….issues record-low four permanent residency invitations
Canada has opened a new immigration pathway for skilled foreign military personnel under its Express Entry programme.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued just four Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in the category’s inaugural draw, the lowest number ever issued in a single Express Entry selection round, which highlights the highly specialised nature of the category.
The latest selection round, conducted by IRCC on July 23, targeted candidates under the newly introduced Skilled Military Recruits category. To receive an invitation, applicants were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 368 and must have created their Express Entry profile before 8:11 pm UTC on June 2, 2026.
Read also: Here are 10 reasons why your Canadian Express Entry may be denied
The draw marks the first time IRCC has selected candidates under this category since it was introduced in February 2026. It also represents the lowest number of invitations ever issued in a single Express Entry draw.
The military recruitment draw follows three larger Express Entry rounds held earlier in the week. On July 22, IRCC invited 5,000 French-speaking candidates with a CRS cut-off score of 399. A day earlier, the department issued 2,000 invitations to candidates in the Canadian Experience Class with a minimum CRS score of 516, while 511 Provincial Nominee Program candidates received invitations on July 20 with a CRS cut-off score of 744.
Since the beginning of the year, Canada’s immigration department has conducted 42 Express Entry draws, continuing to prioritise candidates with Canadian work experience, provincial nominations and strong French-language proficiency.
Provincial Nominee Program candidates have been targeted most frequently, accounting for 14 draws so far this year, followed by 12 Canadian Experience Class draws and eight French-language proficiency rounds. The department has also conducted two draws each for physicians with Canadian work experience, healthcare and social services professionals, and senior managers with Canadian work experience. In addition, there has been one draw each for skilled trades workers and skilled military recruits.
Read also: Canadian province extends permanent residence pathway for Int’l students
In total, IRCC has issued 104,616 invitations to apply through Express Entry in 2026.
Candidates in the Canadian Experience Class have received the largest share of invitations, with 45,250 ITAs issued so far this year. French-language proficiency draws account for another 40,500 invitations, underscoring Canada’s continued efforts to strengthen Francophone immigration outside Quebec.
Healthcare and social services workers have received 8,000 invitations, while Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates account for 6,450 ITAs. Skilled trades workers have received 3,000 invitations, followed by physicians with Canadian work experience, who have been issued 662 invitations, and senior managers with Canadian work experience, who have received 750. The newly launched Skilled Military Recruits category has, so far, produced just four invitations.
The latest draw reinforces IRCC’s increasingly targeted approach to economic immigration, with invitations now being issued to candidates whose skills align with Canada’s specific labour market and workforce needs, rather than relying solely on broad, all-program Express Entry selections.
