Canada has just opened another door for skilled trades workers hoping to become permanent residents.
Canada’s immigration department sent out 3,500 invitations on October 1, 2026, giving eligible Express Entry candidates with trades experience a chance to apply for permanent residence.
And here’s the interesting part: candidates needed a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 476.
Compare that with the latest Canadian Experience Class draw, where applicants needed 518 points. That’s quite a gap, especially if your score is somewhere in the mid-400s.
A Closer Look at the October 1 Draw
The October selection marked Express Entry round number 447 since the system began, and the 59th round held this year.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Category | Trade occupations |
| Date | October 1, 2026 |
| Draw number | 447 |
| Invitations | 3,500 |
| Minimum CRS | 476 |
| Tie-breaking date | May 28, 2026 |
But what happened when several applicants had exactly 476 points?
That’s where timing mattered. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) used a deadline of 16:55:23 UTC on May 28, 2026, to separate candidates with identical scores. Those who had submitted their profiles before that time were considered ahead of later applicants.
This Wasn’t Canada’s First Trades Draw of 2026
Skilled trades candidates had already seen one round earlier in the year. On April 2, IRCC offered 3,000 invitations, with the lowest qualifying CRS score set at 477.
Here’s how the two rounds compare:
| Draw Date | Invitations | CRS Cut-off |
| October 1, 2026 | 3,500 | 476 |
| April 2, 2026 | 3,000 | 477 |
The latest round added 500 invitations and reduced the score threshold by one point.
Altogether, these two rounds account for 6,500 invitations in 2026.
Canada also held separate selections on September 28 and 29, focusing on provincial nominees and Canadian Experience Class applicants.
