IRCC issued 2,000 ITAs on September 29, 2026 in a Canadian Experience Class draw at CRS 518, one point below September 15 and the 58th round of 2026.
On September 29, 2026, IRCC issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw at a CRS cutoff of 518. That is the third CEC round in a row to ease, and the third September round with exactly 2,000 invitations. If you are in the 510s and CEC-eligible, the target is getting a little closer, slowly.
IRCC invited 2,000 CEC candidates with a minimum score of 518. Profiles had to be created before the tie-breaking rule of February 13, 2026 at 8:48:08 p.m. UTC. This was Express Entry round #446, the 58th of 2026 and the 17th CEC round of the year. IRCC has now issued 131,715 ITAs across 2026, of which 55,250 went to CEC candidates.
The move is small: 1 point down from September 15 (519) and 3 points down from September 1 (521). Invitation volume did not change, so the drift comes from who is in the pool, not from draw size.
The tie-breaking date is the more interesting detail. On September 15 it was March 26, 2026. This time it reaches back only to February 13. That means many candidates were sitting at exactly 518 with older profiles, and IRCC filled its 2,000 spots before getting to anyone who entered the pool more recently. If you scored 518 with a profile created after mid-February, you were just outside.
Moving2Canada reports 21,070 candidates in the 501-600 range as of September 27, so competition just under the cutoff remains heavy.
| Date | ITAs issued | CRS cutoff |
|---|
| August 5, 2026 | 3,000 | 516 |
| August 18, 2026 | 1,000 | 523 |
| September 1, 2026 | 2,000 | 521 |
| September 15, 2026 | 2,000 | 519 |
| September 29, 2026 | 2,000 | 518 |
The 2026 CEC high was 523 on August 18. Since then the cutoff has stepped down each round, but it has stayed inside a narrow 516-523 band across all five draws above.
If you scored 518 or higher and are CEC-eligible: you should have an ITA, provided your profile date cleared the February 13 tie-break at exactly 518. Check your Express Entry account now.
If you are at 510-517: you are 1-8 points short. A CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) improvement on a language retest is usually the fastest fix. See our guide to improving your CRS score and the pool distribution breakdown.
If you are below 500 or not CEC-eligible: French-language and category-based draws, or a provincial nomination (which adds 600 points), are your realistic routes. Start with category-based draws explained, the PNP guide and the French-language advantage.
Tip
When the tie-breaking date is this far back, waiting for the cutoff to drop one more point is a weak plan. Ten extra CRS points from a language retest beats hoping for a 517.
You have 60 days, until around November 28, 2026, to submit a complete permanent residence application. CEC applicants do not need proof of funds, but you will need language test results, an ECA for any foreign education, police certificates from every country you have lived in for 6+ months since age 18, and an immigration medical exam. Start the police certificates first; they are usually the slowest.
IRCC does not publish a calendar, but CEC rounds have landed roughly every two weeks in September, so another CEC draw in mid-October is plausible. Treat that as a pattern, not a promise. A PNP round came the day before this one (September 28, 733 ITAs at CRS 725), and category-based draws have been mixed in between.
Where do you stand? CRS Calculator | All Express Entry Draws | How to Improve Your CRS Score | PNP Guide
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration advice. Always verify information with official IRCC sources and consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or licensed immigration lawyer for advice specific to your situation.