Express Entry · Canadian Experience Class
Express Entry Draw #446: 2,000 CEC invitations, CRS eases to 518
IRCC invited 2,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates with a minimum CRS score of 518 — the third straight September CEC round with a lower cutoff.
| Draw number | #446 |
|---|---|
| Date | September 29, 2026 |
| Round type | Canadian Experience Class |
| Invitations issued | 2,000 |
| Lowest CRS score invited | |
| Previous round | September 15, 2026 · CRS 519 |
| Tie-breaking rule | Profiles at exactly needed to be submitted before February 13, 2026, 20:48:08 UTC |
What happened
On September 29, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held Express Entry draw #446, inviting 2,000 candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 518.
This was the third CEC round of September, and the cutoff fell for the third time in a row: 521 on September 1, 519 on September 15, and now 518. Invitation volume held steady at 2,000 across all three rounds.
IRCC applied a tie-breaking rule: candidates with a CRS score of exactly 518 needed an Express Entry profile submitted before February 13, 2026 at 20:48 UTC to be invited.
What this means for your score
If you are CEC-eligible with a CRS score of 518 or higher, you were in the invitation range for this round — provided your profile was submitted before the tie-breaking date if you sat exactly at 518.
The gentle downward drift (523 in mid-August to 518 now) is encouraging for candidates in the 515–520 band, but draw sizes and pool composition change every round. Use the CRS calculator to see exactly where your points come from, and focus on what you can raise: language scores and additional Canadian work experience move the needle most.