Canada has held its first Express Entry draw of 2026, inviting 574 candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to apply for permanent residence, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 711 and must have created their Express Entry profile before 1:54 a.m. UTC on October 6, 2025, to be eligible for this draw.

First Express Entry draw of 2026
This selection marks the start of Express Entry rounds for the year. While IRCC has indicated that in-Canada applicants will continue to be prioritised for permanent residence, the structure and frequency of draws for other categories remain subject to updates throughout 2026.

Officials have signalled a potential increase in French category-based draws as Canada targets higher Francophone immigration outside Quebec. Selections for IRCC’s newly announced “Physicians with Canadian work experience” category are also expected to begin this year.

So far, 574 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) have been issued through Express Entry in 2026. IRCC continues to encourage prospective immigrants to track CRS requirements and evaluate the competitiveness of their profiles for upcoming draws.