Canada has opened new doors for skilled workers.
In its latest Express Entry draw, the government invited 6,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program.
The announcement was made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on February 17, 2026.
This was Express Entry draw number 396 — and it came with a competitive cut-off score.
6,000 Invitations Issued: What You Need to Know
In this round, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 508 to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
The draw took place on February 17, 2026, at 11:33:44 UTC. If multiple candidates had the same CRS score, a tie-breaking rule was applied based on profile submission date — March 16, 2025.
This means only the top 6,000 ranked profiles in the pool were invited.
Just a day earlier, on February 16, 2026, IRCC conducted another draw under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
That round issued 279 invitations, with a much higher CRS cut-off score of 789.
Earlier in January 2026, two more CEC draws were held:
January 7: 8,000 invitations, CRS cut-off 511
January 21: 6,000 invitations, CRS cut-off 509
The recent trend shows that CRS scores for CEC draws are hovering around the 508–511 range.
What Is the Canadian Experience Class?
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is designed for skilled workers who already have work experience in Canada and want to become permanent residents.
To qualify, you must:
Have at least one year of paid skilled work experience in Canada within the last three years
Have gained this experience legally while working as a temporary resident
Meet required language proficiency standards
Unpaid internships or volunteer work do not count. Work experience gained without proper authorization also makes you ineligible.
How Express Entry Works
The CEC is one of three programs managed under Canada’s Express Entry system.
The other two are the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Here’s how it works:
Candidates create an online profile.
If eligible, they enter the Express Entry pool.
Each profile receives a CRS score based on age, education, work experience, language ability, and other factors.
Every two weeks, IRCC invites the highest-ranking candidates to apply for permanent residence.
However, submitting a profile does not guarantee an invitation. Only top-ranked candidates receive ITAs.
Why This Matters
With 6,000 invitations issued in a single draw, Canada continues to show strong demand for skilled workers with local experience.
For professionals already working in Canada, the Canadian Experience Class remains one of the fastest and most direct pathways to permanent residency.
As CRS scores remain competitive, candidates in the pool should focus on improving language scores, gaining additional work experience, or exploring provincial nominations to boost their ranking.
Canada’s immigration momentum in 2026 suggests more opportunities may be on the horizon.
