Between July 5 and July 19, 2026, the Express Entry pool shrank by 3,594 profiles, and the composition of each Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score band changed noticeably.
Changes in pool size and score distribution
| CRS score range | July 5 | July 19 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–300 | 7,873 | 7,836 | –37 |
| 301–350 | 17,513 | 17,490 | –23 |
| 351–400 | 51,096 | 51,107 | +11 |
| 401–410 | 12,144 | 12,339 | +195 |
| 411–420 | 12,383 | 12,460 | +77 |
| 421–430 | 12,870 | 11,961 | –909 |
| 431–440 | 14,127 | 13,437 | –690 |
| 441–450 | 14,294 | 13,680 | –614 |
| 451–460 | 15,378 | 14,879 | –499 |
| 461–470 | 16,499 | 16,086 | –413 |
| 471–480 | 16,198 | 16,119 | –79 |
| 481–490 | 12,555 | 12,615 | +60 |
| 491–500 | 13,061 | 12,880 | –181 |
| 501–600 | 18,611 | 18,133 | –478 |
| 601–1,200 | 525 | 511 | –14 |
| Total | 235,127 | 231,533 | –3,594 |
A graph of the two distributions is available in the original source.
Percentile position of each score band (July 19 data)
| CRS score range | Candidates | Cumulative count | Percentile range | Share of pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–300 | 7,836 | 7,836 | 0.00 %–3.38 % | 3.38 % |
| 301–350 | 17,490 | 25,326 | 3.38 %–10.94 % | 7.55 % |
| 351–400 | 51,107 | 76,433 | 10.94 %–33.01 % | 22.07 % |
| 401–410 | 12,339 | 88,772 | 33.01 %–38.34 % | 5.33 % |
| 411–420 | 12,460 | 101,232 | 38.34 %–43.72 % | 5.38 % |
| 421–430 | 11,961 | 113,193 | 43.72 %–48.89 % | 5.17 % |
| 431–440 | 13,437 | 126,630 | 48.89 %–54.69 % | 5.80 % |
| 441–450 | 13,680 | 140,310 | 54.69 %–60.60 % | 5.91 % |
| 451–460 | 14,879 | 155,189 | 60.60 %–67.03 % | 6.43 % |
| 461–470 | 16,086 | 171,275 | 67.03 %–73.97 % | 6.95 % |
| 471–480 | 16,119 | 187,394 | 73.97 %–80.94 % | 6.96 % |
| 481–490 | 12,615 | 200,009 | 80.94 %–86.38 % | 5.45 % |
| 491–500 | 12,880 | 212,889 | 86.38 %–91.95 % | 5.56 % |
| 501–600 | 18,133 | 231,022 | 91.95 %–99.78 % | 7.83 % |
| 601–1,200 | 511 | 231,533 | 99.78 %–100.00 % | 0.22 % |
The percentile ranges indicate the proportion of candidates whose CRS scores are at or below the upper limit of each band.
Invitation rounds affecting the pool
Draws between July 5 and July 19 (total 8,034 invitations)
| Date | Round type | Invitations issued | Lowest CRS score invited |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 534 | 708 |
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 2,000 | 517 |
| July 9 | French‑language proficiency | 5,000 | 420 |
| July 10 | Senior managers with Canadian work experience | 500 | 392 |
Draws on July 20–21 (not reflected in the July 19 distribution)
| Date | Round type | Invitations issued | Lowest CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 511 | 744 |
| July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 516 |
Context for prospective applicants
- Express Entry remains the primary system for economic immigration candidates seeking permanent residence outside Quebec.
- Candidates must meet eligibility for at least one of the programs (e.g., Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Trades, or a Provincial Nominee Program) and receive a CRS score based on age, education, language ability, and work experience.
- IRCC conducts regular invitation rounds, sometimes targeting specific categories (e.g., French‑language proficiency, healthcare occupations) that may have lower cut‑off scores than general draws.
- In 2026, CEC draws have produced cut‑offs between 507 and 518, while healthcare and social‑services draws have been in the 462–476 range.
- Selected candidates have 60 days to submit a permanent‑residence application; processing times for Express Entry applications have averaged about six months, compared with 12–20 months for base Provincial Nominee Program applications.
These data illustrate a modest contraction of the Express Entry pool and a shift toward fewer high‑scoring profiles, which may affect the competitiveness of future draws.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
