Updated July 2026. IRCC’s Express Entry Draw #400, held March 3, 2026, issued 4,000 invitations to Canadian Experience Class candidates at a CRS cutoff of 508 — hovering near a two-year low for the category, and continuing a steady downward trend through the start of 2026.
Draw Details
- Date: March 3, 2026
- Program: Canadian Experience Class
- Invitations issued: 4,000
- CRS cutoff: 508
- Tie-break rule: June 24, 2025 at 10:35 a.m. UTC
This was the twelfth Express Entry selection round of 2026 and the fourth dedicated specifically to CEC.
The Trend Through Early 2026
CEC cutoffs had been dropping steadily since the year began: 511 in the first CEC draw of January, down to 509 later that month, then 508 in February and again in March. Larger CEC-specific draw sizes throughout the year have consistently pulled cutoffs down as IRCC works through higher-scoring candidates already in the pool.
Why This Matters If You Have Canadian Work Experience
A sustained lower CEC cutoff is good news specifically for candidates with Canadian work experience — it means a CRS score that would have fallen short a year or two earlier can now clear the bar. This trend reflects IRCC’s broader 2025-2026 pattern of prioritizing candidates already established in Canada over general, all-program invitations.
Source: IRCC, Express Entry: Rounds of invitations.
Not sure how your CRS score compares to the current CEC cutoff? Get a personalized report matched to your profile. Get My Personalized Report →
