Latest Express Entry Draw: 2026 Invitations

What is an Express Entry Draw?

An Express Entry draw is the process conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to select profiles from the Express Entry pool and invite eligible candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

How do Express Entry Draws work?

During Express Entry rounds of invitations, the Canadian government selects candidates from the Express Entry pool based on their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and other factors, like work experience or language proficiency. Those who meet or exceed the CRS score cutoff set for that particular draw are issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residency.

Key Components of an Express Entry Draw

• Draw Number: Identifies the sequence of the current draw.
• Date of the Draw: Specifies when the draw took place, helping applicants track trends.
• Program/Category: Indicates the specific Express Entry program or category targeted by the draw.
• CRS Cut-Off Score: The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
• Number of ITAs Issued: The total number of applicants who received an ITA in that draw.
• Tie-Breaking Rule: Applied when multiple Express Entry candidates have the same CRS cut-off score; it prioritizes those who submitted their profiles earlier by setting a specific date and time.

How Does IRCC Determine the CRS Cut-Off for Each Draw?

In each Express Entry draw, IRCC decides how many candidates to select from the pool. They then invite the highest-ranking candidates based on their CRS scores until the target number is reached. The CRS cut-off is the score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited in that round. If multiple candidates have the same score at the cut-off, IRCC applies a tie-breaking rule, prioritizing candidates who submitted their profiles earlier.