Express Entry Update — May 28, 2026
Thursday, May 28, 2026
In May 2026, IRCC held two PNP-only draws (May 11: 380 ITAs at CRS 798; May 25: 334 ITAs at CRS 805), with no CEC, French-language, or category-based draws since April 28–29.
The May 25 PNP cutoff of 805 is the highest PNP score in 2026, and the 334 invitations issued is the lowest PNP count since February 16 (279 ITAs at CRS 789).
Analysts suggest IRCC may be slowing the draw schedule to approximately 2 draws per week, possibly due to fewer new provincial nominations entering the Express Entry pool.
What You Should Do
- Check your current CRS score using the official IRCC tool at canada.ca/express-entry to see how you compare against recent cutoffs (805 for PNP, 518 for CEC, 409 for French-language).
- If you hold a provincial nomination, confirm your 600-point CRS boost is reflected in your Express Entry profile by logging into your IRCC account at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry.html.
- If targeting CEC draws, monitor the IRCC Express Entry rounds table at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds.html — the last CEC draw was April 28 at CRS 514 with 2,000 ITAs.
- If you are a French-language candidate, note the last French draw was May 28 at CRS 409 with 4,500 ITAs — consider boosting your TEF/TCF scores to stay competitive at or above 409.
Sources
Topics Covered
CRS Cutoff Trends: PNP cutoff rose to 805 on May 25, the highest PNP score of 2026, while invitation volume dropped to 334 — suggesting fewer new provincial nominations entered the pool between draws.
PNP Express Entry Draw Trends: IRCC held two consecutive PNP-only draws in May 2026 with no CEC or category-based draws since late April, signalling a possible shift toward a slower, PNP-focused draw schedule.
Category-Based Selection System: No category-based draws have been issued since April 2 (Trades) and April 20 (Healthcare/French), with May draws focused exclusively on PNP candidates.
More Express Entry Updates
Express Entry Update — June 11, 2026
Jun 11, 2026
Express Entry Update — June 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
Express Entry Update — June 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
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