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IRCC invites 380 Provincial Nominee Program candidates in latest Express Entry draw
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has conducted a new Express Entry draw for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates, issuing 380 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for Canadian permanent residence.
The latest draw took place on May 11, 2026 and required candidates to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 798. Eligible candidates also needed to submit their Express Entry profile before January 7, 2026 at 5:23 a.m. UTC.
Express Entry Draws in 2026
| Date | Draw Type | Minimum CRS | ITAs Issued |
| May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 798 | 380 |
| April 29 | French Language Proficiency | 400 | 4,000 |
| April 28 | Canadian Experience Class | 514 | 2,000 |
| April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 795 | 473 |
| April 15 | French Language Proficiency | 419 | 4,000 |
| April 14 | Canadian Experience Class | 515 | 2,000 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 324 |
| April 2 | Trades | 477 | 3,000 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 2,250 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 18 | French Language Proficiency | 393 | 4,000 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 507 | 4,000 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 5 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 429 | 250 |
| March 4 | French Language Proficiency | 397 | 5,500 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 4,000 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 20 | Healthcare and Social Services | 467 | 4,000 |
| February 19 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 169 | 391 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 6,000 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 6 | French Language Proficiency | 400 | 8,500 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 6,000 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
This was the tenth Provincial Nominee Program draw held by IRCC in 2026 and the twenty-seventh Express Entry draw overall this year.
Provincial Nominee Program candidates continue to receive priority
The Provincial Nominee Program remains one of Canada’s most important economic immigration pathways. Through the PNP, provinces and territories can nominate foreign skilled workers who meet local labour market requirements.
Candidates nominated through an enhanced PNP stream linked to Express Entry receive an additional 600 CRS points, significantly increasing their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
Because of this additional CRS boost, PNP-specific Express Entry draws often record much higher CRS cut-off scores compared to other categories.
Express Entry draws continue to focus on in-Canada applicants
Throughout 2026, IRCC has continued prioritizing immigration candidates who already have:
- Canadian work experience
- Provincial nominations
- Strong French-language proficiency
- Experience in priority occupations
Canada’s Express Entry system has seen a strong emphasis on Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws and category-based selections targeting sectors facing labour shortages.
Recent draw categories conducted by IRCC include:
- Canadian Experience Class
- Provincial Nominee Program
- French-language proficiency
- Healthcare and social services
- Trades occupations
- Physicians with Canadian work experience
- Senior managers with Canadian work experience
More than 72,000 ITAs issued in 2026
As of May 2026, IRCC has issued a total of 72,007 Invitations to Apply through the Express Entry system.
Invitation totals by category include:
- 34,250 ITAs under Canadian Experience Class
- 26,000 ITAs for French-speaking candidates
- 4,116 ITAs under Provincial Nominee Program draws
- 4,000 ITAs for healthcare and social services occupations
- 3,000 ITAs for skilled trades workers
The continued focus on category-based and PNP draws demonstrates Canada’s long-term immigration strategy to address labour shortages while supporting economic development across provinces.
What this means for immigration candidates
The latest draw confirms that candidates with provincial nominations continue to hold a strong advantage within the Express Entry system.
Immigration professionals advise Express Entry candidates to:
- Improve language test scores
- Gain Canadian work experience
- Apply for provincial nomination programs
- Keep profiles updated
- Monitor targeted category-based draws
With Canada maintaining ambitious immigration targets for the coming years, skilled workers remain in high demand across multiple sectors and provinces.