Express Entry draws are paused while IRCC rescores the whole pool. The last round was draw #453 on October 28, 2026 (Transport occupations, 150 invitations to apply, CRS 477)
IRCC has given no restart date, only that rescoring "may take up to two weeks" and rounds resume when it is done
The new points only add to scores: up to 70 for Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation, or 50 to 100 for a qualifying job offer, with no LMIA needed
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Express Entry Draws Paused: Why, How Long and What to Do
As of November 4, 2026. Yes, Express Entry draws are paused, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has not announced when the next one will be, only that the recalculation "may take up to two weeks" and that rounds start again when it is complete. No invitation round has been held since October 28, 2026, because IRCC is recalculating every profile in the pool under the new Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points that took effect on November 3, 2026.
Express Entry draws are paused while IRCC rescores the whole pool. The last round was draw #453 on October 28, 2026 (Transport occupations, 150 invitations to apply, CRS 477) | IRCC has given no restart date, only that rescoring "may take up to two weeks" and rounds resume when it is done | The new points only add to scores: up to 70 for Canadian work experience in a high-wage occupation, or 50 to 100 for a qualifying job offer, with no LMIA needed
Where does your CRS score stand?
Work out your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in a few minutes and compare it with recent draw cut-offs. Free.
IRCC changed how scores are built. From November 3, 2026 the CRS has a new Labour Market Integration factor, and the system has to recalculate every existing profile when the change takes effect. IRCC's page on the 2026 changes says: "During this time we'll pause invitation rounds and will start again when it's complete." We found no other reason on IRCC's pages. The practical logic is that every round ranks the whole pool by score, so inviting people from scores that are about to change would make no sense.
The new factor gives points for either Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation, and IRCC's CRS criteria page, dated November 3, 2026, now shows these values.
What you have
High-wage level
Points
12 months or more of Canadian work experience (extra, on top of length points)
2 times the median wage
70
1.5 times
40
1.3 times
20
Qualifying job offer
2 times the median wage
100
1.5 times
70
1.3 times
50
IRCC counts Canadian work experience or the job offer, whichever gives more points, not both. The factor tops out at 150 points for a candidate without a spouse or common-law partner (80 for work length plus 70 for high-wage experience) and 140 for a candidate with one. A qualifying job offer no longer needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), whether it is used for CRS points or to meet job offer requirements under the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and having an LMIA does not add points. The same rules feed rounds for the FSWP, FSTP, Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Program, and high-wage status is set by National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, not by your own salary. Whether your own occupation counts depends on IRCC's high-wage occupations list, which we break down in our list of high-wage occupations.
How long will the pause last?
IRCC's own limit is two weeks. Its October 16 news release says "the recalculation process may take up to two weeks, during which invitation rounds will be paused." Counted from November 3, two weeks ends on November 17. That is the outer edge of IRCC's wording, not a forecast. "Up to" means it could finish sooner, IRCC has not said exactly when the count starts, and it has not posted a restart date.
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When is the next Express Entry draw likely?
There is no official date. IRCC's rounds of invitations page gives no fixed schedule and says each round's instructions are posted online at the time of the round, so expect little or no advance notice.
What IRCC's list of rounds does show is a rhythm. In September and October 2026 the rounds came in four clusters: September 14 to 16, September 28 to October 1, October 13 to 16 and October 26 to 28. Each cluster opened with a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) round on a Monday or Tuesday, followed within days by a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) round or a category round. IRCC has not said whether it will return to that pattern, or which type of round it will run first after the pause.
One point on cut-offs. The first round after the pause will rank rescored profiles, so a cut-off such as the 477 below is not a reliable guide to where the next one will land. IRCC has not said where cut-offs will settle.
What was the last Express Entry draw before the pause?
The last round was draw #453 on October 28, 2026. It invited 150 candidates in the Transport occupations category at a CRS cut-off of 477, according to IRCC's rounds data. Here are the last six rounds. Our page for draw #453 has the full breakdown.
Draw
Date
Round type
Invitations (ITAs)
CRS cut-off
448
October 13, 2026
Provincial Nominee Program
752
772
449
October 15, 2026
Canadian Experience Class
2,500
519
450
October 16, 2026
French-language proficiency
5,000
435
451
October 26, 2026
Provincial Nominee Program
792
761
452
October 27, 2026
French-language proficiency
5,000
407
453
October 28, 2026
Transport occupations
150
477
IRCC's score distribution, dated October 25, 2026, counted 228,724 candidates in the pool: 787 scoring 601 or more, 20,535 between 501 and 600, and 71,112 between 451 and 500. Those numbers matter for the next section, because the rescore moves some of them up.
