Canada Express Entry 2027: What Is Confirmed for UAE Residents
Express Entry in 2027 — what is confirmed and what is not
The figures on this page were read from canada.ca on 5 and 6 November 2026. Where something has not been announced, we say so.
Short answer: Canada's 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, published on 5 November 2026, sets a 2027 target of 100,000 admissions through the federal skilled programs that Express Entry manages, down from 109,000 in 2026. The points system that will rank candidates going into 2027 changed on 3 November 2026. The Express Entry categories for 2027 have not been announced.
This page is for people living in the UAE who are deciding whether to enter the pool now or plan for next year. It separates what the Government of Canada has published from what is still open. For how the system works step by step, read our Express Entry and CRS guide for UAE residents.
Last reviewed: 5 November 2026 · Cosmos Immigration case team. This page is educational. Eligibility is assessed against your own profile and the IRCC rules in force on the day you apply.
How many people will Canada admit through Express Entry in 2027?
The 2027 figures in the 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, published on 5 November 2026.
| Category | 2026 target | 2027 target | 2027 range |
|---|---|---|---|
| All permanent residents | 380,000 | 380,000 | 352,500 to 422,000 |
| Federal High Skilled (the Express Entry programs) | 109,000 | 100,000 | 87,000 to 123,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 91,500 | 95,000 | 83,000 to 106,000 |
| All economic classes | 239,800 | 244,700 | 230,000 to 270,000 |
- Economic immigration is planned at 64.4% of all admissions in each of 2027, 2028 and 2029.
- The target for French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec rises from 9% in 2026 to 9.5% in 2027.
- IRCC describes the 2027 and 2028 figures as notional: they "will be confirmed or adjusted each year".
What is not confirmed: as at 5 November 2026, canada.ca still shows the 2026–2028 plan. The 2027–2029 plan, which will confirm or adjust the 2027 figures above, had not been published there when we checked. We will update this page when it is.
What changed in the CRS on 3 November 2026?
The rules you will be ranked under going into 2027.
From 3 November 2026 the Comprehensive Ranking System has a new Labour Market Integration factor worth up to 150 points. It gives points for either Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer, whichever is higher. You cannot receive both.
| Source of points | With a spouse or partner | Without a spouse or partner |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian work experience: length of work (1 to 5 or more years) | 35 to 70 | 40 to 80 |
| Canadian work experience: extra points for at least 12 months in a high-wage occupation | 20, 40 or 70 | 20, 40 or 70 |
| Qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation | 50, 70 or 100 | 50, 70 or 100 |
| Maximum for the factor | 140 | 150 |
- A high-wage occupation is one where the median wage in Canada is at least 1.3 times the average median wage. The three point levels are set at 1.3, 1.5 and 2 times that average.
- A job offer that is not in a high-wage occupation earns no CRS points, although it can still help you meet program eligibility.
- IRCC states that a positive LMIA is no longer needed for a qualifying job offer. An officer still checks that the offer is genuine when you apply.
- IRCC paused invitation rounds while existing profiles are recalculated and said this could take up to two weeks.
Our reading for UAE residents: if you have never worked in Canada and have no Canadian job offer, this factor adds nothing to your score. Candidates already working in Canada in high-wage jobs gain up to 70 points. The routes that do not depend on Canadian experience matter more than before: category rounds, French ability and a provincial nomination.
What do the 2026 rounds tell someone planning for 2027?
All 65 rounds from 1 January to 28 October 2026, from IRCC's published rounds data.
| Round type in 2026 | Rounds | Invitations | CRS cut-off range |
|---|---|---|---|
| French-language proficiency | 12 | 60,500 | 382 to 435 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 18 | 57,750 | 507 to 523 |
| Healthcare and social services occupations | 3 | 11,500 | 467 to 475 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 21 | 10,814 | 697 to 805 |
| Trades occupations | 2 | 6,500 | 476 to 477 |
| Senior managers with Canadian work experience | 3 | 1,000 | 389 to 429 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 3 | 891 | 169 to 223 |
| Transport occupations | 2 | 450 | 470 to 477 |
| Skilled military recruits | 1 | 4 | 368 |
| Total | 65 | 149,409 |
Three things stand out for an applicant outside Canada:
- There was no general round open to every program in 2026. Every round was for a program, a category or provincial nominees.
