Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) kicked off 2026 with a major Canadian Experience Class (CEC) round of invitations on 21 January. A total of 6,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) were issued to candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 509, the lowest CRS cut-off for CEC candidates since 2022. To be considered, profiles had to be lodged before 04:35 UTC on 29 October 2025.
The large draw confirms Ottawa’s continued focus on candidates who are already integrated into Canada’s labour market. Most CEC hopefuls are former international students or temporary foreign workers who have accumulated at least one year of Canadian skilled work experience. By prioritising this group, IRCC can convert temporary residents into permanent residents more quickly, easing pressure on processing inventories and supporting employers facing skills shortages.
For businesses, the message is clear: retaining existing foreign talent is still the surest pathway to long-term work authorisation. Mobility managers should review internal pipelines to ensure eligible employees activate Express Entry profiles promptly and keep documentation (language tests, Educational Credential Assessments) valid. The 509 CRS threshold also offers a realistic benchmark for employees who have not yet entered the pool.
![Canada invites 6,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates in first Express Entry draw of 2026]()
For additional guidance and document support, companies can lean on VisaHQ, which provides end-to-end assistance for Canadian visa and immigration filings—including Express Entry profile creation and document procurement. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) allows HR teams and individual applicants to track requirements, renew passports, and manage courier deliveries from a single dashboard, reducing administrative friction and minimising costly delays.
From a policy standpoint, the draw aligns with the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which targets 380,000 economic-class arrivals this year while slightly reducing overall permanent-resident admissions. Analysts expect IRCC to alternate between CEC-only and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws in the first quarter before re-introducing category-based selections later in the year.
Practical tip: encourage CEC-eligible staff to submit complete permanent-residence applications within the 60-day ITA validity window. Delays could push filings into a future quota year, where competition and CRS thresholds may fluctuate.
The large draw confirms Ottawa’s continued focus on candidates who are already integrated into Canada’s labour market. Most CEC hopefuls are former international students or temporary foreign workers who have accumulated at least one year of Canadian skilled work experience. By prioritising this group, IRCC can convert temporary residents into permanent residents more quickly, easing pressure on processing inventories and supporting employers facing skills shortages.
For businesses, the message is clear: retaining existing foreign talent is still the surest pathway to long-term work authorisation. Mobility managers should review internal pipelines to ensure eligible employees activate Express Entry profiles promptly and keep documentation (language tests, Educational Credential Assessments) valid. The 509 CRS threshold also offers a realistic benchmark for employees who have not yet entered the pool.
For additional guidance and document support, companies can lean on VisaHQ, which provides end-to-end assistance for Canadian visa and immigration filings—including Express Entry profile creation and document procurement. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) allows HR teams and individual applicants to track requirements, renew passports, and manage courier deliveries from a single dashboard, reducing administrative friction and minimising costly delays.
From a policy standpoint, the draw aligns with the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which targets 380,000 economic-class arrivals this year while slightly reducing overall permanent-resident admissions. Analysts expect IRCC to alternate between CEC-only and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws in the first quarter before re-introducing category-based selections later in the year.
Practical tip: encourage CEC-eligible staff to submit complete permanent-residence applications within the 60-day ITA validity window. Delays could push filings into a future quota year, where competition and CRS thresholds may fluctuate.
