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Express Entry Draws & CRS Trends

SAAB Immigration Services Inc. | Immigration Experts for Canada   →  Visa   →  Immigrate to Canada Permanently   →  Express Entry Draws & CRS Trends

Latest Draw

Express Entry CRS Draws & Trends

Your go‑to hub for historical analysis, latest results, and data‑driven insights into Canada’s Express Entry draws.

Draw # 408 – April 02, 2026

Category: Trades Occupations, 2026-Version 3

CRS Cut‑off Score: 477

Invitations Issued: 3,000

Tie‑Breaker: February 14, 2026 at 20:53:54 UTC

Table of Contents

  1. What Is an Express Entry Draw?
  2. Recent Express Entry Trends
  3. Quarterly Express Entry Trends
  4. Modern Express Entry Trends
  5. Average CRS Cut-Off by Category
  6. Draw Timing and Frequency Trends
  7. Historical Overview (2015–Present)

What is an Express Entry Draw?

An Express Entry draw, also known as a round of invitation, is the official process through which Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) selects candidates from the Express Entry pool to apply for permanent residence (PR) in Canada.

These draws occur regularly—often every two weeks, though frequency and criteria can vary based on Canada’s immigration targets and labour market needs.

Each draw includes:

  • Draw Number and Date
    Every draw is uniquely numbered and recorded by date, providing a historical reference for candidates and consultants.

  • Type of Draw (General or Targeted)
    Draws may be:

    • General (All-program or No-Program Specified) – Includes candidates from all three core Express Entry programs:

    • Program-Specific – Targets a single Express Entry program. For example:

      • A CEC-only draw or FSTP-only draw

    • Category-Based Draws – Introduced in 2023, these prioritize candidates with specific attributes or occupations. Current categories include:

      • French-language proficiency

      • Healthcare occupations

      • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) occupations

      • Trade occupations

      • Education occupations

      • Transport occupations

      • Senior Managers with Canadian work experience

      • Researchers with Canadioan work experience

      • Skilled Military Recruits

      • Agriculture and agri-food occupations (2023 and 2024 only)

  • CRS Cut-Off Score
    Each draw sets a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score threshold. Candidates with scores equal to or above this threshold receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for PR.

  • Number of ITAs Issued
    IRCC specifies the number of candidates selected in each draw. This number can vary significantly based on program targets and backlog management.

  • Tie-Breaking Rule
    If multiple candidates have the exact same CRS score at the cut-off, IRCC applies a tie-breaker based on the date and time the candidate submitted their profile. This ensures fairness and a transparent selection order.

Latest Express Entry Data
Real-time insights based on the most recent invitation rounds.

Previous 10 Draws

Express Entry Trend Over Time - CRS Scores vs. ITAs

Compare CRS cut-offs and invitation volumes across recent Express Entry draws, including French-language, PNP, CEC, and other targeted categories.

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Recent Express Entry Draws (Latest 10 Draws)

Draw # Date CRS Cut-off Invitations Issued Category Days between Draws
408 02-Apr-26 477 3,000 Trade occupations 1
407 31-Mar-26 509 2,250 Canadian Experience Class 1
406 30-Mar-26 802 356 Provincial Nominee Program 12
405 18-Mar-26 393 4,000 French 1
404 17-Mar-26 507 4,000 Canadian Experience Class 1
403 16-Mar-26 742 362 Provincial Nominee Program 11
402 5-Mar-26 429 250 Sr. Managers with Canadian Work Experience 1
401 4-Mar-26 397 5,500 French 1
400 3-Mar-26 508 4,000 Canadian Experience Class 1
399 2-Mar-26 710 264 Provincial Nominee Program 10
Quarterly Analysis & Ongoing Updates
The sections below are part of our ongoing analysis of Express Entry trends — including draw patterns, CRS movement, and category-based selections.
Updated at the end of each quarter to reflect the latest data and evolving patterns.
Last Updated: March 31, 2026 (End of Q1 2026)

(2023 — Present)

