Express Entry Update — July 2, 2026
Thursday, July 2, 2026
IRCC held 34 Express Entry draws between January 5 and June 25, 2026, issuing a total of 89,067 invitations to apply (ITAs) across 10 active categories.
CEC cut-off scores have ranged from 507 to 518 in 2026, hovering near two-year lows, while category-based draws (healthcare, trades, French-language, physicians) are using significantly lower cut-offs — as low as 169 for physicians.
The most recent draw (June 25, 2026) was a Healthcare and Social Services category draw issuing 4,000 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 475.
What You Should Do
- Check your current CRS score and Express Entry profile ranking at canada.ca/express-entry to see if your score is competitive under the 2026 CEC cut-off range of 507–518.
- If your NOC code falls under healthcare, trades, or a skilled occupation, verify whether you qualify for a category-based draw at ircc.canada.ca — category draws have used cut-offs as low as 223 (physicians) and 477 (trades) in 2026, well below general CEC thresholds.
- If you are a French-language proficient candidate, note that French-language draws have occurred roughly every 2–3 weeks in 2026 with cut-offs between 393 and 419 — confirm your language test results (TEF Canada or TCF Canada) are valid and uploaded to your Express Entry profile.
- Review the full 2026 draw history table (available at cicnews.com or amirismail.com/express-entry-draws-2026) to identify which draw type best matches your profile before the next anticipated draw in early July 2026.
Sources
Topics Covered
Category-Based Selection System: IRCC ran draws across 10 active categories in 2026, including healthcare, trades, French-language, and physicians, with cut-offs far below the general CEC threshold — as low as 169 for physicians.
CRS Cutoff Trends: CEC draw cut-offs in 2026 have ranged from 507 to 518, near two-year lows, while 34 draws have collectively issued 89,067 ITAs as of June 25, 2026.
How these topics connect
Candidates should not evaluate their CRS competitiveness against a single benchmark — a score of 420 is uncompetitive for CEC draws but highly viable for French-language draws, and a score of 169 was sufficient for the Physicians category, illustrating how category-based selection has fundamentally fragmented what it means to be 'competitive' in Express Entry.
The dramatic range in CRS cutoffs (169 for Physicians to 802 for PNP) is not random volatility but a structural outcome of the category-based system; candidates should assess their scores relative to their specific eligible category rather than the overall pool.
The wide variation in CRS cutoffs reflects Canada's strategic shift toward targeted selection, where occupation-specific needs drive dramatically different entry requirements.
More Express Entry Updates
Express Entry Update — July 23, 2026
Jul 23, 2026
Express Entry Update — July 20, 2026
Jul 20, 2026
Express Entry Update — July 16, 2026
Jul 16, 2026
Get immigration updates in your inbox
Weekly analysis. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.