Express Entry Update — April 16, 2026
Thursday, April 16, 2026
On April 14, 2026, IRCC issued 2,000 ITAs to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates with a CRS cut-off of 515 — the highest CEC cut-off score in 2026 so far, up 6 points from the March 31 CEC draw (509).
On April 15, 2026, IRCC issued 4,000 ITAs in a French-Language Proficiency draw with a CRS cut-off of 419, reflecting Canada's continued strategy to attract Francophone candidates outside Quebec.
The Express Entry pool currently contains approximately 233,231 candidates, with the 501–600 score band being the most competitive (13,610 candidates), contributing to the rising CEC cut-off scores.
What You Should Do
- Check your current CRS score using the official CRS tool at canada.ca/express-entry and compare it to the April 14 CEC cut-off of 515 and the April 15 French-language cut-off of 419 to assess your competitiveness.
- If you have French-language proficiency, take the TEF Canada or TCF Canada test and submit your results to your Express Entry profile — French-language draws are offering cut-offs as low as 393–419, far below general CEC draws.
- Review all 2026 draw results in the official IRCC rounds of invitations table at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/rounds-invitations.html to identify which draw type best matches your profile.
Sources
Topics Covered
Category-Based Selection System: IRCC held four category-based draws in mid-April alone: CEC, PNP, French-Language Proficiency, and Trades — continuing the pattern of targeted draws across specialized streams rather than all-program draws.
CRS Cutoff Trends: The April 14 CEC draw hit a 2026 high of 515 CRS, up 6 points from the prior CEC draw on March 31 (509), driven by a highly competitive pool of 233,231 candidates. The April 15 French-language draw cut-off was 419.
More Express Entry Updates
Express Entry Update — June 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
Express Entry Update — June 1, 2026
Jun 1, 2026
Express Entry Update — May 30, 2026
May 30, 2026
Get immigration updates in your inbox
Weekly analysis. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.