Canada has issued another round of Express Entry invitations specifically targeting senior managers with Canadian work experience.
On September 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 250 candidates to apply for permanent residence through the Express Entry system. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 389.
Candidates with a CRS score of 389 were required to have created their Express Entry profile before 11:05 p.m. UTC on September 1, 2026, under the tie-breaking rule.
This was the third Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience draw of 2026 and produced the lowest CRS cut-off recorded so far for this category.
September 16 Senior Managers Express Entry Draw
The latest draw had the following results:
| Draw date | Category | ITAs issued | CRS cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 16, 2026 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 250 | 389 |
The September draw followed a July 10 round that issued 500 invitations with a CRS cut-off of 392. The first draw under the category took place on March 5, when IRCC issued 250 invitations at a CRS cut-off of 429.
Across the three draws, IRCC has now issued 1,000 invitations to candidates under the Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category.
Who Is Eligible for the Senior Managers Category?
The Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category was introduced as one of Canada’s category-based selection groups.
To qualify for this category, a candidate must have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or an equivalent amount of part-time experience, in the past three years.
The experience:
- must be in one of the occupations listed for the category;
- must have been obtained in Canada;
- does not have to be continuous; and
- must meet the requirements specified for the particular Express Entry round.
However, meeting the occupational requirement does not by itself make someone eligible for permanent residence through Express Entry.
The candidate must first qualify for one of the Express Entry programs — the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), or Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) — and have an Express Entry profile in the pool.
IRCC then identifies candidates who are eligible for the particular category and ranks them according to their CRS scores.
Which Occupations Are Included?
The current Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience category covers four NOC 2021 occupations:
NOC 00012
Senior managers – financial, communications and other business services
NOC 00013
Senior managers – health, education, social and community services and membership organizations
NOC 00014
Senior managers – trade, broadcasting and other services
NOC 00015
Senior managers – construction, transportation, production and utilities
All four occupations are classified as TEER 0 management occupations.
An important point is that the category is based on the candidate’s actual occupation and work experience, not simply the person’s job title.
A person who has “director,” “vice-president,” “executive,” or another senior-sounding title is not automatically eligible. The work performed must correspond to the appropriate NOC and its lead statement and main duties.
Why Is the CRS Cut-Off So Much Lower?
The September 16 cut-off of 389 is considerably below recent CEC and general Express Entry scores.
For comparison, IRCC issued 2,000 CEC invitations on September 15 at a CRS cut-off of 519, while the September 4 healthcare and social services draw had a cut-off of 475.
The difference does not mean that senior managers automatically receive invitations with a CRS score of 389.
Rather, the category-based draw creates a separate pool of eligible candidates. IRCC ranks candidates who meet the Senior Managers category requirements according to their CRS scores and invites the highest-ranking candidates within that category.
The September 16 result therefore shows that candidates who meet the category requirements may receive an ITA at a CRS score substantially below the levels seen in some other Express Entry rounds.
It should not, however, be interpreted as a guaranteed future cut-off.
Canadian Work Experience Is Essential
The name of the category is important: Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience.
Candidates must have accumulated at least 12 months of eligible Canadian work experience in the past three years in one of the four listed senior-manager occupations. The experience can be full-time or an equivalent amount of part-time work and does not have to be continuous.
This requirement distinguishes the category from a pathway based simply on having senior-management experience overseas.
For example, a senior executive with many years of management experience outside Canada but no qualifying Canadian work experience would not meet this particular category requirement.
Does a Job Offer Guarantee an Invitation?
No.
A job title, senior position or Canadian job offer does not by itself guarantee an Express Entry invitation.
Candidates still need to:
- Qualify for an Express Entry program.
- Create an Express Entry profile.
- Meet the Senior Managers category requirements.
- Have the required Canadian work experience.
- Receive a CRS score high enough to be selected in the particular draw.
- Receive an ITA before applying for permanent residence.
IRCC ranks eligible candidates by CRS score in category-based rounds.
The CRS Score of 389 Is Not a New Minimum for the Category
The September 16 draw should not be understood as establishing a permanent CRS threshold of 389.
The CRS cut-off is determined by the composition of the Express Entry pool and the number of invitations issued in each round.
The three Senior Managers draws in 2026 illustrate this:
- March 5: 250 ITAs — CRS 429
- July 10: 500 ITAs — CRS 392
- September 16: 250 ITAs — CRS 389
The cut-off has therefore varied significantly between the three rounds.
Future draws could have a higher or lower cut-off depending on the number and CRS scores of candidates who qualify for the category and the number of invitations IRCC decides to issue.
What Senior Managers Should Check Before Creating an Express Entry Profile
Senior managers considering this category should assess more than their job title.
1. Check the NOC
The candidate’s actual duties should correspond to one of NOC 00012, 00013, 00014 or 00015.
Choosing a NOC solely because its title sounds similar to the candidate’s position can create problems later.
2. Verify the Canadian work experience
At least 12 months of qualifying experience must have been accumulated in Canada during the previous three years.
3. Determine Express Entry program eligibility
Category eligibility is additional to the underlying Express Entry program requirements.
A candidate must qualify for the CEC, FSWP or FSTP before being placed in the Express Entry pool.
4. Calculate the CRS score
The category does not eliminate the CRS system.
Candidates within the category are still ranked according to CRS, and the cut-off can change from one draw to another.
5. Keep documents consistent
Employment letters, job duties, dates of employment, work permits, tax documents and other supporting evidence should accurately reflect the candidate’s Canadian employment history.
A discrepancy between the NOC selected in the Express Entry profile and the duties described in supporting documents can become an important issue during processing.
What Happens After an Invitation?
Receiving an ITA is not the same as receiving permanent residence.
An invited candidate must submit a complete permanent residence application within 60 days. IRCC then assesses the application based on program eligibility, the information provided in the Express Entry profile, category eligibility and admissibility.
The candidate must therefore continue to meet the relevant requirements and be able to substantiate the information declared in the Express Entry profile.
What Does the Latest Draw Mean for Senior Managers?
The September 16 draw confirms that Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience remains an active Express Entry category in 2026.
The latest round issued 250 invitations at a CRS score of 389, bringing the total number of invitations issued through this category in 2026 to 1,000.
For senior managers with qualifying Canadian work experience, the category provides another route for consideration within Express Entry.
However, candidates should not assume that a CRS score of 389 will be sufficient in a future draw. The September result is a record of one specific selection round, not a guaranteed threshold for subsequent rounds.
Bottom Line
The September 16, 2026 Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience draw issued:
250 ITAs
CRS cut-off: 389
Tie-break: September 1, 2026 at 11:05 p.m. UTC
The category covers NOC 00012, 00013, 00014 and 00015 and requires at least 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience in the past three years. Candidates must also qualify for an underlying Express Entry program before they can be considered for the category-based draw.
For senior managers working in Canada, the latest draw is particularly relevant because it demonstrates that category-based selection can operate at a CRS level substantially below recent CEC and other broad Express Entry draws. It remains important, however, to distinguish the 389 score achieved in this particular draw from any prediction about future invitation thresholds.
Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Express Entry category-based selection and rounds of invitations.
