Canada Express Entry Draws: Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, 2026 - Four Express Entry Draws in Five Days

Hi Reader,

Happy Sunday!

Toronto was hit by what officials described as a “100-year storm” on Wednesday, bringing torrential rain, large hail, widespread flooding, and power outages across the city.

If you or your family were affected, I hope everyone is safe and that things are slowly returning to normal. ❤️

It was also an unusually busy week for Canadian immigration. If you checked the Express Entry page, the answer changed almost every day, with four draws held in five days.

Grab a cup of coffee. Let’s go through it together.

⚡ This Week in Canadian Immigration (30-second summary)

IRCC issued 6,291 Express Entry Invitations to Apply through four draws.
562 Provincial Nominee Program candidates were invited on August 31 with a CRS cut-off of 697.
2,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates were invited on September 1 with a CRS cut-off of 521.
229 physicians with Canadian work experience were invited on September 3 with a CRS cut-off of 198.
3,500 healthcare and social services candidates were invited on September 4 with a CRS cut-off of 475.
Saskatchewan announced its final 2026 capped-sector intake for September 14 and 15.
Nova Scotia’s new provincial nominee application fees took effect on September 1.

Express Entry Draws, August 31 to September 4

Draw #438: Provincial Nominee Program | August 31

✅ Invitations issued: 562
✅ CRS cut-off: 697
✅ Tie-breaking rule: April 12, 2026 at 04:32:26 UTC

📌 This was the lowest PNP draw cut-off of 2026. However, every provincial nominee receives 600 additional CRS points. A cut-off of 697 therefore cannot be compared directly with a CEC or category-based draw.

Draw #439: Canadian Experience Class | September 1

✅ Invitations issued: 2,000
✅ CRS cut-off: 521
✅ Tie-breaking rule: August 18, 2026 at 03:24:13 UTC

📌 IRCC doubled the invitation number from the previous CEC draw on August 18, but the cut-off fell by only two points, from 523 to 521. If your score is in the low 500s, do not assume that larger draws will quickly bring the cut-off down to your score.

Draw #440: Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | September 3

✅ Invitations issued: 229
✅ CRS cut-off: 198
✅ Tie-breaking rule: August 6, 2026 at 19:40:38 UTC

📌 This was a highly specific category for eligible physicians with Canadian work experience. The CRS cut-off of 198 does not indicate that Express Entry has become easier generally, or even for everyone working in healthcare.

Draw #441: Healthcare and Social Services Occupations | September 4

✅ Invitations issued: 3,500
✅ CRS cut-off: 475
✅ Tie-breaking rule: May 26, 2026 at 00:26:14 UTC

📌 The cut-off remained at 475, the same as the previous healthcare and social services draw in June. This pathway may be valuable if your qualifying work experience falls within an eligible occupation, but your job title alone does not establish eligibility.

Check out the NOC codes of the In-demand occupations eligible in Category based draws like the Healthcare and Social Services Occupations in our blogs:
English Blog
Chinese Blog

IRCC Updates

IRCC’s public consultation on the economic priorities and categories being considered for Express Entry in 2027 closed on September 1.

No 2027 categories have been confirmed through this consultation. Do not change your immigration strategy based on proposals or assume that today’s categories will remain unchanged next year.

PNP Updates

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan’s final 2026 intake for capped sectors will open on September 14 and 15:

✅ September 14 at 9:30 a.m.: Trucking and retail
✅ September 14 at 1:30 p.m.: Accommodation
✅ September 15 at 1:30 p.m.: Food services
✅ Total available employer positions: 550

These intake windows are for Employer Position Assessments. They are limited to employers supporting current workers who have six months or less remaining on a valid work permit. Spaces are first come, first served, so eligible employers should prepare the application before the intake opens.

Review the details on the official SINP processing page.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia’s new provincial nominee application fees took effect on September 1:

✅ Worker streams: $1,000
✅ Entrepreneur stream: $2,000
✅ Expression of Interest submission: No fee

The fees apply when a candidate’s Expression of Interest is selected for assessment on or after September 1. The Atlantic Immigration Program is not affected.

Read the Nova Scotia program update.

Keen to Learn French as part of your Canada PR strategy?

If your CRS score is not currently competitive, learning French may open additional immigration pathways. It takes time, so the best way to find out whether you can commit to it is to try the learning platform for yourself.

I am inviting 10 people to join our French Prep 7-Day Demo, valued at $100.

The demo includes: