Canada has invited 250 senior managers with Canadian work experience to apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry system in the latest selection round reported on September 16, 2026.
The reported draw had a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 389 and targeted candidates eligible under the Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category.
Canada’s official Express Entry system uses category-based selection to identify candidates who meet specific economic priorities. Candidates in a category-based draw must first qualify for one of the immigration programs managed through Express Entry and then meet the requirements of the particular category.
Canada Express Entry Draw on September 16, 2026
The latest selection targeted senior managers who have qualifying Canadian work experience.
According to the reported results, the draw issued:
| Express Entry Draw | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | September 16, 2026 |
| Category | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience |
| Invitations issued | 250 |
| CRS cut-off | 389 |
| Tie-breaking date | September 1, 2026 |
| Tie-breaking time | 11:05 p.m. UTC |
IRCC explains that in category-based rounds, candidates who meet the category requirements are ranked according to their CRS scores, and the highest-ranking eligible candidates are invited to apply for permanent residence.
Who Can Qualify for Canada’s Senior Manager Express Entry Category?
The Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category is one of Canada’s current Express Entry category-based selection categories.
According to IRCC, candidates must:
- Be eligible for one of the three Express Entry programs;
- Have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time work experience, during the previous three years;
- Have obtained that experience in Canada;
- Have the required experience in one of the occupations listed for the senior-manager category; and
- Meet all other requirements specified in the instructions for the relevant invitation round.
The 12 months of experience do not have to be continuous.
Eligible Senior Manager Occupations
IRCC currently lists four occupations under the Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category:
| NOC 2021 | Occupation | TEER |
|---|---|---|
| 00012 | Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services | 0 |
| 00013 | Senior managers – health, education, social and community services and membership organizations | 0 |
| 00014 | Senior managers – trade, broadcasting and other services | 0 |
| 00015 | Senior managers – construction, transportation, production and utilities | 0 |
These occupations are specifically identified by IRCC for the senior-manager category.
Is Senior Management Experience Alone Enough?
No.
Having a senior management position does not automatically make someone eligible for an Express Entry invitation.
Candidates must first meet the requirements of an eligible Express Entry program. IRCC states that candidates participating in category-based selection must meet the minimum criteria for Express Entry and satisfy the requirements of the relevant category.
The three Express Entry programs are:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
After creating an Express Entry profile, eligible candidates enter the pool and receive a CRS score. IRCC then identifies candidates who meet the requirements of a particular category and ranks them according to their CRS score.
What Does a CRS Score of 389 Mean?
The reported CRS cut-off for the September 16, 2026 senior-manager draw was 389.
The CRS is the points-based system IRCC uses to rank candidates in the Express Entry pool. IRCC’s official rounds-of-invitations page records the number of invitations issued and the CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited in each round.
A CRS cut-off from one draw does not guarantee the same cut-off in a future draw.
The cut-off can change depending on factors such as:
- The number of invitations issued;
- The number and CRS scores of candidates in the pool;
- The category selected by IRCC; and
- The type of Express Entry draw conducted.
Therefore, candidates should not treat 389 as a permanent minimum score for future senior-manager draws.
What Happens After Receiving an Express Entry ITA?
An Invitation to Apply (ITA) is an invitation to submit an application for permanent residence. It is not itself a permanent residence approval.
IRCC says that candidates who receive an ITA have 60 days to submit their application for permanent residence.
Applicants must provide the documents required for their particular application, which can include:
- Passport and identity documents;
- Language test results;
- Education documents;
- Employment and work-experience documents;
- Police certificates;
- Medical examination information; and
- Other documents required by IRCC.
IRCC assesses the application based on program eligibility, the accuracy of information provided in the Express Entry profile, category eligibility and admissibility to Canada.
Can an Express Entry Candidate Get a Bridging Open Work Permit?
Some Express Entry applicants in Canada may be eligible for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).
However, receiving an Express Entry ITA does not by itself make someone eligible for a BOWP.
IRCC specifically states that an Express Entry BOWP applicant must have:
- Applied for permanent residence through an eligible Express Entry program;
- A complete permanent residence application that has passed the completeness check;
- An Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) for the permanent residence application;
- The required status or work-permit circumstances in Canada; and
- Other applicable eligibility requirements.
