Canada holds first Express Entry draw under new Trades category
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.
The immigration department issued 3,000 ITAs in a draw for candidates in Express Entry's Trades Occupations category.
To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 477; and
- Created an Express Entry candidate profile before 8:53 p.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on February 14, 2026.
See how competitive your Express Entry profile is
Summary of Express Entry draws in 2026
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off score | ITAs issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 15 | French-Language proficiency | 419 | 4,000 |
| April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 515 | 2,000 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 786 | 324 |
| April 2 | Trades | 477 | 3,000 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 2,250 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 18 | French-Language proficiency | 393 | 4,000 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 507 | 4,000 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 5 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 429 | 250 |
| March 4 | French-Language proficiency | 397 | 5,500 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 4,000 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 20 | Healthcare and social services | 467 | 4,000 |
| February 19 | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 169 | 391 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 6,000 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 6 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 8,500 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 6,000 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
Today's draw is the twentieth Express Entry selection of 2026, and the first Trades category draw of the year.
IRCC has designated Trades occupations as one of its priority categories in both 2025 and 2026, signalling how in-demand these occupations are within the context of the Canadian labour market.
Today's draw marks the first selection under the updated Trades category, after the recent change to work experience requirements in February of this year.
Express Entry draws in 2026 have seen Canada's immigration department focus largely on immigration candidates within the country, particularly those with provincial nominations and Canadian work experience.
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program | 8 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 7 |
| French-Language proficiency | 4 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 1 |
| Healthcare and social services | 1 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 1 |
| Trades | 1 |
In 2026 thus far, IRCC has issued 58,830 ITAs across the following draw types:
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 32,250 |
| French-Language proficiency | 22,000 |
| Healthcare and social services | 4,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 3,263 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 391 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 250 |
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