Express Entry pool grows and competition rises fast, i.e., Canada’s Express Entry pool has increased by more than 2,100 profiles between March 15 and April 12. This change has reversed the steady decline seen in previous months, even though Canada’s immigration department issued close to 14,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) during the same period.
Most of the growth has been seen in the 451–480 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score range, which added 1,581 profiles. Another noticeable increase was seen in the 501–600 score range, which grew by 571 profiles after earlier declines.
This rising competition at higher CRS levels was also reflected in the latest Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw held on April 14. In that draw, only 2,000 invitations were issued, making it the smallest CEC draw of 2026. The CRS cut-off score also increased to 515, which is six points higher than the previous draw.
Changes Seen In The Express Entry Pool
Between March 15 and April 12, the total number of profiles in the Express Entry pool increased from 231,362 to 233,555. This is a net gain of 2,193 profiles. It is also the first time since early February that the pool has grown instead of shrinking.
The largest increase was seen in the 461–470 CRS score range, which added 696 new profiles. In fact, every score band between 401 and 480 recorded growth, with increases ranging from 390 to 696 profiles. Altogether, the 401–480 range saw a combined increase of 3,895 profiles.
The 501–600 score range also saw growth of 571 profiles. This is important because this range had been decreasing in earlier updates due to regular CEC draws. The recent increase shows that new candidates are entering the pool quickly.
On the other hand, some score ranges saw a drop. The 351–400 range had the largest decline, losing 1,256 profiles. This may be due to French-language proficiency draws, which have invited candidates with lower CRS scores this year.
The 481–490 and 491–500 ranges also declined, with drops of 329 and 247 profiles, respectively.
Note: The pool data from April 12 does not include the three Express Entry draws held between April 13 and April 15, where a total of 6,324 ITAs were issued. This is explained further below.
In total, nine score ranges increased, while six saw a decrease:
| CRS Score Range | March 15 | April 12 | Difference |
| 0–300 | 8,299 | 8,253 | -46 |
| 301–350 | 18,903 | 18,543 | -360 |
| 351–400 | 53,565 | 52,309 | -1,256 |
| 401–410 | 11,437 | 11,845 | +408 |
| 411–420 | 12,288 | 12,753 | +465 |
| 421–430 | 12,471 | 12,973 | +502 |
| 431–440 | 14,247 | 14,775 | +528 |
| 441–450 | 14,195 | 14,606 | +411 |
| 451–460 | 15,122 | 15,512 | +390 |
| 461–470 | 15,272 | 15,968 | +696 |
| 471–480 | 15,751 | 16,246 | +495 |
| 481–490 | 12,992 | 12,663 | -329 |
| 491–500 | 13,421 | 13,174 | -247 |
| 501–600 | 13,039 | 13,610 | +571 |
| 601–1200 | 360 | 325 | -35 |
| Total | 231,362 | 233,555 | +2,193 |
Draws Not Included In The Latest Data
The most recent pool data does not include three Express Entry draws held between April 13 and April 15. These draws issued a total of 6,324 ITAs:
| Date | Round Type | Invitations Issued | CRS Score Of Lowest-Ranked Candidate Invited |
| April 15 | French-Language proficiency | 4,000 | 419 |
| April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 515 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 324 | 786 |
Based on these results, these draws may have reduced the number of candidates in different CRS ranges:
- 4,000 fewer profiles in the 411–420 range and above (French-language draw)
- 2,000 fewer profiles in the 501–600 range and above (CEC draw)
- 324 fewer profiles in the 601–1200 range (PNP draw)
The CEC draw also showed a higher CRS cut-off of 515, compared to 509 in the previous draw. The tie-breaking rule went back to June 10, 2025, which suggests that many candidates are still waiting in this score range.
This also shows that IRCC may be issuing fewer invitations in each CEC draw compared to earlier months.
What Caused These Changes?
Between March 15 and April 2, six Express Entry draws were held. These draws issued a total of 13,968 ITAs across different categories:
| Date | Round Type | Invitations Issued | CRS Score Of Lowest-Ranked Candidate Invited |
| April 2 | Trades Occupations | 3,000 | 477 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,250 | 509 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 356 | 802 |
| March 18 | French Language proficiency | 4,000 | 393 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 4,000 | 507 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 362 | 742 |
Even though nearly 14,000 invitations were issued, the pool still grew by 2,193 profiles. This means that around 16,000 new profiles were added during this time.
This shows that new candidates are entering the system faster than they are being invited. It also marks a shift from earlier months, when the pool size was going down.
The increase in mid-range scores, especially between 401 and 480, suggests that many new candidates have Canadian work experience or other qualifications that place them in this range.
How Competitive Is The Pool Now?
The following table shows how competitive the Express Entry pool is based on April 12 data:
| CRS Score Range | Number Of Candidates | Cumulative | Percentile Range | Percentage |
| 0–300 | 8,253 | 8,253 | 0.00%–3.53% | 3.53% |
| 301–350 | 18,543 | 26,796 | 3.53%–11.47% | 7.94% |
| 351–400 | 52,309 | 79,105 | 11.47%–33.87% | 22.40% |
| 401–410 | 11,845 | 90,950 | 33.87%–38.94% | 5.07% |
| 411–420 | 12,753 | 103,703 | 38.94%–44.40% | 5.46% |
| 421–430 | 12,973 | 116,676 | 44.40%–49.96% | 5.55% |
| 431–440 | 14,775 | 131,451 | 49.96%–56.28% | 6.33% |
| 441–450 | 14,606 | 146,057 | 56.28%–62.54% | 6.25% |
| 451–460 | 15,512 | 161,569 | 62.54%–69.18% | 6.64% |
| 461–470 | 15,968 | 177,537 | 69.18%–76.02% | 6.84% |
| 471–480 | 16,246 | 193,783 | 76.02%–82.97% | 6.96% |
| 481–490 | 12,663 | 206,446 | 82.97%–88.39% | 5.42% |
| 491–500 | 13,174 | 219,620 | 88.39%–94.03% | 5.64% |
| 501–600 | 13,610 | 233,230 | 94.03%–99.86% | 5.83% |
| 601–1200 | 325 | 233,555 | 99.86%–100.00% | 0.14% |
This data shows that a large number of candidates are now concentrated in the mid to high CRS ranges.
Overall, the Express Entry pool is becoming more competitive. The increase in higher-scoring candidates, along with smaller draw sizes in some categories, suggests that candidates may need stronger profiles to receive invitations in the future.
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