IRCC issued 534 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the Provincial Nominee Program
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 534 invitations in the latest Canada Express Entry draw under the PNP category, which is the 35th Express Entry draw of the year and the first draw of July 2026. The Express Entry-based Provincial Nominee Program draw is issued to applicants with a valid Express Entry profile who plan to relocate for work in various Canadian provinces, aiming to address workforce shortages in those provinces while contributing to economic goals. The latest Express Entry draw has a minimum CRS cutoff of 708 and boosts CRS scores of eligible candidates by 600.
Strategic Breakdown of the Latest Express Entry Draw
The CRS cutoff is the lowest ever for an Express Entry Draw for the Provincial Nominee Program since November 2025.
Factors driving the latest Express Entry Draw
There are several reasons Canada is actively issuing invitations under the Express Entry Category. The following are the factors behind the latest Express Entry-based PNP draw:
Focus on category-based draws
IRCC has expanded its focus on occupation-based draws to hire international workers in the country to address workforce needs, especially in specific industries, as there are high-paying jobs with increased demand driven by current market trends. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been consistently issuing invitations in the top 3 category draws:
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Category-based draws (Occupation)
Regional Workforce Shortages
Several factors, including an aging population and mass retirement, are driving structural demographic shifts and increased demand for highly skilled workers among local employers, leading to a shortage in the job market in Canada.
Support Provincial Economic Growth
The Express Entry-based PNP draw specifically focuses on regional economic growth by recruiting international professionals from various destinations who can meet employers’ demands and contribute to provincial GDP growth.
Eligibility Criteria of the Express Entry-based PNP Draw
Applicants must have a valid Express Entry Profile.
Professionals should be eligible under one of the three categories:
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Should possess a valid nomination from the province aligned with Express Entry.
Must have a minimum CRS cutoff of 708, with a 600-CRS boost due to an Express Entry-specific PNP draw.
Submission of the profile should have been done before the tie-breaking rule.
What does the latest Express Entry draw under the PNP category mean for immigrants?
The latest Express Entry draw reflects Canada's focus on strategic immigration and hiring professionals from all over the world to address the growing needs of highly qualified individuals in high-paying job sectors while strengthening sectors such as AI, Technology, IT, and healthcare for overall growth of the province, leading to an improved standard of living for the country overall.
This is the 35th Express Entry draw of 2026 with comparatively lower CRS cutoffs than the previous PNP draw since November 2025, suggesting that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is making consistent efforts by giving opportunities to every category of immigrants, from general draws to occupation-specific draws, reflecting that Canada’s all-round focus is to attract and retain talented individuals in the country.
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