Express Entry Draw Sees 5,750 ITAs as Canada Targets French Speakers and Senior Managers
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada held back-to-back express entry draw rounds on March 4 and March 5, 2026, issuing a combined 5, 750 Invitations to Apply for permanent residence.
Express Entry Draw: Combined ITAs, CRS Cut-Offs and Tie-Break Rules
On March 4, 2026, a category-based round issued 5, 500 Invitations to Apply under the French-Language proficiency 2026-Version 2 category with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 397. The tie-breaking rule for that draw was set at October 10, 2025 at 18: 18: 20 UTC.
The following day, March 5, 2026, a second draw under the Senior managers with Canadian Work Experience, 2026-Version 1 category issued 250 ITAs at a minimum CRS score of 429. The tie-breaking rule for the senior managers draw was set at August 19, 2025 at 15: 10: 18 UTC. Together, the two draws totaled 5, 750 ITAs.
Who Qualified Under the Senior Managers Category
The senior managers category required at least one year of full-time Canadian work experience in the past three years in one of four senior management occupation groups: senior managers in financial, communications and other business services; senior managers in health, education, social and community services; senior managers in trade, broadcasting and other services; and senior managers in construction, transportation, production and utilities.
Published hypothetical examples illustrating how candidates might meet the senior managers threshold include Anna Bure, a 37-year-old professional from Poland with a background in logistics and transportation management who worked in Canada under an Intra-Company Transfer for one year and would have a calculated CRS total of 438; and Mindy Cho, an operations professional with 15 years’ experience who worked in Canada for two years under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and would have a calculated CRS total of 470. These examples were presented as fictional profiles of candidates who could have been invited under the senior managers category.
Related Pathway For Temporary Workers And What Candidates Should Prepare
Separately, a new initiative has been described that could allow up to 33, 000 temporary foreign workers already living in Canada to obtain permanent residence between 2026 and 2028. Additional details about that program are expected to be released in April 2026. There are indications that candidates for the initiative may be selected through the Express Entry system, so some advisers have suggested entering the express entry draw pool now to be ready when rules are published.
The coverage notes two preparatory steps applicants can start: completing an approved language test (language test results are valid for two years) and obtaining an Educational Credential Assessment for foreign credentials (the assessment process typically takes seven weeks or longer). Beginning those steps early was recommended to avoid delays if selected to apply under the new pathway.
These back-to-back, category-focused draws illustrate a targeted selection approach that prioritized French-language proficiency and senior managerial experience in Canada. Next steps include the expected April release of program details for the temporary-worker pathway and continued category-based rounds under the Express Entry framework.
