New Express Entry Draw On 31 March Issued 2,250 PR Invitations

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has held a New Express Entry Draw on 31 March 2026, ending the month with another draw for candidates. In this draw Canada issued 2,250 Invitations to Apply to candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program. The CRS score for this draw was increased to 509, considering fewer invitations than before. It is another draw for candidates with Canadian work experience.

Highlights of New Express Entry Draw On 31 March

● Date of Draw – 31 March 2026
● Program – Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
● Invitations – 2,250
● CRS Score – 509

Why CRS Score Increased to 509

CRS score increased from 507 to 509 because the number of invitations decreased.

● The March 17 draw produced 4000 ITAs which had CRS score of 507.
● The March 31 draw produced 2250 ITAs which had CRS score of 509.

The CRS cut-off increased because the selection process only picked higher-ranked candidates after 1750 invitations were removed.

Recent CEC Express Entry Draws

This is an indication that larger draws reduce the CRS score, while smaller draws increase  competition and cut-offs.

What This Draw Means for Candidates

The recent draw, which took place on March 31, shows some notable features, including –

● Canada remains dedicated to supporting in-Canada candidates under the CEC.
● CRS scores vary depending on the number of candidates invited.
● Having a CRS score above 500 remains a viable option.
● Smaller draws mean higher CRS thresholds.

This proves that Canada Immigration 2026 remains dedicated to supporting candidates already contributing to Canada’s workforce.

What Happens After Receiving an ITA

If a candidate receives an Invitation to Apply, they should –

● Submit their Canada PR application within 60 days.
● Submit supporting documents, including work experience, education and language results.

Most applications will be processed within 4 – 6 months under Express Entry.