Canada has conducted another major Express Entry draw in 2026, giving skilled workers with Canadian experience another opportunity to move toward permanent residence. In the latest selection round, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
The latest Canada Express Entry draw required a minimum CRS score of 519, making Canadian work experience an important advantage for candidates competing for permanent residence through the federal immigration system.
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Key Details of the Latest Express Entry Draw
The September 15 selection was specifically targeted at candidates eligible under the Canadian Experience Class. Applicants who met the required CRS threshold and had an Express Entry profile created before the specified tie-breaking time were considered for an invitation.
The key details from the latest draw are as follows:
| Express Entry Draw | Details |
| Draw date | September 15, 2026 |
| Program | Canadian Experience Class |
| ITAs issued | 2,000 |
| Minimum CRS score | 519 |
| Tie-breaking date | March 26, 2026 |
| Tie-breaking time | 12:16 a.m. UTC |
The tie-breaking rule is used when several candidates have the same CRS score. Candidates who had created their profiles before the specified date and time were prioritized when the available number of invitations was reached.
Express Entry Draw Results in Recent Weeks
The latest CEC invitation round follows several different types of Express Entry selections conducted in September and August. The recent results demonstrate how IRCC has been alternating between program-specific and category-based invitation rounds.
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off score | ITAs issued |
| September 15 | Canadian Experience Class | 519 | 2,000 |
| September 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 734 | 576 |
| September 4 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 3,500 |
| September 3 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 198 | 229 |
| September 1 | Canadian Experience Class | 521 | 2,000 |
| August 31 | Provincial Nominee Program | 697 | 562 |
| August 19 | French-Language proficiency | 382 | 5,000 |
| August 18 | Canadian Experience Class | 523 | 1,000 |
| August 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 760 | 442 |
| August 7 | Transport | 470 | 300 |
| August 6 | French-Language proficiency | 391 | 5,000 |
| August 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 3,000 |
| August 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 768 | 507 |
| July 23 | Skilled Military Recruits | 368 | 4 |
| July 22 | French-Language proficiency | 399 | 5,000 |
| July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 2,000 |
| July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 744 | 511 |
| July 10 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 392 | 500 |
| July 9 | French-Language proficiency | 420 | 5,000 |
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 517 | 2,000 |
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 4,000 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 223 | 271 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 4,000 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 28 | French-Language proficiency | 409 | 4,500 |
| May 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 3,000 |
| May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 805 | 334 |
| May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 798 | 380 |
| April 29 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 4,000 |
| April 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 514 | 2,000 |
| April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 795 | 473 |
| April 15 | French-Language proficiency | 419 | 4,000 |
| April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 515 | 2,000 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 786 | 324 |
| April 2 | Trades | 477 | 3,000 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 2,250 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 18 | French-Language proficiency | 393 | 4,000 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 507 | 4,000 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 5 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 429 | 250 |
| March 4 | French-Language proficiency | 397 | 5,500 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 4,000 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 20 | Healthcare and social services | 467 | 4,000 |
| February 19 | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 169 | 391 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 6,000 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 6 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 8,500 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 6,000 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
How Many Express Entry Draws Has Canada Held in 2026?
With the September 15 CEC selection, Canada has reached 55 Express Entry draws in 2026. The distribution of these invitation rounds shows that IRCC has used a combination of PNP, CEC and category-based selections throughout the year.
The number of draws conducted under each selection type is shown below:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 18 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 16 |
| French-Language proficiency | 10 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 3 |
| Healthcare and social services | 3 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 2 |
| Trades | 1 |
| Transport | 1 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 1 |
The CEC has therefore remained one of the most frequently used Express Entry pathways during 2026, alongside provincial nominee selections and French-language draws.
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- Canada’s Latest Express Entry Round Invites 2,000 Candidates With Canadian Work Experience
Express Entry ITAs Issued in 2026
IRCC has distributed a total of 128,732 invitations through different Express Entry pathways during the year. The invitation totals show that CEC and French-language selections have accounted for a particularly large share of the invitations issued.
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
| Canadian Experience Class | 51,250 |
| French-Language proficiency | 50,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 8,537 |
| Healthcare and social services | 11,500 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Transport | 300 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 891 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 750 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |
Conclusion
Receiving an Express Entry ITA is an important step, but it does not mean permanent residence has been granted. Candidates must submit their complete permanent residence application within the applicable deadline and provide the required supporting documents.
Applicants should carefully review their information before submitting the application. Employment history, education, language test results, work experience, police certificates, proof of funds where applicable and other documents must accurately support the information declared in the Express Entry profile.
Candidates who are already in Canada should also pay attention to their temporary status while their permanent residence application is being processed. Depending on their circumstances, eligible applicants may be able to use a Bridging Open Work Permit to continue working while waiting for a decision on their permanent residence application.
