8,000 permanent residence spots in Canada

Canada pleasantly surprised us. On January 7, it invited a record number of immigrants, with the lowest passing score in the last year and a half.
Who can get permanent residence in Canada right now?
How realistic is it in 2026, and how many points do you need to get an invitation?
Let’s break it down. Read until the end — we’ll show a concrete calculation, and the result will surprise you.

Let us remind you that a new immigration plan came into effect this year. Under the regular programs, 380,000 people will be able to obtain permanent residence, and an additional about 57,000 are people under protection. The numbers are quite impressive.

Already on January 5, the first Express Entry draw took place for applicants with provincial nominations. We won’t focus on it — everything there was standard.
But what happened on January 7 is much more interesting.

On January 7, Canada invited 8,000 people at once. We don’t remember such numbers. Such a large number of invitations in a single draw did not happen last year, nor in 2024, 2023, or 2022. From the very first days of January, the Canadian government loudly declared: “The country needs immigrants.”
But which ones exactly? Let’s find out — and start with the passing score.

It was only 511.
This is the lowest score since September 2024 — that is, in the last year and a half. For comparison, last year the passing scores in general draws went up to 547.

A difference of several dozen points is a lot. It can be the difference between getting an invitation and waiting another year.

The draw was held under the Canadian Experience Class program. What is this program?
It is a federal immigration stream for those who already work or have worked in Canada. The requirement is simple: at least 1 year of skilled full-time work in Canada, or 2 years of part-time work.

Who can apply under the Canadian Experience Class?
First of all, temporary residents of Canada — those who originally came on work or study visas. Today, finding a job from abroad and getting a work permit directly is quite difficult. Employers are reluctant to arrange an LMIA, and competition is high.

That is why, in these conditions, an alternative and more reliable path is especially in demand — immigration through studies.

The scheme is as follows: you study in Canada for 1 to 3 years. After graduation, you receive a Post-Graduation Work Permit, valid for 1 to 3 years, depending on the length of the program. You gain Canadian work experience and then apply for immigration.

And you can study at any age — not only recent school graduates, but also people who already have higher education. Many of our followers come to study at 30, 40, and even 50 years old.

Let’s calculate the points using a specific example.
By the way, we expect that several of our followers will receive the long-awaited invitation letter after this draw, and we are already checking email together with them.

So, let’s imagine the situation. In your home country, you obtained a bachelor’s degree and worked in your specialty for only 1 year. You decided that you want to develop further and went to study in Canada. You chose a two-year college program — a so-called post-graduate certificate for those who already have higher education. If you chose a master’s degree, it would be even better for points, but let’s take a simpler option.

You studied for 2 years, received a Canadian diploma, and applied for a Post-Graduation Work Permit. Since you studied for two years, the permit is issued for 3 years. You found a job in your field and worked 2 years in Canada.

During this time, you improved your English and passed the exam with the following scores:
8 for listening and 7 for reading, speaking, and writing on the Canadian scale. This is CLB 9, an excellent level. And you are now 29 years old.

How many points do you get?
We use the official Express Entry calculator.

Let’s calculate. The result is 522 points, while the passing score on January 7 was 511.
That means with a margin of 11 points, you would have received an invitation. You would be asked to upload documents for permanent residence.

And here is another important point. After obtaining permanent residence, you need to live in Canada for 3 years to apply for citizenship. But part of the time you studied and worked on temporary visas is also counted. That means, in reality, citizenship can be obtained already 2 years after PR.

Now an important moment. In the example above, the person is 29 years old. What if you are 35 or 40?
With age, points for this factor decrease. At 35, you lose more than 30 points compared to those who are 29. At 40, even more. But this does not mean the path is closed.

There are several options.

First — provincial nomination programs.
A provincial nomination adds 600 points in Express Entry. With such an addition, an invitation is almost guaranteed. Many provinces also have programs for graduates of local universities or for workers in in-demand occupations.

Second — a master’s degree or PhD.
For a master’s or doctoral degree, more points are awarded than for a college diploma.

Third — the French language.
Even basic French adds extra points. And for those who pass French at B2 level or higher, additional Express Entry draws open under a separate category.

Canada has clearly shown that the country is interested in those who are already here, who work and contribute to the economy. This is directly written in the new immigration plan.

511 points is a lot, but it is still realistic to achieve without French — simply by coming to study. Especially if you are under 30 and are ready to learn English to a good level. If you are over 30, you need to look at provincial programs, a master’s degree, or add French. But there are paths.