Canada selects 150 workers for permanent residence under revamped Transport category
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence through the Express Entry system.
The immigration department issued 150 ITAs in a draw for candidates eligible under the Transport 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 9:48:22 p.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on June 4, 2026.
Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation
Candidates residing in Canada who have submitted a permanent residence application through Express Entry may qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).
Applicants who submit their BOWP application before their existing work permit expires may retain their authorization to work under the same conditions through maintained status, as long as they remain in Canada while awaiting a decision.
IRCC also offers open work permits to eligible family members.
Summary of Express Entry draws
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off score | ITAs issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 28 | Transport | 477 | 150 |
| October 27 | French-Language proficiency | 407 | 5,000 |
| October 26 | Provincial Nominee Program | 761 | 792 |
| October 16 | French-Language proficiency | 435 | 5,000 |
| October 15 | Canadian Experience Class | 519 | 2,500 |
| October 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 772 | 752 |
| October 1 | Trades | 476 | 3,500 |
| September 29 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 2,000 |
| September 28 | Provincial Nominee Program | 725 | 733 |
| September 16 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 389 | 250 |
| September 15 | Canadian Experience Class | 519 | 2,000 |
| September 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 734 | 576 |
| September 4 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 3,500 |
| September 3 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 198 | 229 |
| September 1 | Canadian Experience Class | 521 | 2,000 |
| August 31 | Provincial Nominee Program | 697 | 562 |
| August 19 | French-Language proficiency | 382 | 5,000 |
| August 18 | Canadian Experience Class | 523 | 1,000 |
| August 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 760 | 442 |
| August 7 | Transport | 470 | 300 |
| August 6 | French-Language proficiency | 391 | 5,000 |
| August 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 3,000 |
| August 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 768 | 507 |
| July 23 | Skilled Military Recruits | 368 | 4 |
| July 22 | French-Language proficiency | 399 | 5,000 |
| July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 2,000 |
| July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 744 | 511 |
| July 10 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 392 | 500 |
| July 9 | French-Language proficiency | 420 | 5,000 |
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 517 | 2,000 |
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 4,000 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 223 | 271 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 4,000 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 28 | French-Language proficiency | 409 | 4,500 |
| May 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 3,000 |
| May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 805 | 334 |
| May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 798 | 380 |
| April 29 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 4,000 |
| April 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 514 | 2,000 |
| April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 795 | 473 |
| 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 |
This marks IRCC’s second selection round under the revised Transport category, with the CRS cutoff rising seven points from the inaugural draw held in August 2026.
Canada has now completed 65 Express Entry draws in 2026.
Selection trends throughout the year have demonstrated a sustained emphasis on candidates with connections to Canada, including those holding provincial nominations and those with Canadian work experience.
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program | 21 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 18 |
| French-Language proficiency | 12 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 3 |
| Healthcare and social services | 3 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 3 |
| Trades | 2 |
| Transport | 2 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 1 |
Over the course of 2026, IRCC has issued 149,409 ITAs through the following Express Entry draw types:
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 57,250 |
| French-Language proficiency | 60,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 10,814 |
| Healthcare and social services | 11,500 |
| Trades | 6,500 |
| Transport | 450 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 891 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 1,000 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |
Recent Express Entry changes
As of Nov. 3, 2026, Express Entry candidates will be able to receive more CRS points if they have Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation.
IRCC considers an occupation high-wage if its national median wage is at least 1.3 times the average median wage of the overall Canadian workforce. A total of 186 occupations meet this threshold, divided into three wage levels: at least 1.3, 1.5 and two times the average median wage.
The new points will be awarded under the Labour Market Integration Factor (LMIF), which gives candidates the greater of two possible scores.
Candidates may receive up to 100 points for a qualifying job offer, or up to 150 points for Canadian work experience—a maximum that drops to 140 for those with an accompanying spouse or common-law partner.
Points for Canadian work experience will include the existing points for length of employment, along with up to 70 more for at least one year of experience in a high-wage occupation.
Depending on the occupation’s wage level, a qualifying job offer will be worth 50, 70 or 100 points, reinstating CRS job offer points that were removed in March 2025.
Candidates will no longer need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for a qualifying job offer to receive CRS points.
A temporary public policy will also exempt eligible candidates invited to apply on or after Nov. 3 from LMIA requirements for qualifying job offers used to meet eligibility under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) or Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
Express Entry invitation rounds will be temporarily paused while IRCC recalculates candidate scores under the revised system, which the department notes could take as long as two weeks.
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