Canada has issued 8,000 invitations for permanent residence in its second Express Entry draw of 2026, targeting candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), immigration officials announced this week.
The draw, held on Jan. 7, invited candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 511. It marks one of the largest CEC-specific rounds in several years and signals a continued focus on transitioning temporary residents already working in Canada to permanent status, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The CEC draw followed the first Express Entry round of the year, a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw conducted on Jan. 5, which issued 574 invitations with a minimum CRS score of 711.
Express Entry activity in 2026
So far this year, Canada has conducted two Express Entry draws:
- One Provincial Nominee Program draw
- One Canadian Experience Class draw
The Jan. 7 round was the 390th Express Entry draw overall.
Candidates who received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) now have 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence.
Tie-breaking rule applied
A tie-breaking rule was used in the latest draw. Candidates with the minimum CRS score of 511 were only invited if they had submitted their Express Entry profiles on or before June 10, 2025, at 3:59:25 p.m. UTC.
Context from previous years
In 2025, Canada conducted 50 Express Entry draws across multiple categories, including provincial nominees, Canadian Experience Class candidates, French-language proficiency, education, healthcare, social services and skilled trades. Nearly 114,000 invitations were issued that year, just short of the all-time annual record set in 2021.
The latest draw reinforces the federal government’s strategy of prioritizing applicants with Canadian work experience as part of its broader immigration planning objectives.
Immigration officials have not yet indicated when the next Express Entry draw will take place or which category it will target.