The latest Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data show a modest decline in the Express Entry pool and a shift in the distribution of candidates across Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score bands between 16 August and 30 August 2026.
Pool size and score‑band changes (16 Aug vs 30 Aug)
| CRS score range | 30 Aug | 16 Aug | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–300 | 7,735 | 7,709 | +26 |
| 301–350 | 17,495 | 17,269 | +226 |
| 351–400 | 46,824 | 48,600 | –1,776 |
| 401–410 | 10,723 | 10,688 | +35 |
| 411–420 | 11,183 | 11,269 | –86 |
| 421–430 | 11,811 | 11,890 | –79 |
| 431–440 | 13,233 | 13,229 | +4 |
| 441–450 | 13,463 | 13,555 | –92 |
| 451–460 | 14,800 | 14,814 | –14 |
| 461–470 | 16,099 | 16,133 | –34 |
| 471–480 | 16,981 | 16,626 | +355 |
| 481–490 | 13,273 | 13,066 | +207 |
| 491–500 | 12,952 | 12,915 | +37 |
| 501–600 | 19,542 | 18,657 | +885 |
| 601–1,200 | 559 | 439 | +120 |
| Total | 226,673 | 226,859 | –186 |
The pool fell by only 186 profiles overall, despite a sharp drop of 1,776 profiles in the 351‑400 band.
Share of candidates and percentile ranges (as of 30 Aug)
| CRS range | Candidates | Cumulative | Percentile range | % of pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–300 | 7,735 | 7,735 | 0.00 % – 3.41 % | 3.41 % |
| 301–350 | 17,495 | 25,230 | 3.41 % – 11.13 % | 7.72 % |
| 351–400 | 46,824 | 72,054 | 11.13 % – 31.79 % | 20.66 % |
| 401–410 | 10,723 | 82,777 | 31.79 % – 36.52 % | 4.73 % |
| 411–420 | 11,183 | 93,960 | 36.52 % – 41.45 % | 4.93 % |
| 421–430 | 11,811 | 105,771 | 41.45 % – 46.66 % | 5.21 % |
| 431–440 | 13,233 | 119,004 | 46.66 % – 52.50 % | 5.84 % |
| 441–450 | 13,463 | 132,467 | 52.50 % – 58.44 % | 5.94 % |
| 451–460 | 14,800 | 147,267 | 58.44 % – 64.97 % | 6.53 % |
| 461–470 | 16,099 | 163,366 | 64.97 % – 72.07 % | 7.10 % |
| 471–480 | 16,981 | 180,347 | 72.07 % – 79.56 % | 7.49 % |
| 481–490 | 13,273 | 193,620 | 79.56 % – 85.42 % | 5.86 % |
| 491–500 | 12,952 | 206,572 | 85.42 % – 91.13 % | 5.71 % |
| 501–600 | 19,542 | 226,114 | 91.13 % – 99.75 % | 8.62 % |
| 601–1,200 | 559 | 226,673 | 99.75 % – 100 % | 0.25 % |
The percentile ranges indicate the proportion of candidates whose scores fall at or below the upper limit of each band.
Draws not reflected in the 30 August snapshot
Two draws held after the snapshot removed additional candidates:
| Date | Round type | ITAs issued | Lowest CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Aug | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 562 | 697 |
| 1 Sep | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 2,000 | 521 |
Including these draws, IRCC has issued 117,427 Express Entry invitations in 2026, with 43.6 % going to CEC candidates.
Changes between 16 Aug and 30 Aug
During the two‑week interval IRCC conducted three draws, issuing a total of 6,442 invitations:
| Date | Round type | ITAs | Lowest CRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Aug | Provincial Nominee Program | 442 | 760 |
| 18 Aug | Canadian Experience Class | 1,000 | 523 |
| 19 Aug | French‑language proficiency | 5,000 | 382 |
The 18 August CEC draw recorded the highest cutoff (523) for that program in 2026.
How Express Entry works
- Eligibility – Candidates must qualify for at least one of three federal economic programs (Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, or Canadian Experience Class) to enter the pool.
- CRS scoring – Points are awarded for age, education, language ability, work experience, and other factors.
- Invitation rounds – IRCC periodically runs draws, selecting candidates based on CRS score or category‑based criteria (e.g., French proficiency, specific occupations). Category‑based draws often have lower cutoffs than general draws.
- Processing times – After receiving an invitation, candidates have 60 days to submit a complete permanent‑residence application. Typical processing is about six months for standard Express Entry applications; Base Provincial Nominee applications have taken 12–20 months recently.
- Outcome – Successful applicants receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and can complete the landing process to become permanent residents of Canada.
These figures illustrate that, as of late August 2026, the majority of candidates remain in the lower‑mid CRS range, while the high‑scoring 501‑600 band continues to grow, increasing competition for the limited number of invitations issued each draw.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
