Express Entry Transport Draw: CRS 470, 300 Invited (2026)

This page tracks the Express Entry Transport occupations category and is updated whenever a new Transport round is held. On August 7, 2026, IRCC held Canada's first invitation round under the renewed Transport occupations category, issuing 300 invitations to apply at a Comprehensive Ranking System cutoff of 470. If you work as a pilot, an aircraft mechanic, or a truck or bus mechanic, this is a new, narrower door into permanent residence that most Express Entry candidates have never had access to before.

What Happened in the August 7 Express Entry Transport Draw?

According to canada.ca's published rounds of invitations, the round held on August 7, 2026 at 10:08:20 UTC was listed under the category Transport Occupations, 2026-Version 2. IRCC issued 300 invitations to apply, and the lowest ranked candidate invited had a CRS score of 470. The tie breaking rule was set at October 11, 2025 at 14:55:49 UTC, which only matters to candidates sitting at exactly 470: among them, only those whose profile was already in the pool before that moment received an invitation. This was the first time IRCC has used the Transport category since it reintroduced the category in 2026 with a different list of eligible occupations, according to CIC News. It landed in a busy week that also included a Provincial Nominee Program round on August 4 at CRS 768, a Canadian Experience Class round on August 5 at CRS 516, and a French language round on August 6 at CRS 391, making this IRCC's 46th Express Entry selection round of 2026.

Who Qualifies for the Transport Occupations Category?

According to canada.ca, eligibility is narrow and specific. You must have accumulated at least 12 months of full-time work experience, or an equal amount of part-time experience, within the past 3 years, in a single occupation from the list below. That experience does not need to be continuous, can come from inside or outside Canada, and does not have to be your primary occupation. Only 4 occupations currently qualify:

Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors (NOC 72600) · Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics, and mechanical repairers (NOC 72410) · Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors (NOC 72404) · Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors (NOC 22313).

Notice what is missing: truck, bus, and delivery drivers are not on this list. Despite the category's name, this round rewards the people who build, maintain, and fly transport equipment, not the people who operate it day to day. If your occupation is not one of these 4, this category cannot help your file, no matter how central transportation is to your job title.

Is CRS 470 a High or Low Cutoff Compared to Other Categories?

With only one Transport round on record, there is no in-category trend yet, but the closest comparison is the Trades category, another occupation-specific round that also targets skilled tradespeople. That category's only round this year, on April 2, invited 3,000 candidates at a cutoff of CRS 477, just 7 points above today's Transport cutoff. Both sit well below the Canadian Experience Class cutoff that has been stuck near CRS 516 all summer, and both issued far fewer invitations than the 4,000-invitation rounds IRCC has run for occupation-specific categories like healthcare and social services. The takeaway: at 300 invitations, this was a small, targeted round, and a low CRS score alone will not carry a file that does not meet the strict occupation requirement.

What Should You Do If You Work in a Transport Occupation?

Start by checking your NOC code against the 4 occupations above, not your job title. Someone who calls themselves a "transport technician" but is actually classified under a different NOC will not qualify, while someone with the right occupation code but a different-sounding job title might. If you already meet the 12-month experience threshold, make sure your Express Entry profile lists that work history accurately and completely, because a category-based round only ranks candidates who are already in the pool and already show the qualifying experience on their profile. If you are unsure whether your specific role maps to one of these 4 occupations, or whether your work experience documentation will hold up under IRCC scrutiny, that is exactly the kind of question worth confirming with a licensed consultant before you wait for the next round.