Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) took place in a Canadian Experience Class Express Entry draw on March 3, 2026.
The draw selected 4,000 invitations to make an application to permanent residence. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score was 508 points as it was during the last CEC draw.
The second Express Entry draw of March 2026. It succeeded the Provincial Nominee Program draw of March 2 to invite 264 candidates with a CRS cut-off of 710.
March 3 Express Entry Draw Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Draw type | Canadian Experience Class |
| Date | March 3, 2026 |
| ITAs issued | 4,000 |
| CRS cut-off | 508 |
| Tie-breaking timestamp | June 24, 2025 at 22:35:48 UTC |
The tie-breaking mechanism also defines the invitations given to the candidates in case there are more than two profiles having the same CRS score.
Applicants who had a score of 508 were required to have provided their Express Entry profile before June 24, 2025 at 22:35:48 UTC in order to get an invitation in this draw.
How This Compares to Our Prediction
We have already released our Express Entry draw predictions in March 2026 earlier today. We estimated CEC-draws would give CRS cutoffs of less than 508.
The range of 501-600 CRS, as seen in our analysis, had been decreased by 2,761 applicants between mid-February and March 1.
We projected that this shrinking of the pool would drive down the cut-offs in case IRCC did not reduce draw sizes of 6,000 ITAs.
The current draw has published 4,000 ITAs rather than 6,000. The smaller draw size left the CRS cut-off at 508 which is the same the February 17 draw.
Assuming that 6,000 invitations had been made by IRCC, the cut-off would probably have fallen into the 503-506 range on current pool composition.
The CRS cut off of 508 has now been steady in 2 consecutive CEC draws. This forms a definite standard of candidates.
At 508 you are in a great position to enter into the next CEC draw. Nonetheless, the tie-breaking rule does count.
Applicants who scored 500 to 507 remain good candidates in future CECs.
Express Entry Pool Update
By March 1, 2026, the Express Entry pool had 232,534 candidates. The 501-600 CRS band had 14,031 applicants until the drawing today.
This range will become even smaller when 4,000 CEC-eligible candidates are eliminated.
The CEC draw on the 15th is likely to have reduced cut-offs in case IRCC goes back to larger draw sizes.
CRS will still fall to around 500 as we predict that there will be a 6,000 or more draw in the ITA later in March.
2026 CEC Express Entry Draws So Far
| Date | Draw Type | ITAs Issued | CRS Cut-off |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 8,000 | 511 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 509 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 6,000 | 508 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 508 |
| Total | 4 | 24,000 | 508-511 |
IRCC has already made 24,000 invitations in 2026 in 4 Express Entry draws focused on Canadian Experience Class and CRS cutoff score is now approximately 508.
Next Steps for Invited Candidates
Candidates invited do have 60 days during which they can apply with a full permanent residence.
The deadline is firm. Failing to do it leads to the automatic cancellation of the invitation.
Immediately prepare the following papers:
- Police certificates from all countries where you lived for 6+ months
- Medical examination results from an IRCC-approved panel physician
- Proof of funds (unless currently working in Canada with a valid job offer)
- Reference letters from all employers listed in your profile
- Educational credential assessment reports
- Language test results (must remain valid when application is assessed)
IRCC hopes to handle the majority of the Express Entry applications in 6 months.
Processing times however differ depending on the volumes of applications and the cases, depending on their complexity.
The CEC draw of March 3 proves that IRCC remains concerned with the candidates who have Canadian work experience.
The CRS cut-off of 508 which is steady across two successive draws gives a distinct indicator to job seekers on the target of their profile development.
The Express Entry pool is becoming smaller; however, the aggressive draw rate of IRCC is still in effect, so March 2026 will be a powerful month for the CEC applicants.