Express Entry Update — July 6, 2026
Monday, July 6, 2026
The most recent Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw on June 23, 2026 issued 4,000 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 516, continuing a trend of CEC scores hovering in the 507–518 range throughout 2026.
A new category-based draw for Healthcare and Social Services on June 25, 2026 issued 4,000 ITAs at a low cut-off of 475, and a specialized Physicians with Canadian Work Experience draw on June 24, 2026 issued 271 ITAs at a cut-off of just 223.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw cut-offs have ranged from 730 to 805 in 2026, with the June 22 draw reaching 955 ITAs at 730 — the lowest PNP cut-off seen in recent months.
What You Should Do
- Check your current CRS score by logging into your Express Entry profile at canada.ca/express-entry. If you score above 508, you are competitive for the next CEC draw based on recent cut-off trends.
- If you work in healthcare, social services, or are a physician, review your NOC code eligibility for category-based draws — the June 25 Healthcare draw cut at 475 and the Physicians draw cut at just 223. Confirm your occupation qualifies at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/submit-profile/rounds-invitations/category-based-selection.html.
- If you are a French-language proficiency candidate, note that four draws have been held in 2026 with cut-offs between 393 and 419 and up to 4,500 ITAs issued. Ensure your language test results (TEF Canada or TCF Canada) are uploaded to your Express Entry profile and are less than two years old.
- If you hold a provincial nomination, be aware PNP Express Entry draw cut-offs have been highly variable (730–805) in 2026. Monitor IRCC's draw announcements at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/ministerial-instructions/express-entry-rounds.html for the next PNP draw.
Sources
Topics Covered
CRS Cutoff Trends: CEC draw cut-offs in 2026 have stayed in a narrow band of 507–518, while the June 23 draw at 516 with 4,000 ITAs reflects sustained demand. French-language draws continue to clear at much lower scores (393–419).
PNP Express Entry Draw Trends: PNP draw cut-offs have ranged from 730 to 805 in 2026, with the June 22 draw issuing 955 ITAs at 730 — the highest ITA count and lowest cut-off for PNP draws this year.
Category-Based Selection System: A dedicated Physicians with Canadian Work Experience draw (June 24, 2026) cleared at just 223 CRS, and a Healthcare and Social Services draw (June 25, 2026) cleared at 475 — both well below typical CEC thresholds.
How these topics connect
Candidates should not evaluate their CRS competitiveness against a single benchmark — a score of 420 is uncompetitive for CEC draws but highly viable for French-language draws, and a score of 169 was sufficient for the Physicians category, illustrating how category-based selection has fundamentally fragmented what it means to be 'competitive' in Express Entry.
The rising PNP cutoff trend from 710 in March to 805 in late May 2026, combined with shrinking ITA volumes per draw, suggests the pool of Express Entry-linked nominees is thinning — which may indicate that the 91,500 PNP allocation is being absorbed primarily through direct provincial streams rather than the federal Express Entry pool.
The dramatic range in CRS cutoffs (169 for Physicians to 802 for PNP) is not random volatility but a structural outcome of the category-based system; candidates should assess their scores relative to their specific eligible category rather than the overall pool.
The wide variation in CRS cutoffs reflects Canada's strategic shift toward targeted selection, where occupation-specific needs drive dramatically different entry requirements.
More Express Entry Updates
Express Entry Update — August 31, 2026
Aug 31, 2026
Express Entry Update — August 27, 2026
Aug 27, 2026
Express Entry Update — August 24, 2026
Aug 24, 2026
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