Breakdown of the Express Entry Pool: Active Candidates by Score Range

Express Entry Pool –  June 21, 2026 Update

• IRCC Update Date:  June 21, 2026
• Total candidates in the pool:  239,645 active profiles.

Key Changes in the EE Pool Update

The Express Entry pool now holds 239,645 candidates, up 798 from 238,847 on May 24, 2026.

Key changes by score range:

• 601–1200 range: There are 609 more candidates (332 to 941). This significant increase is likely due to the skipped PNP draws during the week of June 8, which led to a backlog of applicants in the pool.
• 501–600 range: An increase of 2,067 candidates in four weeks, continuing a trend of candidates entering the pool into this range or improving their scores.
• 451–500 range: Moderate gains across all sub-ranges, with the 471–480 band seeing one of the largest increases in this tier (278 new profiles).
• 401–450 range: Saw a decrease of 1,156 candidates, an usual fluctuation for this range, which has held steady between 64,000 and 66,000 candidates throughout 2026. Reductions in this band typically follow French-language draws.

Overall, the pool has grown across the highest CRS ranges, with the sharpest gains above 480. Competition in the Express Entry system remains high, and cut-off scores are likely to keep rising.

Want to know how competitive your CRS score is compared to the Express Entry pool? Check out our online Express Entry CRS points calculator.

Candidates in The Express Entry Pool over Time

The following chart illustrates how the pool has changed throughout the first months of 2026:

Number of candidates in the Express Entry Pool by Score over Time

Profiles in the 601-1200 Range

This range typically fluctuates between 300 and 500, but this week the number of candidates increased to 941, likely due to the skipped PNP draws during the week of June 8.

Profiles in the 501-600 Range

This range typically experiences the most significant changes every two weeks, with fluctuations of around 2,000 profiles. This trend indicates that a greater number of high-scoring candidates are entering the pool faster than the IRCC is issuing invitations. As a result, the cut-off scores for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) may remain high in upcoming draws.

This range remains one of the most important to monitor, as it continues to heavily influence CEC draw cut-off scores.

Profiles in the 491-500 Range

This range has remained steady in the 13,000 applicants band since January 2026; we have not seen significant changes in this range this year.

This steady growth keeps competition in the high 490s strong for candidates in the pool.

This mid-to-upper tier of the pool has continued to grow across almost all subranges, especially in the 471–480 range. Despite several recent draws, including French-language and CEC rounds, the pool is refilling very quickly with new candidates and profile improvements.

What this means for Candidates in the 451–500 range

If your CRS is between 451 and 500, you are still in one of the strongest positions in the pool right now.

This range continues to grow, and competition is increasing, especially in the upper 470s and 480s. But it is also where IRCC regularly issues invitations through Canadian Experience Class, French-language, and Trades draws.

401–450 Range

The number of applicants fluctuated between 64,000 and 66,000 in 2026. The latest decrease is likely related to the French-language draw on May 28, which issued 4,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) with a CRS score of 409, inviting many candidates from this segment of the pool.

What this means for candidates in the 401–450 range

If your CRS is between 401 and 450, there is still movement happening in this range, especially for French-speaking candidates. However, competition remains high, and the pool continues to refill quickly after large draws.

Even a small CRS improvement can still make a big difference in this score range.

351–400 Range

While many candidates are still concentrated within the same score range, the number has consistently remained stable at around 52,800 candidates.

What this means for Candidates in the 351–400 range

If your CRS is between 351 and 400, this is still mostly a waiting zone. Some candidates may benefit from French-language draws or future policy changes, but improving your CRS score remains the best long-term strategy.

301–350 Range

This range showed a significant decrease compared to the usual 18,000 – 19,000 average of applicants this range has had since December 2025.

Which means some candidates may have improved their CRS scores, moving into higher ranges, while others may have had their profiles expire and be removed.

Takeaway for Candidates in this range: There is still limited movement in this score range, and many candidates are waiting here. Increasing your CRS score remains very important.

0–300 Range

This part of the pool remains very stable, with only small changes over time.
This range continues to show very little movement, and candidates with scores below 300 remain very unlikely to receive an invitation without major changes to their profiles.

A Note for Candidates for scores below 300

If your CRS is below 300, receiving an invitation directly from Express Entry is very unlikely. Candidates in this range typically need a major boost in their scores, such as a provincial nomination, Canadian work experience, or improved language scores, to become competitive.

Check our article on how to improve your CR Score.

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