IRCC has introduced an unprecedented change in selection dynamics with its latest New Express Entry Draw August 18, 2026 Issued 1,000 Invitations With 523 CRS Cutoff for domestic workers. The draw was conducted using only the Canadian Experience Class, and 1,000 PR invites were issued for Canadian permanent residence. Due to smaller draws, the cutoff score required to qualify for this draw increased by 7 points to 523\u2014the highest ever needed for a CEC draw in 2026.<\/p>\n
\u25cf Draw Date – August 18, 2026<\/p>\n
\u25cf Draw Category – Canadian Experience Class<\/p>\n
\u25cf Total Invitations Issued – 1,000<\/p>\n
\u25cf Minimum CRS Score Required – 523<\/p>\n
| Draw Date<\/th>\n | Invitations Issued (ITAs)<\/th>\n | Minimum CRS Score<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|
| August 18, 2026<\/td>\n | 1,000<\/td>\n | 523<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| August 5, 2026<\/td>\n | 3,000<\/td>\n | 516<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| July 21, 2026<\/td>\n | 2,000<\/td>\n | 516<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| July 7, 2026<\/td>\n | 2,000<\/td>\n | 517<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| June 23, 2026<\/td>\n | 4,000<\/td>\n | 516<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Over 14 draws conducted for CEC in 2026, IRCC has issued 49,250 PR invitations and sustained the Canadian Experience Class program as the main federal immigration pathway for converting temporary residents into permanent ones.<\/p>\n What Candidates in the Pool Need To Do Next<\/h3>\nIndividuals with 523 points or more, and who got selected in the latest New Express Entry Draw August 18, 2026 Issued 1,000 Invitations With 523 CRS Cutoff have 60 calendar days to submit their electronic applications for PR.<\/p>\n For individuals with scores from 500 to 522 who were not selected in the current round –<\/p>\n \u25cf Don\u2019t Freak Out About 523 Cut-off – Higher cut-off is mostly influenced by the number of invitations offered (1,000). Future rounds with 2,000 or 3,000 invitations will be able to restore the cut-off score at the level of 514-518 points.<\/p>\n \u25cf Focus On French Category Draws – Individuals with skills in the French language (NCLC 7+) have access to category-specific draws with much lower score requirements (391-420 points).<\/p>\n \u25cf Work On Getting Provincial Nominations – Getting a provincial nomination is still the best way of obtaining additional 600 points to one\u2019s profile.<\/p>\n\n |