Overview
- The Feb. 17, 2026 round invited 6,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates with a minimum score of 508, using a tie-break timestamp of March 16, 2025 at 09:35:59 UTC.
- It was the eighth Express Entry selection of 2026 and the third CEC-specific draw this year.
- Cutoffs for CEC rounds have eased this year from 511 on Jan. 7 to 509 on Jan. 21 to 508 on Feb. 17.
- IRCC has issued 30,457 ITAs in 2026 to date—20,000 CEC, 8,500 French-language, 1,534 PNP—signaling an emphasis on in-Canada applicants.
- CIC News analysis reports ITAs are outpacing growth in high-scoring profiles, estimating roughly 11,000 candidates with CRS 501+ remain in the pool after the latest draws.