New Express Entry Draw On May 27 Sent 3,000 PR Invitations
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ended the CEC drought on May 27, 2026. They issued 3,000 invitations to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class.
The Comprehensive Ranking System cutoff for the lowest-ranked candidate invited was 518 points. This is the first CEC draw since April 28. It ended a 29-day gap that was the longest CEC pause of 2026.
Immigration consultant reviewing Express Entry draw details
May 27, 2026 Express Entry Draw Details
Candidates who scored 518 or above and submitted their profile before the tie-breaking timestamp received an invitation in this round.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Program | Canadian Experience Class |
| Draw Date And Time | May 27, 2026 at 10:20:11 UTC |
| Number Of Invitations Issued | 3,000 |
| CRS Score Of Lowest Ranked Candidate | 518 |
| Rank Required | 3,000 or above |
| Tie-Breaking Rule | April 30, 2026 at 03:16:01 UTC |
The tie-breaking rule determines which candidates receive invitations when multiple profiles share the same CRS score at the cutoff.
Candidates with a CRS score of exactly 518 needed to have submitted their Express Entry profile before April 30, 2026 at 03:16:01 UTC. Anyone who submitted after that timestamp was not selected despite meeting the CRS requirement.
Why The CRS Cutoff Jumped To 518
The last CEC draw on April 28 issued only 2,000 invitations at CRS 514. The April 14 round before that also issued 2,000 at CRS 515.
During the 29-day gap, the 501 to 600 CRS band grew by 2,286 candidates. The number increased from 15,659 on May 10 to 17,945 on May 24.
More high-scoring candidates entered the pool while none were removed through CEC invitations. That accumulation is exactly why the cutoff rose by 4 points.
The 4-point CRS jump from 514 to 518 reflects the pool pressure that built during the pause. The larger invitation size of 3,000 helped contain what could have been a sharper rise.
Without the bump to 3,000 invitations, the cutoff would likely have climbed higher. This is similar to the pattern observed when CEC draws shrank to 2,000 in April.
How This Draw Fits The Short Pause Scenario
The result lands squarely within the short pause scenario outlined in our draw timing and CRS projection analysis published last week.
The analysis projected CEC at 2,000 to 3,000 invitations with a CRS cutoff between 515 and 522.