2026 cutoffs by draw type
| Draw type | Typical 2026 cutoff | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| General / CEC | ~510–525 | High-scoring all-round profiles |
| French proficiency | ~375–400 | NCLC 7+ French speakers — the best value in the system |
| Trade Occupations | ~476 | Eligible trades workers |
| Healthcare | Varies | Health professionals |
| PNP-only | 700+ | Provincial nominees (+600 automatic) |
The honest answer
- 530+: competitive in virtually any round.
- 480–530: strong for category-based rounds; borderline for general/CEC.
- 400–480: viable via French proficiency or trade/healthcare categories — check your eligibility.
- Below 400: focus on raising your score (language is usually the lever) or a PNP stream.
Don't compare across categories
A 476 in the October 2026 Trades draw and a 518 in the September CEC draw are different selections — IRCC invites from different pools. Compare your score only against rounds you are eligible for. Track them all on our draw results page.
Frequently asked questions
Is 450 a good CRS score in 2026?
For general/CEC rounds, 450 is below recent cutoffs (~510–525). But 450 can be competitive in category-based rounds — French-proficiency draws have gone much lower. Eligibility for a category matters more than the raw number.
Will CRS cutoffs go down?
Cutoffs move with draw sizes, categories and pool composition — nobody can predict them reliably. The controllable variable is your own score: language improvements are the highest-ROI lever for most candidates.