On 29 September 2026 Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada invited 2,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates to apply for permanent residence. Express Entry round 446 set the Comprehensive Ranking System cut-off at 518. Round 446 ran at 10:19:21 UTC.
Candidates needed an active Express Entry profile under the Canadian Experience Class and a CRS score of at least 518. Profiles created after 20:48:08 UTC on 13 February 2026 missed the invitation at the exact cut-off under the tie-breaking rule. Profiles created before the cut-off time at score 518 received an Invitation to Apply.
Round 446 continues IRCC focus on people already working in Canada. The prior Canadian Experience Class round on 15 September 2026 also issued 2,000 invitations, with a CRS cut-off of 519. One point separated those two rounds. Across 2026, Canadian Experience Class rounds remain one of the main Express Entry selection paths for temporary workers and graduates with Canadian skilled work experience.
Where round 446 sits in late September
IRCC held two Express Entry rounds in two days. Round 445 on 28 September invited 733 Provincial Nominee Program candidates at CRS 725. Round 446 then invited 2,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates at CRS 518.
A CRS of 518 sits far below the Provincial Nominee Program cut-off of 725 published one day earlier. Provincial nominees receive 600 extra CRS points from nomination, so PNP program-specific cut-offs usually sit much higher. Canadian Experience Class rounds rank you among candidates with Canadian skilled work experience, without a nomination requirement.
Earlier in September, IRCC also invited 250 senior managers with Canadian work experience at CRS 389 on 16 September, and 3,500 healthcare and social services candidates at CRS 475 on 4 September. Round 446 returns to the broader Canadian Experience Class pool rather than a narrow occupation category.
Who qualifies for the Canadian Experience Class
You need an active Express Entry profile and eligibility for the Canadian Experience Class. IRCC looks for at least 12 months of full-time skilled work experience in Canada, or the part-time equivalent, gained in the three years before you apply for permanent residence.
Skilled work means National Occupational Classification TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. Self-employment and work during full-time study usually fall outside Canadian Experience Class work experience rules. Language results must meet Canadian Experience Class minimums for the TEER level of your primary occupation. You also need to show a plan to live outside Quebec.
Prepare employer letters with job title, dates, hours per week, and duty lists aligned to your NOC code. Keep pay stubs, T4 slips, contracts, and Records of Employment ready. Officers match duties to the NOC lead statement, not job titles alone.
What to do if you received an Invitation to Apply
An Invitation to Apply starts a short filing clock. IRCC gives invited candidates 60 days to submit a complete permanent residence application. Gather police certificates early. Refresh language results if expiry falls inside the filing window. Confirm Educational Credential Assessment dates still remain valid when your program requires one. Incomplete uploads waste the invitation.
If you already work in Canada on a temporary permit, plan work authorization for the months after you file. A Bridging Open Work Permit becomes available only after IRCC issues an Acknowledgement of Receipt for a complete permanent residence application. The Invitation to Apply alone does not create Bridging Open Work Permit eligibility. Check remaining validity on your current permit and apply for bridging status while four months or less remain, following current IRCC bridging guidance.
- Upload identity documents, work letters, and language results first.
- Order police certificates from every country where you lived for six months or more since age 18.
- Update marital status, dependants, and address before you submit.
- Pay fees inside the IRCC account before the 60-day deadline ends.
What to do if your CRS sits near 518
Scores above 518 inside the Canadian Experience Class should already show an invitation in your IRCC account. At exactly 518, invitation status depends on whether your profile entered the pool before the 13 February 2026 tie-break time. Scores below 518 stay in the pool for future Canadian Experience Class rounds and for any other category or program round your profile matches.
Practical levers for the next round include a fresh language test, a second official language, more Canadian skilled work months, or a completed Educational Credential Assessment when your program path needs one. A provincial nomination aligned to Express Entry adds 600 CRS points and moves most profiles to the front of a later Provincial Nominee Program round.
As of 27 September 2026, IRCC reported 229,904 candidates in the Express Entry pool. The 501 to 600 CRS band held 21,070 candidates. Competition near 518 remains active, so keep your profile accurate after every job change, language result, or family update.
How to use MigrantIQ while you wait
Track Express Entry rounds against your CRS and NOC, then map filing deadlines against passport validity, biometrics, and family documents. MigrantIQ helps you compare Canadian permanent residence paths with other destinations so you keep one clear plan instead of scattered forum advice. Update your profile after every language result, job change, or provincial nomination step so the next Canadian Experience Class round finds accurate data.
Round 446 shows IRCC still selects temporary workers and graduates already contributing inside Canada. If you hold Canadian skilled work experience under TEER 0 to 3 and your CRS sits near 518, treat document hygiene as urgent work, not a later chore.
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