Canada Holds Biggest CEC Draw Since March

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has held another Express Entry draw, issuing 4,000 invitations to apply for permanent residence.

The June 23 draw targeted candidates in the Canadian Experience Class. This was the largest draw for this group since March 17, when IRCC also invited 4,000 candidates.

To receive an invitation in the latest round, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 516. They also needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 12:03 a.m. UTC on April 14, 2026.

Canadian Experience Class Remains a Major Focus

The latest selection round was the 32nd Express Entry draw held in 2026.

So far this year, IRCC has continued to focus strongly on candidates already connected to Canada. Many draws have targeted Canadian Experience Class candidates, who usually have skilled Canadian work experience, or Provincial Nominee Program candidates, who have been nominated by a province or territory.

In 2026, IRCC has held 12 Provincial Nominee Program draws, 10 Canadian Experience Class draws, and six French-language proficiency draws.

The department has also held one draw each for physicians with Canadian work experience, healthcare and social services, senior managers with Canadian work experience, and trades.

Recent Express Entry Draws

The June 23 Canadian Experience Class draw followed a Provincial Nominee Program draw on June 22. In that round, IRCC invited 955 candidates with a minimum CRS score of 730.

Before that, IRCC held three draws in late May. On May 28, it invited 4,500 candidates through a French-language proficiency draw with a CRS cut-off of 409. On May 27, it issued 3,000 invitations to Canadian Experience Class candidates with a cut-off score of 518. On May 25, it invited 334 Provincial Nominee Program candidates with a minimum score of 805.

The April draw pattern also showed continued attention on French-speaking candidates, Canadian Experience Class candidates, and provincial nominees.

Invitations Issued So Far in 2026

Across all Express Entry rounds in 2026, IRCC has issued 84,796 invitations to apply.

Canadian Experience Class candidates have received the largest share, with 41,250 invitations. French-language proficiency draws follow with 30,500 invitations.

Provincial Nominee Program candidates have received 5,405 invitations so far this year. Healthcare and social services candidates have received 4,000, while trades candidates have received 3,000.

IRCC has also issued 391 invitations to physicians with Canadian work experience and 250 invitations to senior managers with Canadian work experience.

What This Means for Candidates

The latest draw shows that Canadian Experience Class candidates remain central to Canada’s Express Entry strategy in 2026.

However, the CRS cut-off of 516 also shows that competition remains strong. Candidates with Canadian work experience may still need high scores to receive an invitation, especially in large program-specific draws.

Those waiting in the Express Entry pool should continue to monitor draw patterns, score requirements, and category priorities.