Provincial nominees invited in surprise Express Entry draw

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.

The immigration department issued 279 ITAs in a draw for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates.

To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have

A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 789; and
Created an Express Entry candidate profile before 12:59 a.m., Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on September 5, 2025.

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is

Summary of Express Entry draws in 2026

Draw dateDraw TypeCRS cut-off scoreITAs issued

February 16Provincial Nominee Program789279

February 6French-Language proficiency4008,500

February 3Provincial Nominee Program749423

January 21Canadian Experience Class5096,000

January 20Provincial Nominee Program746 681

January 7Canadian Experience Class5118,000

January 5Provincial Nominee Program711574

Today’s draw marks the seventh Express Entry selection of the year, and the fourth draw selecting PNP candidates this year.

Express Entry draws in 2026 have seen Canada’s immigration department focus exclusively on immigration candidates within the country, particularly those with provincial nominations and Canadian work experience.

Draw TypeNumber of Draws

Provincial Nominee Program4

Canadian Experience Class2

French-Language proficiency1

In 2026 thus far, IRCC has issued 24,457 ITAs across the following draw types:

Draw typeITAs Issued

Canadian Experience Class14,000

French-Language proficiency8,500

Provincial Nominee Program1,534

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is