Express Entry Draw 16: 4,000 CEC Invitations Issued at Lowest CRS Score in 18 Months

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada conducted its 16th Express Entry draw of 2026 on March 17, issuing 4,000 invitations to apply to Canadian Experience Class candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 507.

That score is the lowest CEC cut-off in 18 months, down from 508 in the previous CEC draw on March 3 and from 511 in January.

What the Falling Score Means

A declining CRS floor means more candidates are becoming competitive who were previously just below the threshold. Candidates in the 507 to 520 range, who may have been waiting for months, are now receiving invitations. The trend across 2026 CEC draws has been a gradual step-down from 511 in January to 507 today.

Where CEC Stands in 2026

CEC draws have issued the largest volume of invitations of any draw type this year by a wide margin. Of the 49,604 total ITAs issued so far in 2026, CEC accounts for 28,000. French-language draws come second at 14,000. Provincial Nominee Program draws, while more frequent, have issued only 2,583 ITAs combined.

Profile Deadline

To be considered in this draw, candidates needed a profile created before 6:57 p.m. UTC on May 11, 2025. Candidates who created profiles after that date were not eligible.

What Comes Next

IRCC has not signaled any change in draw frequency. CEC draws have been held roughly every two weeks in 2026. The next draw could arrive as early as the last week of March.