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IRCC Holds Express Entry Draw for Provincial Nominee Candidates
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted a new Express Entry draw, issuing additional invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence.
In this round, IRCC issued 681 ITAs to candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
To be eligible for this draw, candidates were required to meet the following criteria:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 746; and
- An Express Entry profile created before 4:09 a.m. (UTC) on November 19, 2025.
Express Entry Draws List of 2026
| Date | Draw Type | Minimum CRS | Number of ITAs |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
This selection marks the second PNP-specific draw and the third Express Entry draw overall conducted by IRCC so far this year. It follows a previous PNP draw held on January 5, as well as a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw conducted on January 7.
Express Entry Draws in 2026 So Far
IRCC has continued its focus on candidates with strong ties to Canada, including those with Canadian work experience or provincial nominations. So far in 2026, Express Entry draws have been distributed as follows:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 2 |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 2 |
In total, IRCC has issued 9,255 ITAs through Express Entry this year across two program categories:
| Draw Type | ITAs Issued |
| Canadian Experience Class | 8,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 1,255 |
January is traditionally a period of increased Express Entry activity, as IRCC aims to issue invitations early in the year to support its annual permanent resident admissions targets through federal immigration programs.
Due to processing timelines and application backlogs, new permanent resident admissions typically occur at least six months after an ITA is issued, rather than immediately following the draw.