Express Entry draws: how to read a round of invitations

A new Express Entry draw lands and within hours one number is everywhere: the cut-off score. On its own, that number tells you very little. To know whether a round says anything about your chances, you need three more pieces: the type of round, the number of invitations and the tie-breaking rule. Here is how to read a round from IRCC's own page, as checked on October 11, 2026.

What IRCC publishes for each round

• the date and time of the round;
• the round type;
• the number of invitations issued;
• the rank needed to be invited;
• the CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited;
• the tie-breaking rule.

Know the round type before you compare scores

Round type	Who is invited	What its cut-off tells you
General	Top-ranked candidates eligible for any of the three programs	The broadest benchmark
Program-specific	Only candidates eligible for one program, for example the Provincial Nominee Program	High cut-offs reflect the 600 nomination points
Category-based	Top-ranked candidates in a category the Minister sets for an economic goal	Only relevant if you fit that category

Comparing a category-based cut-off with a provincial-nominee cut-off is comparing two different pools.

The tie-breaking rule, explained

When several candidates share the lowest score, IRCC cuts off by the date and time each one submitted their profile. Earlier profiles go first. So if your score equals the cut-off and you were not invited, someone with the same score submitted before you.

A simple routine after each round

1. Note the round type and whether you are eligible for it.
2. Track the same type over several rounds rather than reacting to one.
3. Work on what you control: your score (see how to improve your CRS score) and, if you speak French, the French category (see the French-language advantage).
4. Keep your documents ready. An invitation starts a deadline to submit a complete application: see the 60-day plan after an invitation.

No past round guarantees the next one. IRCC decides the type, date and size of each round.

If you live in Quebec

Express Entry programs require that you plan to live outside Quebec. Quebec issues its own invitations through Arrima for the PSTQ; see Arrima and PSTQ invitations.

Frequently asked questions

Where are the official results?

On IRCC's "Rounds of invitations" page, which lists each round and links to previous rounds.

Why did a round with a low cut-off not invite me?

It was probably a category-based or program-specific round you were not eligible for, or the tie-breaking rule applied at the cut-off score.

Is there a fixed draw schedule?

IRCC's page does not set one. The type, date and number of invitations are IRCC's decision for each round.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 11, 2026:

• IRCC — Express Entry rounds of invitations