Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates in an Express Entry round held on April 14, 2026, with the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off settling at 515 — six points higher than the previous CEC round on March 31 and the largest single jump in CRS thresholds between draws this year, which also makes it the smallest CEC round of 2026 and underscores IRCC's continued tilt toward in-Canada candidates with domestic work experience or provincial nominations even as the bar to receive an invitation continues to rise; year-to-date, IRCC has issued 61,154 ITAs across all Express Entry categories, with the CEC stream alone accounting for more than half of that total.

On March 31, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) closed out the month with an Express Entry draw targeting Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, issuing 2,250 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence at a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 509. This marked the 19th Express Entry draw of 2026 and the sixth dedicated CEC round this year. With 55,830 ITAs issued across the first three months of the year — 30,250 of which went to CEC candidates alone — the federal government's strategy of prioritizing immigration applicants already living and working in Canada has come into sharp focus.

On March 17, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence through an Express Entry draw targeting Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required in this round was 507, marking a further decline compared with recent CEC draws and representing the lowest cut-off score for the category in the past 18 months. As Canada continues in 2026 to focus more heavily on candidates already in the country, applicants with Canadian work experience are emerging as one of the main beneficiary groups in the Express Entry system.

On March 3, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw through the Express Entry system, issuing 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 508. The cut-off remains close to a two-year low range, and the draw applied the tie-breaking rule based on profile creation time, underscoring IRCC’s continued preference in 2026 for in-Canada candidates with Canadian work experience.

On February 24, 2026, the Government of Quebec released its annually updated list of occupations eligible for expedited Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Marking a significant shift from previous years, the total number of eligible occupations has been scaled back from 76 to 60, with a notable removal of various Information Technology (IT) and engineering professions. Designed to reflect the evolving needs of the provincial labour market, this updated list will remain in effect until February 23, 2027. To ensure a smooth transition for employers and applicants, Quebec has implemented a 30-day grace period—running from February 24 to March 26, 2026—for previously eligible occupations that have been cut from the new roster. Additionally, the province reiterated crucial guidelines regarding the TFWP approval process and recently implemented French-language proficiency requirements.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a new Express Entry draw on February 17, 2026. Targeted specifically at Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, the draw issued 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 508. This represents the lowest threshold for the CEC category since 2024. As the eighth draw of 2026 and the third targeting CEC candidates, the results reinforce the department's current trend of prioritizing applicants with domestic work experience and provincial nominations.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates in an Express Entry draw held on January 21, 2026. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 509, and eligibility also depended on a profile creation cut-off: candidates had to have created their Express Entry profile before 4:35 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on October 29, 2025. This was the fourth Express Entry draw of 2026 and the second large-scale CEC selection this year. Within the first month of 2026, IRCC has already issued 14,000 ITAs to CEC candidates across two draws, contributing to noticeable shifts in the composition of the candidate pool. So far in 2026, Express Entry draws have been limited to two categories—CEC and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)—reflecting a continued emphasis on applicants already in Canada.

On January 7, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its second Express Entry draw of the year, issuing 8,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) exclusively to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. This draw marks the second-largest single draw in the history of the CEC program, with the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score dropping to 511—lower than any draw recorded throughout 2025. Combined with the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw held earlier this week, the federal government has issued over 8,500 invitations in the first full week of 2026, demonstrating a clear policy priority to retain workers already established in the Canadian labour market to meet annual immigration targets.

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has officially announced its nomination allocation and a series of significant policy changes for 2026. The province has received an initial allocation of 4,761 nomination spaces, matching the total at the end of 2025. In a major shift, the federal government has removed the 2025 requirement that 75% of nominees must already be in Canada, granting Saskatchewan greater flexibility to select overseas candidates. For the upcoming year, the SINP is implementing a new three-tier distribution strategy: "Priority Sectors" (such as healthcare and agriculture) will be allocated at least 50% of nominations with open intake, while "Capped Sectors" (including hospitality and retail) will face strict percentage limits and scheduled application windows. Furthermore, the province has introduced tighter eligibility criteria for open work permit holders and Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders, specifically affecting out-of-province graduates.

The Government of Saskatchewan has officially announced its provincial nomination plan for 2026, confirming that the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) will have a total allocation of 4,761 nominations, unchanged from the end of 2025. To support the use of this allocation, the province will introduce a series of structural reforms in 2026, including clearly defined nomination shares for priority and capped sectors, greater flexibility for priority-sector applicants, and stricter eligibility rules for international students and certain open work permit holders.