One of the most common questions about Canada’s Express Entry system is: How does Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) decide the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required in each draw? The answer might be simpler — and different — than many applicants expect.
🧠 Cut-Off Scores Aren’t Declared — They Are an Outcome
Contrary to what some applicants assume, IRCC does not choose a cut-off score before each Express Entry draw. Instead:
- IRCC decides how many Invitations to Apply (ITAs) will be issued in a draw.
- Then, from the Express Entry pool, it invites only the top-scoring candidates — up to the number of ITAs announced.
- After that, the cut-off score is simply the CRS score of the lowest-ranking candidate invited in that round.
In other words, the cut-off score is a consequence, not a predetermined benchmark.
📊 What Determines Where the Cut-Off Falls?
Because the cut-off depends on the profiles in the pool at the time of the draw, several factors influence how high or low it ends up:
🔹 Number of ITAs Issued
Larger draws (like those issuing thousands of invitations) generally mean a lower cut-off score because IRCC invites more candidates, reaching deeper into the ranking list.
🔹 Competitiveness of the Candidate Pool
If many high-scoring profiles remain in the pool, the cut-off scores will tend to be higher. Conversely, if many top profiles exit (for example, after recent large CEC draws), the cut-off can drop and make room for lower-scoring candidates.
🔹 Draw Type and Program
Different Express Entry draw categories — such as Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), French-language proficiency-based draws, or future targeted draws — can reach very different cut-off levels because they target different sections of the pool.
For example, category-based draws can produce lower cut-offs when they target a larger group of eligible candidates (like the French-language proficiency draw that had a cut-off near 400 in early 2026).
🔁 Tie-Breaker Rule: What Happens at the Cut-Off?
When more than one candidate profile has the same CRS score at the cut-off point, IRCC applies a tie-breaker rule to decide who gets invited:
✔ Only candidates who submitted their profiles before a specific date and time (set for that draw) will receive an Invitation to Apply at that score.
✔ Candidates who submitted later — even with the same CRS score — will not be invited.
This tie-breaker helps IRCC control the exact number of ITAs issued.
📊 Why Cut-Off Scores Change From Draw to Draw
Express Entry cut-offs shift over time because the pool’s composition and IRCC’s draw sizes change continuously. For example:
- If a large number of high-scoring candidates accepted ITAs recently and exited the pool, the average score in the remaining pool drops — which lowers future cut-offs.
- Smaller draws with fewer ITAs will stop earlier in the ranking list, which results in higher cut-offs.
The cut-off score isn’t driven by a fixed target such as “500 points minimum.” It depends on who is in the pool at that moment and how many spots IRCC opens.
🧠 Final Thought
Understanding how Express Entry cut-off scores are determined helps candidates see why scores can rise or fall between each draw. The key takeaway is simple: IRCC invites the highest-scoring candidates based on the number of ITAs offered, and the cut-off score is the score of the lowest of those invited, not a fixed or chosen number.
