Canada — Canada has invited 1,000 skilled workers to apply for permanent residence through its Express Entry immigration system under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
The invitation round was held on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, according to ministerial instructions published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 523 to receive an invitation in the latest draw.
The draw was conducted at 10:13:44 UTC on August 18, with a tie-breaking rule set at 10:09 p.m. UTC on August 17, 2026. Under the rule, when multiple candidates have the same lowest CRS score, invitations are determined by the date and time their Express Entry profiles were submitted.
IRCC said invitations were issued to candidates who ranked among the first 1,000 eligible foreign nationals in the pool.
The ministerial instructions, signed by Canada’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Lena Metlege Diab, stated that invitations could be issued between August 18 and August 19.
CEC Targets Workers With Canadian Experience
The Canadian Experience Class is one of three federal economic immigration programs managed through Express Entry. The system also includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Express Entry ranks eligible candidates using the CRS, which considers factors such as age, education, language proficiency, work experience and other human-capital characteristics. Top-ranked candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence during periodic draws.
The CEC is specifically designed for skilled workers who have already gained qualifying work experience in Canada.
Generally, applicants must have at least one year, or 1,560 hours, of skilled Canadian work experience within the previous three years in occupations classified under National Occupational Classification TEER categories 0, 1, 2 or 3.
Applicants must also meet minimum language requirements, with Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 generally required for TEER 0 and 1 occupations and CLB 5 for TEER 2 and 3 occupations.
Unlike some other economic immigration pathways, the CEC has no formal education requirement, and applicants are generally not required to demonstrate settlement funds. Applicants must also plan to live outside Quebec.
Higher CRS Score in Latest Draw
The August 18 invitation round followed several CEC-focused Express Entry draws held in 2026.
On August 5, Canada issued 3,000 CEC invitations, with a CRS cut-off score of 516.
The latest draw therefore featured fewer invitations and a higher CRS threshold, making it more selective than the August 5 draw.
Canada’s Express Entry system continues to serve as a major pathway for skilled foreign workers seeking permanent residence, with invitations issued periodically based on the government’s immigration priorities and candidates’ rankings in the pool.
