IRCC's October 28 Transport occupations round invited 150 candidates at a CRS cut-off of 477, its second Transport round of 2026.
On October 28, 2026, IRCC held Express Entry round #453 for the Transport occupations category, inviting 150 candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 477. It was the third round in three days, after the October 26 PNP and October 27 French-language rounds, and it comes days before the new CRS rules take effect on November 3. The figures are from IRCC's official rounds data.
What happened
This was the second Transport round of 2026. Compared with the first one in August, the cut-off rose 7 points and the round was half the size. You can see every recent round on our draws tracker.
| Round | Date | Invitations | Lowest CRS invited |
|---|---|---|---|
| #434 | August 7, 2026 | 300 | 470 |
| #453 | October 28, 2026 | 150 | 477 |
Who was eligible
Candidates in the Transport category with a score of 477 or more were invited, whether they qualified under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Where candidates tied at 477, only profiles submitted before June 4, 2026 at 21:48:22 UTC were invited. To be in the category, IRCC requires at least 12 months of full-time (or equal part-time) work experience in one listed transport occupation within the last 3 years, in Canada or abroad. IRCC's category page lists the eligible occupations, which include aircraft mechanics and inspectors, pilots, and automotive service technicians and truck and bus mechanics.
Why the timing matters
IRCC announced on October 16 that from November 3, 2026, candidates with eligible Canadian work experience or a qualifying high-wage job offer can receive additional points, and that scores already in the pool will be recalculated automatically. IRCC also said invitation rounds will pause while scores are recalculated, which may take up to two weeks. Our explainer covers the expected draw pause in more detail. A cut-off from before November 3 is therefore not a reliable guide to the next Transport round: once the new points apply, many scores in the pool will change, including those of candidates competing in category rounds.
What it does not change
A category round does not change the category's eligibility rules or create a fixed minimum score. Future Transport rounds may be larger or smaller and may have a higher or lower cut-off; IRCC does not announce these in advance.
What to do next
If you work in a transport occupation, confirm your NOC code and that your 12 months fall within the last 3 years. Then check what your score will look like after the change with the CRS calculator, and read our explainers on the new high-wage points and the expected draw pause. Earlier this week: the October 26–27 rounds. All recent results are on our draws tracker.
An invitation is not an approval, and processing times are estimates only. Source: IRCC Express Entry rounds of invitations data and category-based selection page, checked October 29, 2026.
Not sure how this applies to your situation? A licensed immigration consultant (RCIC) can review your profile with you.