Quarterly Express Entry Invitations YoY Comparison

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Quarter 2023 2024 2025 2026* Total
Q1 37,559 26,695 30,683 55,830 150,767
Q2 21,989 16,759 11,162 — 49,910
Q3 26,500 41,420 23,993 — 91,913
Q4 24,218 14,029 48,160 — 86,407
Total 110,266 98,903 113,998 55,830 378,997

*Last Update on March 31, 2026

(2023 — Present)

Quarterly Share (Percentage) of ITAs by Category

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Quarterly Distribution of Invitations by Category (2023–2026)

Period All-program CEC Education French Healthcare & Social Services Other targeted PNP STEM Trades Total
2023 —
Q1 71% 0% 0% 0% 0% 9% 21% 0% 0% 100%
Q2 95% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% 3% 0% 0% 100%
Q3 53% 0% 0% 32% 6% 2% 0% 2% 6% 100%
Q4 40% 0% 0% 5% 15% 4% 6% 24% 4% 100%
2024 —
Q1 41% 0% 0% 41% 13% 4% 0% 0% 0% 100%
Q2 20% 18% 0% 8% 0% 0% 27% 27% 0% 100%
Q3 0% 53% 0% 19% 9% 0% 15% 0% 4% 100%
Q4 0% 12% 0% 19% 21% 0% 35% 0% 13% 100%
2025 —
Q1 0% 30% 0% 60% 0% 0% 9% 0% 0% 100%
Q2 0% 58% 9% 0% 9% 0% 24% 0% 0% 100%
Q3 0% 21% 10% 29% 27% 0% 7% 0% 5% 100%
Q4 0% 31% 0% 47% 15% 0% 8% 0% 0% 100%
2026* —
Q1 0% 54% 0% 32% 7% 1% 5% 0% 0% 100%
Grand Total 23% 24% 1% 26% 9% 2% 10% 3% 2% 100%

*Last Update on March 31, 2026

(2022 — Present)

Quarterly Breakdown — Average Invitations per Draw

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Yearly Average Invitations per Draw (2022–2026)

Year Average Invitations per Draw
2022 1,939
2023 2,625
2024 1,902
2025 1,965
2026* 2,938
Cumulative Average 2,182

*Last Update on March 31, 2026

Quarterly Breakdown of Invitation Rounds (2023–Present)

Express Entry Draw Frequency by Category

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Period All-program CEC Education French Healthcare & Social Services Other targeted PNP STEM Trades Total Draws
2023 18 — — 7 3 4 6 2 2 42
Q1 4 — — — — 1 4 — — 9
Q2 5 — — — 1 — 1 — — 7
Q3 6 — — 5 1 1 — 1 1 15
Q4 3 — — 2 1 2 1 1 1 11
2024 9 10 — 11 3 2 14 1 2 52
Q1 7 — — 3 1 2 — — — 13
Q2 2 1 — 1 — — 2 1 — 7
Q3 — 5 — 4 1 — 6 — 1 17
Q4 — 4 — 3 1 — 6 — 1 15
2025 — 15 2 9 7 — 24 — 1 58
Q1 — 3 — 3 — — 5 — — 11
Q3 — 3 1 2 2 — 7 — 1 16
Q4 — 6 — 4 3 — 6 — — 19
2026* — 5 — 3 1 2 6 — — 16
Q1 — 6 — 3 1 2 7 — — 19
Cumulative Total 27 31 2 30 14 8 51 3 5 171

*Last Update on March 31, 2026

Next Section: Long-Term Express Entry Trends

(2020–Present)

Modern Express Entry Trends

Track how often each program or category has been targeted over time. Category-based draws began in 2023 and include STEM, Healthcare, Trades, French, Transport & Agri-Food.
Full list of 2025 updates and paused streams here.
Full list of 2026 updates here.

