Canada Express Entry Draw – March 5, 2026: 250 Senior Managers Invited, CRS Cut-Off 429

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted a new Express Entry category-based draw on March 5, 2026, targeting candidates with senior management experience and Canadian work experience. A total of 250 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued for Canadian permanent residence.

Draw Details – March 5, 2026

Candidates with a CRS score of 429 or higher who met the requirements for the targeted category received invitations. Where multiple candidates shared the minimum score, IRCC applied its standard tie-breaking rule based on the date and time the Express Entry profile was submitted.

What the Tie-Breaking Rule Means

If multiple candidates had the minimum CRS score of 429, priority was given to those who submitted their Express Entry profiles before August 19, 2025 at 15:10:18 UTC. This means that candidates who had their profiles in the pool earlier were ranked ahead of those with the same score who created their profiles later.

Purpose of Category-Based Draws

Category-based rounds allow the Canadian government to invite candidates who meet specific labour market and economic priorities. This draw focused on senior-level managers with Canadian work experience, recognising the value of demonstrated leadership within Canada's workforce.

By targeting this group, IRCC aims to retain experienced managers who have already contributed to Canada's economy and are well positioned to continue doing so as permanent residents.

What Happens Next

Candidates who received an Invitation to Apply must submit their full permanent residence application within 60 days. The application will include supporting documents such as:

• Proof of work experience
• Language test results
• Education credentials
• Police certificates
• Medical examination results

About the Express Entry System

Express Entry manages applications for three main federal immigration programs:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) – for skilled workers with foreign work experience
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – for those with skilled Canadian work experience
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST) – for workers in skilled trades occupations

Candidates are ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which considers factors such as age, education, work experience, language ability, and other additional points such as a job offer or provincial nomination.

IRCC continues to hold general draws, program-specific draws, and category-based draws throughout the year to meet Canada's immigration and labour market needs. More invitation rounds are expected in the coming weeks.