Express Entry draws October 2026 update: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 8,252 candidates in three rounds between October 13 and 16. It held a Provincial Nominee Program round, a Canadian Experience Class round and a French round. The French cut-off rose to 435, the highest French score of 2026.
IRCC held three rounds in four days, from 13 October 2026 to 16 October 2026. Each round targeted a different group, so each had its own cut-off. A cut-off is the lowest Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score that still got an invitation. Here is the full week from IRCC’s data:
- Draw 448, October 13: Provincial Nominee Program, 752 invitations, cut-off 772.
- Draw 449, October 15: Canadian Experience Class, 2,500 invitations, cut-off 519.
- Draw 450, October 16: French-language proficiency, 5,000 invitations, cut-off 435.
The total is 752 + 2,500 + 5,000 = 8,252 invitations. With this week included, IRCC has held 62 rounds in 2026 and issued 143,467 invitations, the same totals our tracker shows.
For a closer look at each round, see our breakdowns of the PNP Express Entry draw on October 13, the October 15 CEC draw and the French Express Entry draw on October 16.
Why does the 435 French cut-off stand out?
The October 16 French round needed a CRS score of 435. That is 15 points above the previous 2026 high of 420, set on July 9. Before this round, the ten French rounds of 2026 averaged a cut-off of 401. So 435 sits 34 points above the year’s normal level for French speakers.
The round also came after the longest wait between French rounds this year. The last one was on August 19, at a cut-off of 382. That makes 58 days with no French round. The longest gap before that was 42 days, between May 28 and July 9.
IRCC does not explain why a cut-off moves. A long pause may have let higher-scoring French speakers build up in the pool, but I cannot confirm that from the data. In May we wrote that French draws were thinning, with cut-offs falling. This round breaks that pattern.
What did the CEC and PNP rounds in the Express Entry draws October 2026 show?
The Canadian Experience Class round on October 15 invited 2,500 people at 519. That is inside the 507 to 523 range CEC has held all year. The October 13 provincial round invited 752 people. Only the June 22 round, at 955, was larger among the 20 provincial rounds of 2026.
The provincial rounds have been growing. The last three invited 576, then 733, then 752. Provincial nominees get 600 extra points, which is why their cut-off of 772 looks so high. See our full CEC cut-off record for 2026 for every CEC round this year.
Tie-breaking rules show who got in at the cut-off score. For the French round, IRCC used October 6, 2026 at 21:31:22 UTC. For the CEC round it was September 21, 2026 at 19:00:47 UTC. People at exactly the cut-off who entered the pool before those times were invited.
How many people are left in the Express Entry pool?
IRCC counted 229,456 profiles in the pool on October 12, 2026, just before the Express Entry draws October 2026 week. Most sit well below the CEC cut-off. Only 749 had scores above 600, and 21,638 had scores from 501 to 600. The biggest group, 71,612 people, scored from 451 to 500.
- 601 to 1,200: 749 profiles
- 501 to 600: 21,638 profiles
- 451 to 500: 71,612 profiles
- 401 to 450: 63,528 profiles
- 351 to 400: 47,167 profiles
- 301 to 350: 17,123 profiles
- 0 to 300: 7,639 profiles
These counts cover the whole pool. IRCC does not publish how many of these people are French speakers, so I cannot tell you how many French candidates scored above 435.
What should you do before the November 3 Express Entry changes?
Check your profile now. IRCC announced on October 16, 2026 that new CRS points for high-wage jobs start on November 3. It will recalculate every score in the pool, which can take up to two weeks. IRCC says invitation rounds will pause during that time. Any round held before November 3 still uses the current scoring.
- Job offer holders: IRCC says you must update your profile with the required job offer details before November 3 to get the new job offer points.
- Canadian work experience: IRCC says these points will be recalculated for you. You do not need to apply.
- Everyone: check that your language test and education credential are still valid, so your profile still meets the minimum rules.
IRCC’s October 16 news release sets out the change. Our guide to Express Entry high-wage points shows the point tables. Check your current score with our CRS calculator.
IRCC does not publish a draw schedule, so I cannot tell you when the next round will be. If you received an invitation this week, our Express Entry invitation to apply service can help you file in time. Official rules are on the IRCC website.
Frequently asked questions
What was the CRS cut-off in the French Express Entry draw on October 16, 2026?
u003cstrongu003eThe cut-off was 435.u003c/strongu003e IRCC invited 5,000 French-language proficiency candidates in draw 450. It is the highest French cut-off of 2026, 15 points above the previous high of 420 on July 9. The tie-breaking time was October 6, 2026 at 21:31:22 UTC.
How many invitations did IRCC issue in Express Entry draws in October 2026?
u003cstrongu003eIRCC issued 11,752 invitations in four October rounds up to October 16.u003c/strongu003e That is 3,500 in the October 1 trades round plus 8,252 from October 13 to 16. Our math: 3,500 + 752 + 2,500 + 5,000 = 11,752. Those are all the Express Entry draws October 2026 has had so far, per IRCC’s rounds data.
When is the next Express Entry draw?
u003cstrongu003eI cannot confirm this, as IRCC does not publish advance draw schedules.u003c/strongu003e What IRCC has said is that rounds will pause for up to two weeks while it recalculates scores for the November 3, 2026 changes. Keep your profile up to date so you are ready whenever the next round happens.
If you want a plan that fits your score before the rules change, Book Your Strategy Consultation with our team.
