Canada’s Express Entry system has already issued 44,862 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in just over the first two months of 2026, reflecting an aggressive pace of invitations early in the year.
The largest single draw so far was a French-language proficiency round, which issued 8,500 invitations to candidates with strong French skills.
At the other end of the spectrum, the smallest draw targeted Senior Managers, with only 250 invitations issued to candidates with Canadian work experience.
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off scores have also varied significantly across categories. The lowest cut-off recorded so far was 169 under the newly introduced Physicians category, while Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates faced a much higher threshold of 789.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) continues to dominate invitation volumes this year. Across five separate draws, 28,000 ITAs have already been issued to candidates with Canadian work experience.
The early 2026 trends suggest that French-language proficiency and Canadian Experience Class candidates are receiving the bulk of invitations, while category-based selection draws are increasingly shaping how invitations are distributed within the Express Entry system.