Two federal rounds in two days
IRCC held Express Entry round #436 on August 18 for the Canadian Experience Class. It issued 1,000 invitations to apply, and the lowest-ranked invited candidate had a Comprehensive Ranking System score of 523.
On August 19, round #437 targeted candidates eligible under the 2026 French-language proficiency category, version 2. IRCC issued 5,000 invitations with a CRS cut-off of 382.
The two cut-offs should not be compared as one pool
The August 18 round was limited to Canadian Experience Class candidates, while the August 19 round required eligibility for the federal French-language category. The lower French-round cut-off does not apply to candidates who do not meet that category's language requirements.
For the French-language proficiency category, candidates must have eligible French test results showing at least NCLC 7 in all four abilities and must also qualify for one of the federal Express Entry programs.
What candidates should take from the results
Together, the two rounds issued 6,000 invitations, but each result is a completed selection—not a forecast. Future invitation counts, categories and CRS cut-offs can change independently.
Candidates should keep language results, work history and profile details current. Reaching a past cut-off does not guarantee an invitation in a later round.
This article is not legal advice. Immigration rules and program instructions can change, and the result depends on the facts of each case.