Canada Opens July With a 2,000-Invitation Canadian Experience Class Draw
IRCC issued 2,000 ITAs to Canadian Experience Class candidates on July 7 at a CRS cut-off of 517 — the year's 36th Express Entry round. Here's the full 2026 picture.
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Key Takeaways
- IRCC opened July with a Canadian Experience Class round, issuing 2,000 invitations to apply on July 7.
- Candidates needed a CRS score of at least 517 and a profile created before 5:49 p.m. UTC on December 29, 2025.
- Through 36 rounds in 2026, IRCC has issued 91,601 invitations, with the pattern still tilted toward candidates already in Canada.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) began the month with another set of invitations to apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system. The July 7 round targeted the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and handed out 2,000 invitations.
Who made the cut
To be in contention for this draw, a candidate had to clear two thresholds: a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 517, and an Express Entry profile submitted before 5:49 p.m. Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on December 29, 2025. The cut-off of 517 places this round in the mid-to-upper range of the CEC draws seen this year.
The 2026 draw record
The table below tracks every Express Entry round held in 2026 to date, with cut-off scores and volumes.
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off | ITAs issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 517 | 2,000 |
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 4,000 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 223 | 271 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 4,000 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 28 | French-Language proficiency | 409 | 4,500 |
| May 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 3,000 |
| May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 805 | 334 |
| May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 798 | 380 |
| April 29 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 4,000 |
| April 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 514 | 2,000 |
| April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 795 | 473 |
| April 15 | French-Language proficiency | 419 | 4,000 |
| April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 515 | 2,000 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 786 | 324 |
| April 2 | Trades | 477 | 3,000 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 2,250 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 18 | French-Language proficiency | 393 | 4,000 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 507 | 4,000 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 5 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 429 | 250 |
| March 4 | French-Language proficiency | 397 | 5,500 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 4,000 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 20 | Healthcare and social services | 467 | 4,000 |
| February 19 | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 169 | 391 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 6,000 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 6 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 8,500 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 6,000 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
How the year has broken down by category
As of this writing, IRCC has run 36 Express Entry rounds in 2026. The year's draws have leaned heavily toward candidates already established in Canada — those with Canadian work experience or a provincial nomination. The distribution by draw type:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program | 13 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 11 |
| French-Language proficiency | 6 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 2 |
| Healthcare and social services | 2 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 1 |
| Trades | 1 |
Total invitations issued in 2026
Across all categories, IRCC has issued 91,601 ITAs this year, distributed as follows:
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 43,250 |
| French-Language proficiency | 30,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 5,939 |
| Healthcare and social services | 8,000 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 662 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 250 |
What This Means for Applicants: With the Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program together accounting for 24 of the 36 rounds this year, the message for candidates is consistent — Canadian work experience and provincial nominations remain the surest routes through Express Entry in 2026. A CRS score in the low-to-mid 500s, as the July 7 cut-off of 517 shows, is competitive for CEC, while candidates without Canadian ties may find category-based rounds such as French-language proficiency the more realistic target.
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