On 1 October 2026 at 12:47:55 UTC, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 3,500 Invitations to Apply in Express Entry round 447. The round used category-based selection for Trades Occupations under the 2026-Version 3 instructions. The lowest Comprehensive Ranking System score invited was 476. Rank needed was 3,500 or above. For profiles sitting exactly at 476, the tie-break required a pool submission on or before 2026-05-28 at 16:55:23 UTC.
CIC News reported the round on 1 October 2026. JSR Immigration pointed readers to the IRCC rounds page and the ministerial instructions. Immigrationnewscanada.ca published a matching fact-check. Treat those sources as the public record for numbers and timestamps.
Round 447 differs from Express Entry round 446 on 29 September 2026. Round 446 invited 2,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates at a CRS cut-off of 518. Round 447 targets trades experience under a separate category list. Round 447 also differs from the IRCC work-permit genuineness instruction update covered earlier in October 2026.
How this trades round compares with April 2026
The prior trades round in 2026 was round 408 on 2 April 2026. Round 408 invited 3,000 candidates at a CRS cut-off of 477. Round 447 raised the invitation count by 500 and cut the lowest invited CRS by one point. Both rounds used Trades Occupations category selection. Across both trades rounds in 2026, IRCC has now issued 6,500 trades invitations.
A one-point CRS drop does not guarantee your next invitation. Category size, pool composition, and ministerial instructions change between rounds. Keep your Express Entry profile accurate and complete so IRCC recalculates CRS from current answers. Record every trades round in a personal log with date, invitation count, lowest CRS, and tie-break time so you measure real movement rather than rumour.
Who qualifies for Trades Occupations category selection
You must already meet Express Entry program eligibility for Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, or Canadian Experience Class, and you must sit inside the Express Entry pool. Category selection does not create a new program. Category selection filters pool members who already hold program eligibility.
You also need at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or equal part-time experience, in a single listed trade occupation within the past three years. The twelve months need not be continuous. Work inside Canada or abroad counts. The trade occupation need not be your primary National Occupational Classification code on the profile, yet duties must still match the chosen NOC lead statement and main duties. A job title alone fails the test.
IRCC and matching secondary tables list 25 NOC 2021 codes for the Trades Occupations category:
- 22303 Construction estimators
- 70010 Construction managers
- 70011 Home building and renovation managers
- 72100 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
- 72102 Sheet metal workers
- 72106 Welders and related machine operators
- 72200 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- 72201 Industrial electricians
- 72300 Plumbers
- 72302 Gas fitters
- 72310 Carpenters
- 72311 Cabinetmakers
- 72320 Bricklayers
- 72400 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
- 72401 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
- 72402 Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
- 72422 Electrical mechanics
- 72501 Water well drillers
- 72999 Other technical trades and related occupations
- 73100 Concrete finishers
- 73110 Roofers and shinglers
- 73112 Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
- 73113 Floor covering installers
- 82021 Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services
- 63201 Butchers - retail and wholesale
Match your employment letters and pay stubs to one code before you claim category eligibility. Split experience across two trade codes fails the single-occupation twelve-month rule for this category. Print the NOC lead statement for your code and mark each duty line against your real weekly tasks before you update the profile.
If you received an invitation in round 447
Log into your IRCC secure account and open the invitation message. Confirm the round number, the category label, and the deadline. You have 60 days from the invitation date to submit a complete permanent residence application. Missing the 60-day window voids the invitation.
Recalculate your CRS against the answers already stored in your profile. IRCC invites on the score in the pool at the round time. False claims in the profile create refusal risk later. Correct any outdated work history, language results, or education entries before you assemble the permanent residence package.
Gather proof early. Employment letters should name duties, hours, wages, and dates in language aligned with the NOC lead statement. Pay stubs should cover the same periods. Keep language test results valid for the filing window. Keep Educational Credential Assessment reports ready when the program path requires one. Order police certificates for every country where rules demand them. Book a panel physician medical exam through the IRCC panel network for your location. Build a single folder for passport scans, photos, civil status documents, and proof of funds when your program path asks for settlement funds.
Fees for economic immigration, including Express Entry, appear on the IRCC fee list. Principal applicant processing with the right of permanent residence fee totals CAD 1,590. Processing alone totals CAD 990. A spouse or partner faces the same two amounts. Each dependent child costs CAD 270. The right of permanent residence fee alone is CAD 600. Confirm the live figures on the IRCC fee list on the day you pay. Biometrics fees sit on a separate IRCC fee page, so check the biometrics schedule before you schedule a collection appointment.
Candidates already in Canada who file permanent residence through Express Entry often seek a Bridging Open Work Permit after the permanent residence application is in process. CIC News notes maintained status rules when a current work permit expires before a Bridging Open Work Permit decision, as long as you stay in Canada. Qualifying family members often seek open work permits under the same guidance. Read the current IRCC Bridging Open Work Permit page before you file, because officer instructions change.
If you missed the CRS 476 cut-off
Stay in the pool if your Express Entry profile remains valid. Update language scores when a new test raises your CRS. Add Canadian work experience or a provincial nomination only when those facts are true and documented. Do not invent credentials. Watch future category rounds for Trades Occupations and for other categories matching your NOC.
Review whether your duties still fit one of the 25 listed codes. A wrong NOC choice blocks category consideration even when your CRS sits above 476. Compare your daily tasks with the Employment and Social Development Canada NOC page for each candidate code. Ask a regulated Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer only when you need advice on your personal facts.
Track IRCC rounds on the official rounds of invitations page. Note date, time in UTC, category, invitation count, lowest CRS, and tie-break timestamp for every round. Round 447 used 12:47:55 UTC on 1 October 2026, 3,500 invitations, CRS 476, and a tie-break of 2026-05-28 at 16:55:23 UTC. Write those figures into your own tracker so you compare future trades rounds against a fixed baseline. Also keep round 408 figures nearby: 2 April 2026, 3,000 invitations, CRS 477. Side-by-side numbers show how invitation volume and cut-offs moved between the two trades rounds of 2026.
Practical checklist before you file or wait
- Open your IRCC account and confirm invitation status for round 447.
- Verify CRS against current profile answers and supporting documents.
- Align employment letters and pay stubs with one listed trade NOC.
- Confirm language tests, Educational Credential Assessment, police certificates, and panel physician booking dates.
- Pay Express Entry permanent residence fees using the IRCC fee list figures in force on payment day.
- If you hold temporary status in Canada, review Bridging Open Work Permit timing against your work permit expiry.
- If you received no invitation, keep pool membership valid and prepare for the next trades category round.
Round 447 gives trades workers a concrete invitation window at CRS 476 with 3,500 places. Use the 60-day clock with complete documents. Use the NOC list with honest duty matching. Use the IRCC rounds page for every later draw. MigrantIQ will keep watching Express Entry category rounds as IRCC publishes new invitation tables.
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