Canada has lowered the passing score for Express Entry for candidates with work experience
The threshold has been lowered for the third consecutive selection round, and the profile's cutoff date has been pushed back to February.
On September 29, 2026, Canada held draw No. 446 in Express Entry under the Canadian Experience Class for candidates with work experience in Canada. A total of 2,000 people received invitations to apply for permanent residence, and the cut-off score was 518.
In the previous round of admissions for this category on September 15, the cutoff score was 519, with the same number of invitations. It’s a drop of just 1 point, but this is the third consecutive decrease: on August 18, the cutoff score was 523; on September 1, 521; on September 15, 519; and now 518.
The last time the cutoff score in this category was lowered was on August 5, 2026, when it stood at 516. The 2026 low remains unchanged: 507 points in the March 17 selection round.
The volume remains stable: this is the third consecutive draw of 2,000 invitations, held every two weeks. Since January 2026, there have been 17 Canadian Experience Class draws, and 55,250 candidates have received invitations.
When multiple candidates have the same score, the one who created their profile first receives an invitation. In this selection round, the cutoff date was February 13, 2026, whereas for the September 15 round, it was March 26. Candidates with 518 points who created their profiles after February 13 did not receive invitations.
Competition at the top of the pool is increasing. According to IRCC data as of September 27, 2026, there were 21,070 profiles in the 501–600 point range, compared to 20,784 as of September 13. There are a total of 229,904 candidates in the pool.
The selection took place the day after the selection for provincial nominees on September 28, during which 733 candidates received invitations based on a cutoff score of 725 points.
Calculate your score using the free score calculator and compare it to the cutoff score from recent selection rounds.
Invitees have 60 days to submit a complete set of documents.
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This category is intended for those who are currently working or have previously worked in Canada. Applicants must have at least one year of skilled work experience in the country within the past three years, as well as a language test score of at least CLB 7 for TEER 0 and 1 occupations or CLB 5 for TEER 2 and 3 occupations. Experience gained while studying does not count.
You should create your profile on Express Entry as soon as you meet the requirements. You can improve your score later by retaking the language exam or adding work experience, but the date you created your profile will be retained and may be a deciding factor in the event of a tie.
If you want to understand what steps will help you improve your score, schedule a consultation with a licensed immigration consultant.
All selection results are compiled on the selection history page Express Entry.
