Express Entry: Cutoffs Spike
What happened
Canada’s late‑March draws were aggressive: a March 30 draw invited 356 PNP candidates with a record‑high CRS cutoff around 802, while March 31’s draw issued 2,250 invitations to Canadian Experience Class candidates. Provincial nominations are clearly shaping Express Entry competitiveness this week. (business-standard.com) (immigrationnewscanada.ca)
Why it matters
IRCC logged the late‑March rounds as Express Entry draw #406 (Provincial Nominee Program) and draw #407 (Canadian Experience Class). (immigration2canada.com) The tie‑breaking cut‑off for the PNP‑focused draw referenced profiles submitted before February 12, 2026, while the CEC round used a tie‑breaker timestamp of 2026‑03‑18 08:27:11 UTC. (immigration2canada.com) A provincial nomination carries an automatic 600‑point boost in the Comprehensive Ranking System, which is the principal reason PNP‑only rounds produce much higher effective cut‑offs. (canada.ca) IRCC removed CRS points for job offers on March 25, 2025, shifting more selection weight onto provincial nominations, language scores, education and Canadian work experience. (canada.ca) Comparing consecutive PNP rounds shows volatility: the PNP cutoff in the March 30 round rose by 60 points from the March 16 PNP selection, underscoring rapid score movement in small, nomination‑targeted draws. (cicnews.com) Invited candidates have 60 calendar days to submit a complete permanent‑residence application under Express Entry, and CEC‑only rounds have historically posted faster median processing times (around 58 days); the March 31 CEC round’s cutoff sat notably above the category average. (canada.ca)
Key numbers
- Canada’s late‑March draws were aggressive: a March 30 draw invited 356 PNP candidates with a record‑high CRS cutoff around 802, while March 31’s draw issued 2,250 invitations to Canadian Experience Class candidates.
- (business-standard.com) (immigrationnewscanada.ca) IRCC logged the late‑March rounds as Express Entry draw #406 (Provincial Nominee Program) and draw #407 (Canadian Experience Class).
- (immigration2canada.com) The tie‑breaking cut‑off for the PNP‑focused draw referenced profiles submitted before February 12, 2026, while the CEC round used a tie‑breaker timestamp of 2026‑03‑18 08:27:11 UTC.
- (immigration2canada.com) A provincial nomination carries an automatic 600‑point boost in the Comprehensive Ranking System, which is the principal reason PNP‑only rounds produce much higher effective cut‑offs.
Quick answers
What happened in Express Entry: Cutoffs Spike?
Canada’s late‑March draws were aggressive: a March 30 draw invited 356 PNP candidates with a record‑high CRS cutoff around 802, while March 31’s draw issued 2,250 invitations to Canadian Experience Class candidates. Provincial nominations are clearly shaping Express Entry competitiveness this week. (business-standard.com) (immigrationnewscanada.ca)
Why does Express Entry: Cutoffs Spike matter?
IRCC logged the late‑March rounds as Express Entry draw #406 (Provincial Nominee Program) and draw #407 (Canadian Experience Class). (immigration2canada.com) The tie‑breaking cut‑off for the PNP‑focused draw referenced profiles submitted before February 12, 2026, while the CEC round used a tie‑breaker timestamp of 2026‑03‑18 08:27:11 UTC. (immigration2canada.com) A provincial nomination carries an automatic 600‑point boost in the Comprehensive Ranking System, which is the principal reason PNP‑only rounds produce much higher effective cut‑offs. (canada.ca) IRCC removed CRS points for job offers on March 25, 2025, shifting more selection weight onto provincial nominations, language scores, education and Canadian work experience. (canada.ca) Comparing consecutive PNP rounds shows volatility: the PNP cutoff in the March 30 round rose by 60 points from the March 16 PNP selection, underscoring rapid score movement in small, nomination‑targeted draws. (cicnews.com) Invited candidates have 60 calendar days to submit a complete permanent‑residence application under Express Entry, and CEC‑only rounds have historically posted faster median processing times (around 58 days); the March 31 CEC round’s cutoff sat notably above the category average. (canada.ca)
