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Express Entry Draw #395 : IRCC Issues 279 ITA to PNP Candidates for PR

Canada Holds New Express Entry Draw for Provincial Nominees

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    PNP Express Entry Draw – February 16

    Canada’s Express Entry system continues to prioritise provincially selected candidates, as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted another targeted round of invitations in mid-February. The February 16 draw focused exclusively on Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates, reinforcing the department’s 2026 approach of selecting applicants who already demonstrate strong economic ties to specific provinces.

    This latest round reflects IRCC’s ongoing preference for program-specific draws rather than general, all-program selections.

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    Summary of Express Entry Draws in 2026

    Results: Rounds of invitations

    • Provincial Nominee Program
    • Number of ITAs: 279
    • CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited: 789
    • Date and time of round: February 16, 2026 at 14:28:06 UTC
    • Tie-breaking rule: September 05, 2025 at 0:59:13 UTC
    • Total ITAs issued in 2026 so far: 24,457

    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.

    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.

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    Total Express Entry ITAs for 2026

    With this latest draw, IRCC has now issued 24,457 ITAs through Express Entry in 2026. The distribution of invitations clearly reflects the department’s priority streams.

    The high volume of French-language 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:

    • PNP : 4 draw
    • CEC : 2 Draw
    • French-language skills : 1
    • Healthcare and social services : No Draws Yet
    • Education: No Draws Yet
    • Trade Occupations : No Draws Yet

    So far, no general all-program draw has been held in 2026, underscoring IRCC’s selective and targeted invitation strategy.

    A Busy Period of ITAs for December 2026

    This is the 1st Express Entry draw of the month.

    • French language proficiency draw on December 17: 6,000 ITAs
    • CEC draw on December 16: 5,000 ITAs
    • PNP on December 15: 399 ITAs
    • Healthcare and Social Services draw on December 11: 1,000 ITAs
    • CEC draw on December 10: 6,000 ITAs
    • PNP draw on December 8: 1,123 ITAs

    With these rapid-fire invitation rounds, IRCC is closing out the year with one of the most active Express Entry periods in over the past 12 months.

    Total Express Entry ITAs Issued in 2026 So Far

    Below is a snapshot of all Express Entry draws conducted so far this year:
    • Canadian Experience Class (CEC) : 14,000
    • French language proficiency: 8,500
    • Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) : 1,957
    • Healthcare and social services occupations : No Draws Yet
    • Education Professionals : No Draws Yet
    • Trade occupations (Version 2) : No Draws Yet
    Draw Date Draw Type Number of ITAs Minimum CRS
    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 February 16, a total of 24,457 ITAs have been issued through the Express Entry system in 2026. CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 400

    Express Entry Draw Reports

    Number of Express Entry Draws by Category This Year:

    The Provincial Nominee Program category of the Express Entry categories leads the trend with the highest number of 14 rounds, followed by the Canadian Experience Class with 8 rounds. Also, IRCC has conducted 3 rounds each for French-speaking candidates and healthcare professionals. A single draw was also held for individuals in the education sector.

    Draw Type Number of Draws
    Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) 14
    Canadian Experience Class (CEC) 8
    French-language proficiency 4
    Healthcare and social services 3
    Education 1

    The trend since June 10, 2025, reveals a pattern of alternating draws between PNP and CEC categories roughly every two weeks. Additionally, healthcare-focused draws have taken place monthly since May, reflecting IRCC’s commitment to addressing sector-specific shortages in Canada’s healthcare system.

    February 16 Draw Signals Continued Provincial Focus

    The February 16 PNP-only draw aligns with Canada’s broader immigration direction for 2026, which emphasises provincial labour market needs and retention of skilled workers already in the country.
    By prioritising provincial nominees, IRCC is supporting regional immigration programs that allow provinces to nominate candidates who match local economic demands.
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    A Look at the Two Most Recent Express Entry Rounds

    Before the February 16 draw, IRCC held a French-language proficiency round on February 6, issuing 8,500 ITAs with a CRS cut-off of 400. That draw represented one of the largest category-based selections so far this year.

    Earlier, on February 3, a separate Provincial Nominee Program draw invited 423 candidates with a CRS requirement of 749, further demonstrating consistent provincial selection activity in early 2026.

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    Current Express Entry Trends and Category Breakdown

    With the latest draw, the healthcare and social services category now joins a growing list of specialized selection categories implemented this year. The distribution of draws in 2025 highlights a more nuanced approach to selecting candidates who meet Canada’s urgent labour and demographic needs.

    Draw Type Number of Draws
    Provincial Nominee Program 7
    French-language proficiency 3
    Canadian Experience Class 3
    Education 1
    Healthcare and social services 1

    Clear Shift Toward In-Canada Candidates

    All Express Entry draws held in 2026 so far have been limited to candidates who are already established in Canada. The department has focused exclusively on:

    • Provincial Nominee Program applicants,
    • Canadian Experience Class candidates with local work experience
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    What This Means for Express Entry Candidates

    For candidates in the Express Entry pool, these developments underline the growing importance of:
    • Provincial Nominee Programs
    • Canadian work experience
    • Building strong provincial or employer ties within Canada

    Applicants without provincial nominations may continue to see limited opportunities unless they qualify under targeted categories such as the Canadian Experience Class or future category-based draws.

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    What This Means for Express Entry Candidates

    The pattern of draws in 2026 sends a clear message to applicants in the Express Entry pool. Candidates with a provincial nomination or Canadian work experience currently stand the strongest chance of receiving an invitation.

    For those outside Canada, pursuing a provincial nomination may significantly enhance CRS scores and improve competitiveness in upcoming rounds. As IRCC continues its program-specific selection approach, aligning one’s profile with provincial priorities remains a strategic pathway toward permanent residence.

    Also check out  2026-2028 immigration levels plan | Canada Immigration Plan 2025 to 2027 | Canada Immigration Levels Plan For 2024-2026 | Canada Immigration Level Plan for 2023-2025​

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

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