- French-language rounds issued the most invitations of any round type, at the lowest cut-offs outside the small specialist categories.
- The Canadian Experience Class, the second largest, is only for people who have already worked in Canada. Three of the smaller categories also require Canadian work experience.
Past cut-offs are a record, not a forecast. The 3 November 2026 points change will move scores for candidates with Canadian experience, so the first rounds after the pause may look different.
What is not known about 2027 yet?
Open items as at 5 November 2026.
- The 2027 categories. IRCC announced the 2026 categories in February 2026. It has not announced categories for 2027.
- The 2027 targets are now confirmed. The 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan was published on 5 November 2026; its figures are in the table above.
- Cut-off scores after the points change. No round had been held under the new rules when we checked.
- When rounds restart. IRCC said the recalculation could take up to two weeks from 3 November 2026 and gave no date.
How should a UAE resident prepare for 2027?
Use a good consultant. This is not a do-it-yourself application.
Do not prepare this application yourself. Express Entry looks simple online, and that is where the trouble starts: a wrong occupation code, work experience that is not proved the way IRCC asks, an expired language test or a missing document. Errors like these complicate a file and can end in a refusal. Information that turns out to be false is more serious: the Government of Canada states that the application will be refused and the applicant could be banned from Canada for at least five years, with a permanent record of it (Government of Canada, consequences of immigration fraud, read 6 November 2026). You remain responsible for everything in your application, so have a good consultant assess your profile and prepare the file with you before anything is submitted. These are the points your consultant will work through with you:
- Get your language results first. Language is the largest factor you control from the UAE, and a test result is needed before you can enter the pool.
- Consider French seriously. French-language rounds were the largest route of 2026 and Canada's target for French-speaking admissions outside Quebec is 9.5% in 2027, rising to 12% by 2029.
- Check whether your occupation fits a category. Healthcare, trades and transport rounds in 2026 invited at CRS 467 to 477, well below the Canadian Experience Class.
- Look at provincial nomination. A nomination adds 600 points, and the Provincial Nominee Program target rises to 95,000 in 2027.
- Start the slow documents early. The educational credential assessment and the UAE police clearance take time and do not depend on any announcement.
- Do not wait only because of age. Age points fall after 29, so a year's delay can cost points that a 2027 announcement may not return.
Estimate your score with the Canada PR Points Calculator, then ask for a profile assessment. Where Canadian law requires an authorised representative to deal with IRCC on your behalf, that person is independently engaged on your file; ask us for the name and check it on the public register. See Verify Our Credentials. Outcomes depend on IRCC decisions and your individual profile; no result can be promised.
Also in the 2027 series: Australia skilled migration in 2027 and Second citizenship programmes in 2027.
Express Entry 2027 — Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers, dated 5 November 2026.
Will Express Entry change in 2027?
The largest change has already happened: the CRS points for Canadian work experience and job offers changed on 3 November 2026. The 2027 targets were confirmed on 5 November 2026: 100,000 admissions for the federal skilled programs. The 2027 categories have not been announced as at 6 November 2026.
What CRS score will I need in 2027?
Nobody can state that in advance; each round sets its own cut-off. In 2026, to 28 October, French-language rounds ran from 382 to 435, healthcare from 467 to 475, trades at 476 to 477 and the Canadian Experience Class from 507 to 523.
Is a job offer needed for Express Entry in 2027?
No. A job offer is not required to enter the pool. Since 3 November 2026 a qualifying job offer in a high-wage occupation earns 50, 70 or 100 CRS points, and IRCC states an LMIA is no longer needed for it to count.
How many invitations did Canada issue in 2026?
149,409 invitations across 65 rounds between 1 January and 28 October 2026, according to IRCC's published rounds data.
Should I apply now or wait for 2027?
That depends on your profile. Entering the pool does not commit you to anything, a profile stays valid for 12 months, and age points fall after 29. If your language results and credential assessment are ready, waiting rarely adds points.
Official sources
All accessed 5 November 2026.
- IRCC: Supplementary Information for the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan
- IRCC: Supplementary Information for the 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan
- IRCC: Canada's immigration levels
- IRCC: 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers
- IRCC: Express Entry rounds of invitations
- IRCC news release, February 2026: Express Entry categories for 2026
Enter your information
Choose the Destination to migrate
