Everything About the Latest Express Entry Draw

Mar 19, 2026 / 2 min readIshita Soni

New Express Entry Draw Update

Recently, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited more candidates to apply for permanent residency.

In this Express Entry Draw, 4,000 invitations (ITAs) were given under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) category.

Who Was Eligible for This Draw?

To be selected, candidates needed:

  • Minimum CRS score: 507
  • Profile submission date: Before May 11, 2025 (6:57 PM UTC)

In other words, only those with high scores and earlier profiles got selected.

Overview of 2026 Express Entry Draws

So far in 2026, multiple types of draws have happened, such as:

  • CEC (Canadian Experience Class)
  • Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
  • French-language proficiency
  • Healthcare & specific job roles

Notably, each draw has different CRS scores and number of invitations.

Most Important Highlight

Interestingly, this was:

This shows that CEC draws are happening quite frequently.

Which Draw Type is Leading?

When we look at the trend:

  • CEC draws = 5 times
  • PNP draws = 6 times
  • Others = fewer draws

However, CEC has issued the highest number of invitations overall.

Total Invitations Issued in 2026

Till now, 49,604 ITAs have been issued.

Out of this:

  • CEC: 28,000 (highest)
  • French-language: 18,000
  • Healthcare: 4,000
  • PNP: 2,583
  • Others: smaller numbers

Clearly, CEC candidates are getting the most benefit.

What is the Main Trend in 2026?

Overall, IRCC is mainly focusing on:

  • Candidates already in Canada
  • People with Canadian work experience
  • Applicants with provincial nominations

Therefore, if you already have Canadian experience, your chances are higher.

Simple Conclusion

  • CEC draws are very active in 2026
  • High CRS scores are still important
  • Canada is prioritizing inland candidates

So, improving your CRS score and gaining Canadian experience can really help.

Get in touch with SPS Global

Receive advice on any of your questions regarding Immigration Get in touch with us, experienced immigration consultants from SPS Global. For additional information, contact support@spscanada.com (Canada) or support.amd@spscanada.com (Ahmedabad), or by phone at (1) 905-362-9393 (Canada) or +919586226232 (Ahmedabad).