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Modern Express Entry Trends (2020–Present)
Shift from General Draws to Category-Based Selection

Year All-program CEC Education
(Introduced 2025)		 French FST Healthcare & Social Services Other targeted
(Expanded 2026)		 PNP STEM Trades Total Draws
2020 16 10 — — 1 — — 10 — — 37
2021 — 17 — — — — — 25 — — 42
2022 11 — — — — — 13 — — — 24
2023 18 — — 7 — 3 4 6 2 2 42
2024 9 10 — 11 — 3 2 14 1 2 52
2025 — 15 2 9 — 7 — 24 — 1 58
2026* — 6 — 3 — 1 2 7 — — 19
Grand Total 54 58 2 30 1 14 8 99 3 5 274

* Last Update on March 31, 2026

(2023–Present)

Average CRS Cut-Off by Category

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How CRS Thresholds Differ Across Draw Types

Year All-program CEC Education French Healthcare & Social Services Other targeted PNP STEM Trades
2023 503 — — 445 457 416 705 484 407
2024 536 524 — 413 443 434 725 491 435
2025 — 529 471 422 481 — 753 — 505
2026* — 509 — 397 467 299 750 — —

*Last Update on March 31, 2026

(2015 - Present)

Average Gap (Days) Between Express Entry Draws by Year

Insight: Draw frequency has accelerated significantly since 2020, with 2026 showing the fastest pace on record — averaging one draw every 5 days.

Year Average Days Between Draws
2015 15
2016 14
2017 12
2018 13
2019 14
2020 10
2021 9
2022 14
2023 9
2024 7
2025 6
2026* 5
Cumulative Average 10

*Last Update on March 31, 2026

(2015 - Present)

Draw Frequency by Month (Seasonality)

Total Draws and Monthly Draw Rate
Year Total Draws Draws per Month
2015 23 1.9
2016 27 2.3
2017 30 2.5
2018 28 2.3
2019 26 2.2
2020 37 3.1
2021 42 3.5
2022 24 2.0
2023 42 3.5
2024 52 4.3
2025 58 4.8
2026* 19 6.3

*Last Update on March 31, 2026

Historical Overview
Long-term Express Entry performance since launch.

Since Launch (2015 - Present)

Historical Overview of Express Entry Performance

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Highest CRS Cut-off: 902 in 2018 (No Program Specified)
Lowest CRS Cut-off: 75 in 2021 (CEC – Draw #176)
Most ITAs in a Single Draw: 27,332 in 2021 (CEC)
Least ITAs in a Single Draw: 125 in 2025 (PNP)

Year Average CRS Total Invitations # of Draws Max CRS Min CRS Avg Invitations/Draw
2015 538 31,063 23 886 450 1,351
2016 491 33,782 27 786 453 1,251
2017 443 86,023 30 775 199 2,867
2018 449 89,800 28 902 284 3,207
2019 451 85,300 26 475 332 3,281
2020 530 107,350 37 808 415 2,901
2021 595 114,431 42 813 75 2,725
2022 646 46,538 24 808 491 1,939
2023 505 110,266 42 791 354 2,625
2024 544 98,903 52 816 336 1,902
2025 597 113,998 58 855 379 1,965
2026* 556 55,830 19 802 169 2,938
Cumulative Summary 534 973,284 408 902 75 2,381

*Last Update on March 31, 2026

📊 Data Deep Dive:

  • 2017 saw the lowest average CRS (443), driven by a wave of large, all-program draws that opened the system up significantly.
  • 2022 recorded the highest average CRS (646), despite fewer draws — a clear reflection of tighter selection and paused program activity post-pandemic.
  • 2019 stood out for volume, with the most generous draws averaging 3,281 ITAs per round.
  • Draw activity surged again in 2024, but invitation sizes dropped as IRCC shifted toward more targeted, category-based selections.
  • 2025 marked the highest number of draws (58), showing a move toward frequency over size.
  • The most extreme outcomes occurred in 2021 — the lowest CRS ever (75) and the largest draw (27,332 ITAs), both tied to a one-time CEC draw during pandemic backlog clearance.
  • While total invitations peaked in 2021, the pattern since 2023 is clear: fewer broad draws, and more controlled, category-specific invitations.

You’ve Seen the Trends — Now Let’s Get You Invited.

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