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    Canada Invites 562 Provincial Nominees in Latest Express Entry Draw

    Canada has carried out another targeted Express Entry selection, this time giving preference to candidates who hold a provincial nomination. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the latest round on August 31, inviting 562 Express Entry candidates to apply for Canadian permanent residence through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

    The draw recorded a 697 CRS cut-off, which was significantly lower than the threshold in the previous PNP round. It also became the lowest CRS requirement for a PNP Express Entry draw recorded so far in 2026.

    Results: Rounds of invitations

    If more than one candidate has the lowest score, the cut-off is based on the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles.

    Source Website :- Express Entry system

    Invitations to Apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades Program may be issued through this round of invitations.

    Total Express Entry ITAs for 2026

    With this latest draw, IRCC has now issued 120,427 ITAs through Express Entry in 2026. The distribution of invitations clearly reflects the department’s priority streams.

    The high volume of Canadian Experience Class invitations indicates a growing emphasis on bilingual talent as Canada works to meet its long-term Francophone immigration targets.

    Category-Based Draws Conducted in 2026

    Express Entry rounds this year have been limited to specific streams rather than broad, multi-program draws.

    The draws are now divided as follows:

    Provincial Nominee Program draws have been the most frequent in 2026, reflecting the federal government’s collaboration with provinces to address localized workforce shortages.

    Eligible Occupations Under the New Category

    The senior manager category was introduced as part of immigration policy adjustments announced in February 2026, which added several new occupational groups to category-based selection. To qualify, applicants must have at least one year of Canadian work experience within the last three years in one of the following leadership roles listed under the National Occupation Classification (NOC):

    These occupations represent executive-level roles that play a key part in managing major industries and organisations across Canada.

    Total Express Entry ITAs Issued in 2026 So Far

    Below is a snapshot of all Express Entry draws conducted so far this year:
    Draw Date Draw Type Number of ITAs Minimum CRS
    438 August 31 Provincial Nominee Program 562 697
    437 August 19 French-Language proficiency 5,000 382
    436 August 18 Canadian Experience Class 1,000 523
    435 August 17 Provincial Nominee Program 442 760
    434 August 7 Transport Occupations 300 470
    433 August 6 French-Language 5,000 391
    432 August 5 Canadian Experience Class 3,000 516
    431 August 4 Provincial Nominee Program 507 768
    430 July 23 Skilled Military Recruits 4 368
    429 July 22 French-Language proficiency 5,000 399
    428 July 21 Canadian Experience Class 2,000 516
    427 July 20 Provincial Nominee Program 511 744
    426 July 10 Senior managers with Canadian Work Experience 500 392
    425 July 9 French-Speaking Candidates 5,000 420
    424 July 7 CEC 2,000 517
    423 July 6 PNP 534 708
    422 June 25 Healthcare and Social Services Occupations 4,000 475
    421 June 24 Physicians with Canadian Work Experience 271 223
    420 June 23 CEC 4,000 516
    419 June 22 Provincial Nominee Program 955 730
    418 May 28 French-Language proficiency 4,500 409
    417 May 27 CEC 3,000 518
    416 May 25 PNP 334 805
    415 May 11 PNP 380 798
    414 April 29 French-Speaking 4,000 400
    413 April 28 CEC 2,000 514
    412 April 27 PNP 473 795
    411 April 15 French-Language 4,000 419
    410 April 14 CEC 2,000 515
    409 April 13 PNP 324 786
    408 April 2 Trades Occupations 3,000 477
    407 March 31 CEC 2,250 509
    406 March 30 PNP 356 802
    405 March 18 french language Skills 4,000 393
    404 March 17 CEC 4,000 507
    403 March 16 PNP 362 742
    402 March 05 Senior managers with Canadian Work Experience 250 429
    401 March 04 French-Language proficiency 5,500 397
    400 March 03 CEC 4,000 508
    399 March 02 Provincial Nominee Program 264 710
    398 February 20 Healthcare and Social Services Occupations 4,000 467
    397 February 19 Physicians with Canadian Work Experience 391 169
    396 February 17 CEC 6,000 508
    395 February 16 PNP 279 789
    394 February 06 French-Language proficiency 8,500 400
    393 February 3 PNP 423 749
    392 January 21 CEC 6,000 509
    391 January 20 PNP 681 746
    390 January 07 CEC 8,000 511
    389 January 05 PNP 574 711

    As of August 31, a total of 120,427 ITAs have been issued through the Express Entry system in 2026. CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 169

    Express Entry Draw Reports

    Why Provincial Nominees Remain Important

    Provincial nomination continues to be an important component of Canada’s economic immigration system. Canadian provinces and territories can select candidates whose skills, work backgrounds and profiles correspond with their regional priorities. Candidates who obtain an eligible nomination can then enter the federal Express Entry process with the benefit of being considered under PNP-specific invitation rounds.
    The latest draw demonstrates that CRS requirements can move considerably between selections. The August 31 cut-off of 697 was well below the 760-point threshold recorded on August 17 and also below the thresholds seen in several earlier PNP rounds.

    Recent Express Entry Trends

    IRCC has continued rotating between different Express Entry categories rather than concentrating all invitations within a single program.

    The major selection groups featured in 2026 include:

    The latest figures show that PNP selections have been held 17 times, followed by 14 Canadian Experience Class rounds and 10 French-language selections.

    What This Means for Candidates

    The latest PNP draw is particularly relevant for Express Entry candidates who have obtained a provincial nomination.

    The 697 CRS cut-off demonstrates that the score required for a PNP invitation can vary substantially from one draw to another. Candidates who are currently in the Express Entry pool should therefore continue monitoring both federal invitation rounds and provincial immigration programs.

    Applicants looking to strengthen their prospects can focus on:

    Stay tuned for future updates on Express Entry draws and immigration news.

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