Express Entry Update — May 7, 2026
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Three Express Entry draws were held April 27–29, 2026: a PNP draw (473 ITAs, CRS 795), a CEC draw (2,000 ITAs, CRS 514), and a French-language proficiency draw (4,000 ITAs, CRS 400).
PNP cutoff scores have fluctuated significantly in recent weeks: 742 on March 16, 802 on March 30, 786 on April 13, and 795 on April 27, reflecting ongoing volatility.
Analysts are predicting the next draw week may begin around May 11, but are also flagging indicators of a possible temporary pause or slowdown in IRCC draw activity in the coming weeks.
What You Should Do
- Check your current CRS score using the official Government of Canada CRS tool at canada.ca/express-entry to see how you compare against the latest cutoffs (CEC: 514, French: 400, PNP: 795).
- If you have a provincial nomination, confirm your Express Entry profile reflects it — a PNP nomination adds 600 CRS points, making the 795 cutoff achievable. Log in at canada.ca/express-entry to verify your profile details.
- Monitor IRCC's official Express Entry draw results page (canada.ca/express-entry-rounds) and sign up for draw prediction newsletters before the anticipated May 11 draw week, given the possibility of a temporary pause shortly after.
Sources
Topics Covered
Category-Based Selection System: April draws included French-language proficiency (4,000 ITAs at CRS 400) and a Trades draw on April 2 (3,000 ITAs at CRS 477), confirming category-based draws remain the dominant format in 2026.
CRS Cutoff Trends: PNP cutoffs ranged from 742 to 802 over six weeks; CEC cutoffs held between 507–515; French-language cutoffs ranged from 393–419 in the same period.
PNP Express Entry Draw Trends: Three PNP-specific draws were held in April 2026, issuing 473, 324, and 356 ITAs at cutoffs of 795, 786, and 802 respectively — all significantly higher than other draw types.
More Express Entry Updates
Express Entry Update — June 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
Express Entry Update — June 1, 2026
Jun 1, 2026
Express Entry Update — May 30, 2026
May 30, 2026
Get immigration updates in your inbox
Weekly analysis. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.