Good News for Canada PR Applicants: The year 2026 has started on a very positive note for people who are waiting for their chance to get Canadian Permanent Residence. On January 21, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a new Express Entry draw under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) category. In this draw, 6,000 candidates received invitations and the most exciting part was that the CRS cut-off score dropped to 509.
For many people who have been sitting in the Express Entry pool for months, it’s a time to get relief. Until recently, the scores were staying quite high, and even strong candidates were missing their chance by just a few points.
If you’re new to the process, Express Entry is simply an online system used by the Canadian government to select skilled workers who want to settle in Canada permanently. You create a profile, enter your details like age, education, work experience, and language scores, and then you receive a CRS score.
Think of it like a ranking system. The higher your score, the better your position in the pool. Every few weeks, the government picks candidates with the highest scores and invites them to apply for permanent residence.
What Is Canadian Experience Class?
The Canadian Experience Class is meant for people who already have work experience in Canada. These are usually international workers or graduates who are already contributing to the Canadian economy and now want to make Canada their long-term home.
Because these candidates already understand Canadian work culture and lifestyle, the government often gives them priority when issuing invitations.
In this draw, anyone who have a CRS score of 509 or higher and must have created their profile before October 29, 2025, received an invitation. A total of 6,000 people are invited.
A score of 509 might still sound high to some, but compared to the last few months, this is actually a welcome drop.
Comparison with Recent Draws?
Just two weeks earlier, on January 7, there was another CEC draw. In that draw, the cut-off score was 511, and 8,000 candidates were invited. Even though that draw invited more people, the score was slightly higher.
Before that, many CEC draws were staying in the 520 to 540 range. This made things very difficult for many genuine candidates who had good education, solid work experience and strong language skills but were still falling short.
Now we’re seeing a small but steady decline — from 511 to 509. It may not look like a big difference on paper, but in Express Entry, even two points can change thousands of lives.
This pattern suggests that the system may slowly become more favourable for candidates in the coming months. This is because Canada needs workers. Many industries are facing labour shortages including healthcare, construction, trucking, IT, hospitality and skilled trades. Employers need people and immigration is one of the fastest ways to fill these gaps.
Second, the government is inviting more people than before. When more invitations are issued, the cut-off score usually comes down naturally.
Third, CEC candidates are already living and working in Canada. They don’t need much adjustment, which makes them ideal permanent residents. If this trend continues, we could see CRS scores drop even further in future draws. Candidates who are currently sitting around the 500 mark may soon get their opportunity.
What Should Applicants Do Now?
If you are already in the Express Entry pool, this is the time to stay alert and prepared. Make sure your profile information is accurate and updated. If you can improve your language scores, gain more work experience, or explore provincial nominations, it could give you a strong boost.
If you’re planning to enter the pool soon, don’t delay. Even being in the system increases your chances when scores continue to move down. The January 21 CEC draw has sent a positive signal to thousands of hopeful applicants. A cut-off of 509, compared with 511 on January 7 and even higher scores in previous months, clearly shows a downward movement. For many people, this could be the opening they have been waiting for. If Canada continues this pattern, more doors will open for skilled workers who want to build their future in the country.