Canada Invites 4,000 CEC Applicants at Lowest CRS Score in 18 Months

The latest round of the Express Entry draw under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) recorded the lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in approximately the last 18 months. This result gives the candidates already working in the country improved PR prospects.

There were 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), in the draw which was held on 17th March 2026. The invitations were sent to eligible candidates with a minimum CRS score of 507 and had created an Express Entry profile before 6:57 p.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), on May 11, 2025. For the temporary residents in Canada, the lower score makes the Express Entry draws in 2026 a more accessible immigration pathway.

To date in 2026, 16 Express Entry draws and 5 CEC draws have been conducted. Among all the draw types, the highest number of ITAs has been issued in 2026 for the CEC draw type (28,000 ITAs issued). There have been larger and more frequent CEC draws recently in Canada, thereby prioritizing candidates with Canadian work experience who are already contributing to the economy and well settled in the community.