EXPRESS ENTRY DRAWS #442 & #443
EXPRESS ENTRY: PNP CUT-OFF CLIMBS TO 734 AS CEC SCORE EASES IN BACK-TO-BACK DRAWS
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held two Express Entry draws on consecutive days this week, inviting Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates on September 14 and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates on September 15. Together, the two rounds issued 2,576 Invitations to Apply (ITAs).
This Week's Draws at a Glance
The September 15 round was the second CEC-specific draw of the month: on September 1, IRCC invited 2,000 CEC candidates at a cut-off of 521, two points higher than this week's round. Overall in 2026, IRCC has now issued 128,732 invitations across 55 Express Entry draws, including 8,537 to provincial nominees through 18 PNP-targeted rounds this year.
Draw #442: Provincial Nominee Program
On September 14, IRCC invited 576 PNP candidates at a cut-off of 734 points — 37 points higher than the previous PNP-targeted round. A provincial nomination adds 600 points to a candidate's CRS score, which is why PNP-specific draws consistently carry the highest thresholds of any Express Entry round type. As of September 13, 226,793 candidates were registered in the pool, including 574 with a CRS score in the 601–1200 range.
Draw #443: Canadian Experience Class
A day later, on September 15, IRCC issued 2,000 ITAs to CEC candidates at a cut-off of 519 — two points lower than the September 1 round, which also invited 2,000 candidates but at a cut-off of 521. This was the 16th CEC-specific draw of 2026, bringing the year's CEC total to 53,250 invitations, by far the highest-volume Express Entry category this year.
What This Means If You're in the Pool
Both draws point to steady, if slightly tightening, competition: the PNP cut-off rose sharply while the CEC threshold held essentially flat. If you hold a provincial nomination, confirm every eligible CRS point is accounted for before the next round. If you're relying on Canadian work experience alone, the CEC cut-off has held in a narrow band around 519–521 for the past two rounds, giving a reasonably stable target to aim for.
Thinking About Your Own Express Entry Strategy?
Do you have a provincial nomination or Canadian work experience and still haven't seen an ITA with your name on it? Every draw shifts the competitive landscape, and knowing exactly where your CRS score stands — and which pathway fits your profile — is the difference between waiting indefinitely in the pool and moving your application forward.
At Global Opportunities, we track every IRCC draw as it happens and help you understand exactly where you stand. Contact us today to get a clear read on your Express Entry strategy.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, official Express Entry rounds of invitations data, verified directly against IRCC's published round data for draws #442–443 (September 14–15, 2026), with draw #439 (September 1, 2026) referenced for comparison.