September 16, 2026 Express Entry Senior Managers Draw: 250 ITAs at CRS 389

IRCC has posted a new category-based Express Entry round one day after the September 15 Canadian Experience Class draw. On its rounds of invitations page, the latest round is Senior managers with Canadian Work Experience, 2026-Version 1, held on September 16, 2026 at 12:44:28 UTC. The department issued 250 invitations. The Comprehensive Ranking System score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited was 389. Rank needed was 250 or above.

The ministerial instructions page for this round is invitation set 444. The tie-breaking rule is September 01, 2026 at 23:05:13 UTC. If more than one candidate sat at 389, only those who submitted their profile on or before that timestamp were invited.

This is not a new program. The senior managers category has been on IRCC's 2026 category list since February. The change that matters today is the published cutoff and volume.

Draw results at a glance

Official IRCC figures for this round:

Recent official rounds on IRCC's list:

A 389 cutoff is not a standing target for the rest of Express Entry. It applies only to candidates who met this category's instructions. The September 15 CEC cutoff of 519 still governs CEC-only rounds. Do not read 389 as a general CRS drop.

Who this category actually includes

IRCC's category-based selection page, last modified June 22, 2026, sets the floor. To be eligible for this category you must:

• Have accumulated, within the past 3 years, at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or an equal amount of part-time experience. The experience does not need to be continuous.
• Have gained that experience in a single occupation listed in the table below, no matter your primary occupation.
• Have gained that experience in Canada.
• Meet all requirements in the instructions for that round.
• Also be eligible for one of the three programs managed through Express Entry.

The official occupation list for this category is four TEER 0 titles:

This is not a generic manager draw. Middle managers, supervisors, and owners who do not perform the lead statement and main duties of one of those four NOC codes are outside the category. Foreign senior-manager experience without the required Canadian year also does not put you in this draw.

IRCC's pool snapshot as of September 13, 2026 listed 226,793 candidates in total. A 389 cutoff sits in the 351-400 band. Most people in that band were not invited. Only category-eligible senior managers at or above 389 who met the tie-break were selected.

If you received an ITA

IRCC's apply for permanent residence page states that an invitation is valid for 60 days only.

Start the file immediately. Confirm work letters, language tests, and any Educational Credential Assessment still match the invited profile. Book police certificates and a panel-physician medical early. Recalculate your CRS if anything has changed. IRCC says that if your recalculated score is below the lowest score in your round, you should decline the invitation. A job title that says "director" is not enough if the duties do not match the invited NOC. An ITA is not an approval.

If you were not invited

Confirm you actually meet this category. Canadian work in a different manager code does not put you in this draw. Check whether you also sit in CEC. The September 15 CEC cutoff was 519. We covered that round in our September 15 CEC explainer. Keep the profile accurate. A provincial nomination still adds 600 CRS points if you have a qualifying path.

If you want a structured review of category eligibility, CRS, or a complete application after an ITA, contact JSR Immigration & Legals through our consultation page or the work permit service page.

This article is general information current to September 16, 2026, and is not legal or immigration advice. Confirm the live round on Canada.ca before you act.