CEC and PNP Draws in Express Entry (July 2026): 2,000 Invitations with a 516 Cutoff and Provincial Nominees at 744 Points | ImmigraCan
· | Categoria: Express Entry
Full breakdown of the Express Entry rounds from July 20, 21 and 23, 2026. See the cutoff scores for Canadian Experience Class (CEC), PNP and the new military draw.
IRCC picks up the pace of invitations with consecutive program-specific rounds
The second half of July 2026 has been marked by intense activity from the Canadian government within the Express Entry system. In just four days, *Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada* (IRCC) ran four distinct invitation rounds, selecting more than 7,500 candidates across provincial programs, Canadian experience, French and a new category focused on defense professionals.
This strategy of running sequential, program-specific selections instead of general (*All-Program*) rounds reinforces the Canadian government's priority of converting temporary workers already in the country and supporting provincial and strategic needs.
---
Details of the July 2026 Rounds
#### 1. Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Draw — July 21 (Round #428)
* Invitations (ITAs): 2,000
* CRS Cutoff Score: 516 points
* Tie-Break Rule: May 22, 2026 at 2:10 p.m. UTC
* Analysis: The CEC cutoff held nearly perfectly steady compared with the July 7 draw (which had a cutoff of 517 points). The 516-point range indicates that candidates with at least 1 year of skilled work in Canada, combined with an excellent level of English (CLB 9/10) and academic background, continue to be called on a predictable basis.
#### 2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Draw — July 20 (Round #427)
* Invitations (ITAs): 511
* CRS Cutoff Score: 744 points
* Tie-Break Rule: April 4, 2026 at 8:35 a.m. UTC
* Analysis: Candidates approved through provincial programs (PNP) automatically receive a 600-point bonus on their Express Entry profile. Subtracting the provincial bonus, the base score of candidates selected in this round was just 144 CRS points.
#### 3. Qualified Military Recruits Draw — July 23 (Round #430)
* Invitations (ITAs): 4
* CRS Cutoff Score: 368 points
* Analysis: A surgical, highly specialized round that marked one of the first uses of the military subcategory introduced by IRCC to fill technical staffing needs within the Canadian Armed Forces.
---
Comparison Table of Recent July/2026 Rounds
| Date | Category / Program | ITAs Issued | CRS Cutoff Score |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 07/23/2026 | Military Recruits | 4 | 368 |
| 07/22/2026 | French-Language Proficiency | 5,000 | 399 |
| 07/21/2026 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 2,000 | 516 |
| 07/20/2026 | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 511 | 744 |
| 07/10/2026 | Senior Managers (Canadian Experience) | 500 | 392 |
---
What to Expect from the Next Rounds?
The dynamics of Express Entry in mid-2026 show that flexibility is essential. Candidates who rely solely on the general round continue to face fierce competition, while those investing in parallel strategies — such as provincial nomination (PNP), improving French proficiency or building up Canadian work experience — are receiving invitations in shorter timeframes.
> [!TIP]
> Find out exactly where you stand under the current rules by calculating your profile with the ImmigraCan CRS Calculator or checking the Express Entry Draw History.