IRCC issues 955 ITAs in Provincial Nominee Program draw
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 955 candidates to apply for permanent residence in an Express Entry draw held on June 22, 2026. The round specifically targeted individuals who had received a nomination under a provincial immigration program.
The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for this selection was 730. Candidates also needed to have submitted their Express Entry profiles before 1:02 a.m. UTC on March 9, 2026, to be eligible.
This marks the first Express Entry draw of June and follows a series of invitations issued in May across multiple categories, including Canadian Experience Class and French-language proficiency streams.
- Draw date: June 22, 2026
- Program targeted: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Invitations issued: 955
- Minimum CRS score: 730
- Profile submission deadline: March 9, 2026
- Draw sequence: 31st Express Entry round of 2026
Overview of the Express Entry system
Express Entry is the federal government’s primary application management system for economic immigration. It ranks candidates using the CRS, which assigns points based on factors such as age, education, work experience, and language ability.
Candidates who receive a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 CRS points. This significantly raises their ranking in the pool and typically results in selection in PNP-specific rounds such as the June 22 draw.
IRCC conducts periodic invitation rounds, selecting candidates from the pool according to program targets, CRS rankings, and eligibility under specific streams. Recent draws have varied between general and category-based selections.
Role of provincial nominations in Express Entry
Provincial Nominee Programs enable provinces and territories to nominate individuals who meet local labour market demands. These programs operate alongside federal immigration pathways and are integrated with Express Entry through enhanced nomination streams.
Provinces including Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta regularly issue nominations to candidates in the Express Entry pool. Information on provincial selection activity is available through pages such as Manitoba draws (MPNP), which track invitations issued at the provincial level.
Once nominated, candidates receive a confirmation in their Express Entry profile, which boosts their CRS score and places them among the highest-ranked applicants.
Recent Express Entry draw patterns in 2026
Throughout 2026, IRCC has conducted draws across a range of categories, with a notable emphasis on candidates already in Canada. These include individuals in the Canadian Experience Class and those with provincial nominations.
Prior to the June 22 draw, the most recent rounds took place in late May. On May 28, IRCC issued 4,500 invitations in a French-language proficiency draw, with a CRS cut-off of 409.
On May 27, a Canadian Experience Class round invited 3,000 candidates with a minimum score of 518. Earlier that same week, a PNP-specific draw on May 25 selected 334 candidates at a CRS threshold of 805.
Additional PNP rounds earlier in May included 380 invitations on May 11, with a cut-off score of 798. These figures reflect fluctuation in CRS thresholds depending on draw size and candidate composition.
Comparison with earlier draws in 2026
Since the beginning of the year, CRS cut-off scores in PNP-specific rounds have generally remained higher than other categories due to the 600-point nomination bonus. Scores have frequently exceeded 700 in these rounds.
For example, a draw held on March 2 recorded a CRS cut-off of 710, while another on March 30 reached 802. The June 22 threshold of 730 falls within the typical range observed for PNP selections in 2026.
By contrast, category-based draws such as French-language proficiency and Canadian Experience Class have maintained lower CRS thresholds, reflecting broader eligibility criteria and larger invitation volumes.
Total invitations issued in 2026
As of June 22, IRCC has issued 80,796 invitations to apply (ITAs) through Express Entry in 2026. These invitations have been distributed across multiple program categories.
The Canadian Experience Class accounts for the largest share, with 37,250 invitations issued so far this year. French-language proficiency draws follow with 30,500 invitations.
Provincial Nominee Program candidates have received 5,405 invitations in total, including the 955 issued in the latest draw. Other categories, such as healthcare occupations and trades, have also contributed to overall selection totals.
Smaller, targeted draws have included 391 invitations for physicians with Canadian work experience and 250 invitations for senior managers. These category-based selections reflect specific labour market priorities.
Distribution of draw types
IRCC has held 31 Express Entry draws so far in 2026. Among these, Provincial Nominee Program rounds account for the largest number of draws, totalling 12.
The Canadian Experience Class has been featured in nine draws, while six rounds have focused on French-language proficiency. Other categories have been used more selectively throughout the year.
This distribution indicates a continued reliance on targeted selection strategies, with frequent use of streams tied to Canadian work experience and provincial nominations.
Eligibility and tie-breaking rules
For each draw, IRCC establishes a CRS cut-off score and applies a tie-breaking rule. The tie-breaking rule uses the timestamp of profile submission to determine which candidates receive invitations when multiple individuals have the same CRS score.
In the June 22 draw, only candidates who created their Express Entry profiles before March 9, 2026, at 1:02 a.m. UTC were considered if their CRS score matched the minimum threshold.
This mechanism ensures a consistent and transparent method for ranking candidates within the pool when scores are identical.
Context on CRS scoring and ranking
The Comprehensive Ranking System is a points-based framework that ranks candidates in the Express Entry pool. It evaluates core human capital factors as well as additional elements such as provincial nominations and arranged employment.
Scores can reach a maximum of 1,200 points, with provincial nominations contributing the largest single increase. As a result, PNP candidates typically achieve scores well above 700.
CRS scores fluctuate over time depending on the composition of the candidate pool and the size of invitation rounds. Larger draws generally result in lower cut-off scores, while smaller or targeted rounds can lead to higher thresholds.
Ongoing developments in Express Entry selection
The June 22 draw continues a pattern of targeted invitations aligned with Canada’s economic immigration priorities. IRCC has maintained a schedule of frequent draws, often alternating between program-specific and category-based selections.
Earlier in the year, category-based draws were introduced to prioritize candidates with skills in areas such as healthcare, trades, and French-language proficiency. These categories remain part of ongoing selection strategies.
At the same time, provincial nominations continue to play a central role in the system. Provinces use their allocations to nominate candidates who meet regional labour needs, and these nominations feed directly into Express Entry.
The latest draw adds 955 new invitations to the annual total and reflects continued activity in the Provincial Nominee Program stream.
Further updates on Express Entry draws and provincial nomination activity remain available through official releases and data trackers, including records covering the June 22, 2026 round with a CRS cut-off of 730.