Canada has issued permanent residency invitations to 1,000 candidates through its Express Entry system under the Canadian Experience Class category.
According to updated ministerial directives from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the selection draw was conducted on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
To qualify for an invitation during this round, applicants were required to meet a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) threshold of 523 points.
The department specified that invitations were issued to individuals who ranked within the top 1,000 eligible candidates in the pool.
The draw concluded on August 18 at 10:13:44 UTC, utilizing a tie-breaking rule timestamp of August 17, 2026, at 22:09:00 UTC.
The tie-breaking rule means that “If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.”
Invitations were issued under the Canadian Experience Class, one of the primary streams managed within Canada’s Express Entry system.
Under ministerial directives signed in Ottawa on August 18 by Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Lena Metlege Diab, the selection period was set for August 18 to August 19, 2026.
Express Entry serves as Canada’s primary online management framework for processing permanent residency applications submitted by skilled workers.
The system oversees three key federal economic immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
The Comprehensive Ranking System assigns points for variables including age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and other human capital traits to score candidate profiles.
Periodically, top-ranking candidates are selected and invited to submit an application for permanent residence.
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What it requires
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is designed for skilled workers with Canadian work experience who want to become permanent residents.
Applicants typically need at least one year (1,560 hours) of skilled work experience in Canada within the past three years in occupations classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3.
They must also meet the required language levels:
CLB 7 for TEER 0 or 1 occupations
CLB 5 for TEER 2 or 3 occupations
The programme does not require a specific education credential or proof of settlement funds. Applicants must also plan to live outside Quebec.
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