Will my CRS score go up or down?
Based on the CRS criteria IRCC has published, your score should stay the same or go up. The new factor adds points and none are taken away. IRCC says work-length points "are the same CRS points that are currently awarded" and that the rules for skills transferability "are not changing."
It goes up if you have at least 12 months of Canadian work experience in an occupation on IRCC's high-wage list. You gain 20, 40 or 70 points depending on the level.
It goes up if you have a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation and the job offer points beat your Canadian work experience points. Job offers are worth 50, 70 or 100.
It stays the same if neither applies, for example a candidate abroad with no Canadian work experience and no qualifying offer.
Your position can still fall when your score does not. Points are being added for other people, and IRCC's own note says more points do not guarantee an invitation, which still depends on each round's requirements and cut-off.
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Check your profile entries. Sign in and read your work history line by line: dates, hours, employer and NOC code should all match your actual duties, because the new points depend on the NOC code. If you have a job offer, IRCC's job offer page says to include the start date, the employer's name and address, and the NOC code.
Follow IRCC's instructions for a job offer without an LMIA. IRCC says its online system does not yet reflect the new rule, so the profile still asks whether you have a positive LMIA. IRCC's page tells you to answer yes and gives the exact LMIA number and dates to enter. Copy them from IRCC's page, not from a forum post.
Be aware of the November 3 job offer deadline. IRCC's release said candidates who want job offer points must update their profiles before November 3. If you missed it, update now anyway. IRCC has not said whether job offers added after November 3 will be counted in the rescore, so do not assume they will, and check your score in your account once the rescore is done.
Check your profile's expiry date. A profile that does not get an invitation within 12 months of submission expires automatically, and you can see the date in your account. IRCC's help centre says the system does not keep your information after that, and not to create a new profile until the old one expires. If you create one early, withdraw the existing one first. IRCC has published no extension of profile validity during the pause.
Look at provincial routes. A provincial or territorial nomination is worth 600 CRS points. Provinces run their own selection, and IRCC has not said that provincial nomination streams stop during the pause. Our provincial nominee guide covers the routes.
Get your documents ready. An invitation is valid for 60 days only, per IRCC's apply for permanent residence page. The same page lists things that can lower your score before you apply: a job offer or nomination you no longer have, a language test that expired or a lower score on a retest, and a work permit that expires. Check those dates now.
Our CRS calculator can estimate your new score. If you want a licensed consultant to review your profile and NOC code, a consultation is CA$100, credited toward a retainer if you sign within 30 days. Book a consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Are Express Entry draws paused right now?
Yes. IRCC held its last round on October 28, 2026, and says invitation rounds are paused while it recalculates scores for the November 3 changes. As of November 4, 2026, its rounds list shows no round after October 28.
When is the next Express Entry draw?
IRCC has not announced a date. It says rescoring "may take up to two weeks" and that rounds will start again when it is complete. Two weeks from November 3 is November 17, which is IRCC's outer limit as worded, not a prediction. Check our draws tracker for new rounds.
What was the last Express Entry draw?
Draw #453 on October 28, 2026: Transport occupations, 150 invitations to apply, CRS cut-off 477. The round before it, draw #452 on October 27, invited 5,000 French-language candidates at 407.
Will my CRS score change after the rescore?
It should stay the same or go up. IRCC's published criteria add points for high-wage Canadian work experience (20, 40 or 70) or a high-wage job offer (50, 70 or 100) and remove none. You get the higher of the two, not both.
Do I need to update my Express Entry profile now?
Review it now. Check that work history and any job offer details are correct. IRCC asked candidates to update job offer details before November 3. If you did not, update now, but IRCC has not said whether late updates are counted in the rescore.
Will my profile expire during the pause?
It can. A profile expires 12 months after you submit it if you are not invited, and the date shows in your account. IRCC has published no extension of profile validity during the pause, so check your date and plan a new submission if it falls soon.
Does the pause stop provincial nominations?
IRCC's pause covers its Express Entry invitation rounds, including the PNP rounds it runs. Provinces select candidates through their own streams, and IRCC has not said that those stop. A nomination is worth 600 CRS points once it is on your profile.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration or legal advice. Immigration laws and policies change frequently. Each case is unique and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) before making immigration decisions.
Rami Mamar is an RCIC-IRB licensed immigration consultant and Commissioner of Oaths with over a decade of experience helping clients from Iran, UAE, Syria, Armenia, and worldwide immigrate to Canada. He has overseen 10,000+ immigration cases including Express Entry, work permits, study permits, and family sponsorship applications.
