Express Entry: Canada Invites 1,000 CEC Candidates in Latest Draw

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has invited another 1,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates to apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry system.

The latest selection round, held on August 18, 2026, required candidates to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 523.

Candidates also needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 10:13 a.m. UTC on August 17, 2026 to be considered in the draw.

CEC Cut-Off Reaches 2026 High

The August 18 round was IRCC’s second Express Entry draw in two days.

On August 17, the department invited 442 Provincial Nominee Program candidates with a minimum CRS score of 760.

The latest CEC draw stands out because it issued the fewest invitations in a single Canadian Experience Class draw in 2026. At the same time, its CRS cut-off of 523 was the highest for a CEC draw this year, five points above the previous high.

IRCC’s last CEC selection took place on August 5, when 3,000 candidates received invitations with a CRS cut-off of 516.

On July 21, another 2,000 CEC candidates were invited at 516, while the July 7 draw issued 2,000 invitations with a score of 517.

Canada Continues to Target In-Country Candidates

Canada has placed significant emphasis this year on Express Entry candidates who are already established in the country, including people with Canadian work experience and provincial nominees.

The August 18 round marked IRCC’s 48th Express Entry draw of 2026.

Canadian Experience Class selections have now accounted for 14 draws this year, while the Provincial Nominee Program has been targeted in 16 rounds.

IRCC has also conducted nine French-language proficiency draws, two healthcare and social services draws, two draws for physicians with Canadian work experience and two for senior managers with Canadian work experience.

There has also been one draw each for trades, transport and skilled military recruits.

More Than 114,000 Invitations Issued

IRCC has issued 114,865 Invitations to Apply through Express Entry so far in 2026.

Canadian Experience Class candidates have received the largest share, with 49,250 invitations.

French-language proficiency draws account for another 45,500 ITAs, while healthcare and social services candidates have received 8,000.

Provincial nominees have received 7,399 invitations, followed by trades candidates with 3,000.

IRCC has also issued 750 invitations to senior managers with Canadian work experience, 662 to physicians with Canadian work experience, 300 through the transport category and four to skilled military recruits.

Recent category-based draws have included 5,000 French-language candidates on August 6 at a CRS score of 391 and 300 transport candidates on August 7 at a cut-off of 470.

The latest results show that Express Entry selection continues to vary significantly by program, category and CRS score.