Express Entry is Canada’s electronic immigration system for managing applications for three federal economic programs: Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

IRCC typically conducts Express Entry draws every two weeks. PNP draws have been stable at approximately bi-weekly intervals in 2026. Category-based draws for French speakers and healthcare workers occur on a separate schedule.

When multiple candidates have the same CRS score, IRCC uses a tie-breaking rule based on the date and time when candidates submitted their Express Entry profiles. Earlier submissions are prioritized. For Round #409, the tie-breaking date was November 19, 2025.

Category-based draws target specific groups like French speakers, healthcare workers, STEM professionals, trades workers, transport occupations, or agriculture workers. These draws often have lower CRS requirements — for example, the February 1, 2026 French draw had a CRS of 439.

You can improve your score by: increasing language test results, obtaining higher education credentials, gaining more work experience, getting a provincial nomination (+600 points), learning French, or having your spouse take language tests.

A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points, virtually guaranteeing an invitation in a PNP draw. As seen in recent draws, PNP CRS scores range from 742 to 802 — significantly higher than general draws due to the 600-point boost.