Canada has conducted another Express Entry invitation round for candidates supported by a provincial nomination.
On August 31, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 562 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw.
The latest selection was notable for its lower CRS requirement compared with the previous PNP round and marked the lowest PNP cut-off recorded in 2026 so far.
Also Read Canada Invites 562 Provincial Nominees in Latest Express Entry Draw
August 31 PNP Express Entry Draw
Candidates selected in this round needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 697.
IRCC also applied a profile submission cut-off. Candidates needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 4:32 a.m. UTC on April 12, 2026 to be considered for this invitation round.
| Selection factor | Latest requirement |
| Draw category | Provincial Nominee Program |
| Date | August 31, 2026 |
| ITAs issued | 562 |
| Minimum CRS score | 697 |
| Profile deadline | Before 4:32 a.m. UTC, April 12, 2026 |
PNP CRS Cut-Off Falls by 63 Points
The latest result represents a substantial change from the preceding PNP Express Entry selection.
On August 17, IRCC invited 442 provincial nominees with a minimum CRS score of 760. The new draw lowered that threshold to 697, a difference of 63 points.
The August 31 result is therefore significant for provincial nominees with lower CRS scores who may have been unable to receive an ITA in earlier PNP selections.
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Express Entry Draws in 2026
The latest selection was IRCC’s 50th Express Entry draw of 2026. Throughout the year, the department has used several different draw categories rather than relying on one type of candidate.
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off score | ITAs issued |
| August 31 | Provincial Nominee Program | 697 | 562 |
| August 19 | French-Language proficiency | 382 | 5,000 |
| August 18 | Canadian Experience Class | 523 | 1,000 |
| August 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 760 | 442 |
| August 7 | Transport | 470 | 300 |
| August 6 | French-Language proficiency | 391 | 5,000 |
| August 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 3,000 |
| August 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 768 | 507 |
| July 23 | Skilled Military Recruits | 368 | 4 |
| July 22 | French-Language proficiency | 399 | 5,000 |
| July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 2,000 |
| July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 744 | 511 |
| July 10 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 392 | 500 |
| July 9 | French-Language proficiency | 420 | 5,000 |
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 517 | 2,000 |
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 4,000 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 223 | 271 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 4,000 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 28 | French-Language proficiency | 409 | 4,500 |
| May 27 | Canadian Experience Class | 518 | 3,000 |
| May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 805 | 334 |
| 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 | 786 | 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 |
Number of Express Entry Draws by Category
PNP selections have been among the most frequent Express Entry rounds in 2026. The Canadian Experience Class and French-language category have also featured regularly.
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 17 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 14 |
| French-Language proficiency | 10 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 2 |
| Healthcare and social services | 2 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 2 |
| Trades | 1 |
| Transport | 1 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 1 |
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Express Entry ITAs Issued in 2026
As of the latest draw, IRCC had issued 115,427 ITAs through Express Entry in 2026.
The largest numbers have gone to French-language candidates and applicants under the Canadian Experience Class, followed by healthcare and social services candidates and provincial nominees.
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
| Canadian Experience Class | 49,250 |
| French-Language proficiency | 50,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 7,961 |
| Healthcare and social services | 8,000 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Transport | 300 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 662 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 750 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |
What the Latest Draw Means for Candidates
The August 31 selection highlights the importance of exploring provincial nomination options for Express Entry candidates.
A provincial nomination can strengthen a candidate’s position in the Express Entry system and provide access to PNP-specific invitation rounds.
However, candidates must first qualify under the requirements of the relevant provincial or territorial stream. These requirements can vary depending on factors such as occupation, work experience, education, language ability and other eligibility criteria.
With the latest CRS threshold falling to 697, the newest draw gives provincial nominees another indication that CRS requirements can fluctuate significantly between invitation rounds.
For candidates planning to pursue Canada PR through Express Entry, monitoring both federal draws and provincial nomination opportunities remains important.
