Live tracker - updated 16 September 2026
Canada Express Entry Category Tracker, 2026
Track Canada's 2026 Express Entry category-based selection rounds: current categories, categories with no draw yet, invitations, CRS ranges and the latest category draw (#441, Healthcare and social services, CRS 475).
This page separates category-based selection from Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Program and general rounds so category CRS cut-offs are not mixed with program-specific scores.
By Sam Parks, Editor and lead researcher.
What is the latest Express Entry category-based draw?
The latest tracked category-based round was #441 on 4 September 2026: Healthcare and social services, 3,500 invitations and CRS 475.
Reconciled against Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on 16 September 2026.
Canada Express Entry freshness stack
Canada Express Entry latest draw, CRS and category freshness answer
Use this with the category table so category-based rounds, PNP rounds and CEC rounds do not get merged into one CRS answer.
Latest draw
Round #443 on 15 September 2026 was a Canadian Experience Class draw: 2,000 invitations, CRS cut-off 519.
A CRS cut-off is a historical result for that round, not a future target score.
2026 draw volume
In 2026 so far, IRCC has run 55 tracked rounds and issued 128,732 ITAs.
PNP rounds include the 600-point nomination effect, so they must be read separately from category and CEC rounds.
Category status
7 of 10 current categories have drawn in 2026; 3 have no 2026 category round yet.
Latest category draw: #441, Healthcare and social services, CRS 475.
Draw data and widget
The draw tracker, category tracker, CRS verdict context and widget all read from the same Express Entry draw dataset.
Check the linked IRCC records before relying on a current-draw figure or CRS comparison.
Source dates: rounds reconciled against Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on 16 September 2026; categories checked against Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on 16 September 2026. Latest source record in this cluster: 16 September 2026. Use these dated records to interpret recent rounds; a past cut-off is not a guarantee of a future invitation.
10
Current categories
7
Have drawn in 2026
21
Category rounds
66,945
Category ITAs
Key findings
- 7 of 10 current categories have held at least one category-based round in 2026; 3 current categories have not.
- The lowest tracked 2026 category CRS cut-off is 169, from the Physicians round on 19 February 2026. That score applies only to that round and category.
- The current category roster comes from IRCC's category-based selection page; the draw metrics come from the source-linked Express Entry draws JSON.
- Use this tracker with the full draw tracker and the Canada CRS calculator; no category row should be read as a prediction or invitation guarantee.
Category tracker
Current IRCC categories, in official roster order. Rounds and CRS ranges cover 2026 only.
| Category | 2026 status | Rounds | Invitations | CRS range | Latest round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
French-language proficiency Minimum NCLC 7 French-language test results in all 4 abilities, plus the instructions for that round. | Drawn in 2026 | 10 | 50,500 | 382-420 | #437 2026-08-19, CRS 382 |
Healthcare and social services occupations At least 12 months of full-time equivalent work experience in the last 3 years in one listed occupation, in Canada or abroad. | Drawn in 2026 | 3 | 11,500 | 467-475 | #441 2026-09-04, CRS 475 |
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations At least 12 months of full-time equivalent work experience in the last 3 years in one listed occupation, in Canada or abroad. | No 2026 category round | 0 | 0 | No 2026 draw | None in tracked 2026 rounds |
Trade occupations At least 12 months of full-time equivalent work experience in the last 3 years in one listed trade occupation, in Canada or abroad. | Drawn in 2026 | 1 | 3,000 | 477 | #408 2026-04-02, CRS 477 |
Education occupations At least 12 months of full-time equivalent work experience in the last 3 years in one listed education occupation, in Canada or abroad. | No 2026 category round | 0 | 0 | No 2026 draw | None in tracked 2026 rounds |
Physicians with Canadian work experience At least 12 months of full-time equivalent Canadian work experience in the last 3 years in one listed physician occupation. | Drawn in 2026 New for 2026 roster | 3 | 891 | 169-223 | #440 2026-09-03, CRS 198 |
Senior managers with Canadian work experience At least 12 months of full-time equivalent Canadian work experience in the last 3 years in one listed senior manager occupation. | Drawn in 2026 New for 2026 roster | 2 | 750 | 392-429 | #426 2026-07-10, CRS 392 |
Researchers with Canadian work experience At least 12 months of full-time equivalent Canadian work experience in the last 3 years in one listed researcher occupation. | No 2026 category round New for 2026 roster | 0 | 0 | No 2026 draw | None in tracked 2026 rounds |
Transport occupations At least 12 months of full-time equivalent work experience in the last 3 years in one listed transport occupation, in Canada or abroad. | Drawn in 2026 New for 2026 roster | 1 | 300 | 470 | #434 2026-08-07, CRS 470 |
Skilled military recruits Foreign skilled military applicant criteria, including recognized foreign military service, aligned NOC experience/training, arranged Canadian Armed Forces employment and credential requirements. | Drawn in 2026 New for 2026 roster | 1 | 4 | 368 | #430 2026-07-23, CRS 368 |
No 2026 category round yet
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations
At least 12 months of full-time equivalent work experience in the last 3 years in one listed occupation, in Canada or abroad.
Education occupations
At least 12 months of full-time equivalent work experience in the last 3 years in one listed education occupation, in Canada or abroad.
Researchers with Canadian work experience
At least 12 months of full-time equivalent Canadian work experience in the last 3 years in one listed researcher occupation.
Program rounds kept separate
These 2026 rounds affect Express Entry candidates but are not category-based selection rows.
Canadian Experience Class
16 rounds, 53,250 invitations
CRS 507-523
Provincial Nominee Program
18 rounds, 8,537 invitations
CRS 697-805
Methodology and limits
- Rows are derived from Visa Atlas Express Entry draw records reconciled against IRCC official rounds data, plus IRCC current category-based selection guidance.
- Current category roster rows are listed even when IRCC has not yet run a 2026 category round for that category.
- A CRS cut-off is a historical round result, not a target score or invitation guarantee.
- Category eligibility does not guarantee an invitation; candidates must also be eligible for an Express Entry program and meet the instructions for the specific round.
- Program-specific rounds such as Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program are separated from category-based selection rows.
- This is compiled data and analysis, not legal advice.
Cite or reuse this dataset
This tracker is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite this report for the category analysis, the JSON endpoint for the derived rows, and IRCC for the underlying draw and category records.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Visa Atlas Canada Express Entry category tracker", https://visaatlas.org/research/canada-express-entry-category-tracker. Last verified 16 September 2026.