0 to 300: 7,707

The largest single band sits between 451 and 500. Candidates there are close to the trades and healthcare cut-offs (467 to 477) but well short of recent CEC rounds.

What this means for you

The main lesson from Express Entry draws 2026 is that, for most workers, the best way to improve your odds is to qualify for a category, not just to raise your score. A candidate at 480 has missed every CEC round this year but would have cleared both trades rounds and all three healthcare rounds, provided the work experience matched a listed occupation.

Already working in Canada? Track your hours carefully. The 12 months must fall within the past three years, and physicians, senior managers and researchers need that experience in Canada.
French speakers: NCLC 7 in all four abilities has opened the door at scores as low as 382 this year.
In a trade or health job? Check that your National Occupational Classification (NOC) code appears on IRCC's category list before you rely on a category round.
Got an invitation? You have 60 days to submit an application for permanent residence.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming the latest cut-off applies to you. A 382 French round says nothing about your chances in a CEC round.
Counting experience in an occupation that is not on the category list, or combining experience across two different occupations.
Paying anyone who promises an invitation. Invitations go to the top-ranked eligible candidates in each round, so be wary of anyone who claims they can guarantee one. IRCC publishes guidance on spotting AI, social media, website, email and phone scams targeting applicants, and on how to use a representative.

For related reading on Jobsiz, see Work Permit Extension Processing Time in Canada (2026), OINP Points 2026: Ontario's New Earnings Score and Low-Wage LMIA October 2026: 30 Cities on the Pause List.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next Express Entry draw in 2026?

IRCC has not published a date for the next round; its rounds page does not show upcoming round dates. In 2026, PNP and Canadian Experience Class rounds have usually come about every two weeks, with the most recent pair on September 28 and 29, so watch IRCC's rounds page for new results.

What was the CRS cut-off in the latest Express Entry draw?

The latest round, on October 1, 2026, was a trade occupations round with a cut-off of 476. It invited 3,500 candidates. The most recent Canadian Experience Class round, on September 29, had a cut-off of 518.

How many Express Entry invitations has IRCC issued in 2026?

IRCC issued 135,215 invitations to apply in 59 rounds between January 5 and October 1, 2026. Canadian Experience Class rounds accounted for 55,250 and French-language proficiency rounds for 50,500.

Has there been a general Express Entry draw in 2026?

No. Every 2026 round so far has been program-specific (PNP or Canadian Experience Class) or category-based, such as French-language, healthcare, trades, physicians, senior managers, transport and skilled military recruits.

How much work experience do I need for an Express Entry category draw?

For most occupation categories you need at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or the part-time equivalent, in a single listed occupation within the past three years. Physicians, senior managers and researchers must have gained that experience in Canada.

How long do I have to apply after receiving an Express Entry invitation?

You have 60 days from the invitation to submit an application for permanent residence. IRCC then decides based on program and category eligibility, the accuracy of your profile and whether you are admissible to Canada.

Sources

This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published October 9, 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.

Express Entry Draws 2026: CRS Cut-offs, Totals and Trends