Canada’s immigration department has issued its first ever Express Entry invitations for skilled military recruits. In a single draw on July 23, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sent four invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates who met a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 368 and who had created an Express Entry profile before 8:11 p.m. UTC on June 2, 2026.
Key details of the Skilled Military Recruits draw
- Draw date: July 23, 2026
- Category: Skilled Military Recruits (first draw since the category’s introduction in February 2026)
- CRS cut‑off: 368
- ITAs issued: 4 (the lowest number of invitations ever issued in a single Express Entry draw)
- Eligibility deadline: Profile created before 8:11 p.m. UTC, 2 June 2026
Context within 2026 Express Entry activity
- Total draws: 42 Express Entry draws have been held so far in 2026.
- Total ITAs issued: 104,616 invitations across all draw types.
- Breakdown of ITAs by draw type
| Draw type | ITAs issued |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 45,250 |
| French‑Language proficiency | 40,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 6,450 |
| Healthcare and social services | 8,000 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 662 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 750 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |
- Number of draws by category
| Category | Number of draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program | 14 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 12 |
| French‑Language proficiency | 8 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 2 |
| Healthcare and social services | 2 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 2 |
| Trades | 1 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 1 |
Recent Express Entry draws (selected)
- July 22: French‑Language proficiency – CRS 399, 5,000 ITAs
- July 21: Canadian Experience Class – CRS 51, 6,000 ITAs
- July 20: Provincial Nominee Program – CRS 74, 4,511 ITAs
- July 10: Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience – CRS 39, 2,500 ITAs
These figures show that IRCC continues to prioritize candidates with Canadian work experience and provincial nominations, while also expanding to new categories such as skilled military personnel. Prospective applicants should ensure their profiles meet the specific CRS thresholds and deadline requirements for each draw category.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