IRCC also makes an important distinction between an Express Entry profile and a permanent residence application:
Submitting a profile to the Express Entry pool is not the same as applying for permanent residence.
Therefore, a candidate who has only created an Express Entry profile or received an ITA should not assume that they can immediately apply for a BOWP.
What If Your Work Permit Expires?
Eligible applicants may be able to maintain their status as workers while their application is being processed, depending on when and how they applied and whether they meet the requirements.
IRCC states that BOWP applicants can have an expired work permit if they have maintained their status as a worker, or may qualify to restore their status in certain circumstances.
There is also an important travel consideration.
IRCC states that applicants can leave Canada while their BOWP application is being processed, but if they leave Canada after their work permit has expired, they cannot work until the new work permit application is approved.
Applicants should therefore carefully review their individual work-permit situation before travelling or allowing their status to expire.
Why the Senior Manager Category Matters
Senior managers with Canadian work experience now have a specific category through which they may be selected under Express Entry.
IRCC’s category-based selection system is designed to support identified economic objectives. The department says categories are selected using labour-market information and projections, along with input from provinces, territories and other stakeholders.
The senior-manager category is specifically focused on candidates with qualifying Canadian work experience in four NOC 2021 occupations.
Key Facts About Canada’s Senior Manager Express Entry Category
Here are the most important points for candidates:
- The category is called Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience.
- Candidates must be eligible for an Express Entry program.
- Candidates need at least 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience during the previous three years.
- The experience can be full-time or an equivalent amount of part-time work.
- The experience does not have to be continuous.
- The work experience must be in one of the four occupations listed by IRCC.
- The eligible occupations are NOC 00012, 00013, 00014 and 00015.
- All four occupations are classified as TEER 0.
- Candidates are ranked according to their CRS score in category-based draws.
- Receiving an ITA does not automatically guarantee permanent residence.
- An ITA alone does not make someone eligible for a Bridging Open Work Permit.
- For an Express Entry BOWP, IRCC requires a submitted permanent residence application that has passed the completeness check and an Acknowledgement of Receipt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the CRS cut-off for the September 16, 2026 senior-manager draw?
The reported CRS cut-off was 389, with 250 invitations issued.
How many senior managers received invitations?
The September 16 draw reported 250 invitations to apply for permanent residence.
How much Canadian work experience is required for the senior-manager category?
IRCC currently requires at least 12 months of full-time Canadian work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience, accumulated during the previous three years in one eligible occupation. The experience does not need to be continuous.
Which NOC codes qualify for the senior-manager category?
The four eligible NOC 2021 codes are:
- 00012
- 00013
- 00014
- 00015
All four are TEER 0 occupations.
Does receiving an ITA guarantee permanent residence?
No. After receiving an ITA, the candidate must submit a complete application within the applicable deadline. IRCC then assesses program eligibility, category eligibility, the accuracy of the information provided and admissibility.
Can I apply for a BOWP immediately after receiving an ITA?
Not necessarily. IRCC states that Express Entry BOWP applicants must have submitted a complete permanent residence application, passed the completeness check and received an Acknowledgement of Receipt, among other requirements.
Will the next senior-manager draw also have a CRS cut-off of 389?
There is no guarantee. The CRS threshold can change from one Express Entry round to another depending on the candidates selected and the number of invitations issued.
Conclusion
Canada’s Express Entry system continues to use category-based selection to target candidates with specific skills and work experience.
The Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category provides a dedicated pathway for eligible senior managers who have qualifying Canadian work experience. Under the current IRCC requirements, candidates need at least 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience in the previous three years in one of four eligible NOC 2021 occupations: 00012, 00013, 00014 or 00015.
The reported September 16, 2026 draw invited 250 candidates at a CRS cut-off of 389.
Candidates considering Express Entry should review the current IRCC requirements carefully, particularly the requirements for their Express Entry program, NOC classification, Canadian work experience and CRS score.
Immigration requirements can change, so applicants should verify the latest requirements directly with the Government of Canada’s immigration department before submitting an application.
