Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited 792 Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination to apply for permanent residence — the largest Provincial
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited 792 Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination to apply for permanent residence — the largest Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) round since June 22, 2026.
The draw, held October 26, 2026, required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 761 and an Express Entry profile created before 6:00 p.m. UTC on April 3, 2026. Because a provincial nomination adds 600 points to a candidate’s CRS score, PNP draws naturally have much higher cutoffs than other draw types — a 761 cutoff means many invited candidates had relatively modest core scores underneath their nomination.
This was Canada’s 63rd Express Entry draw of 2026. By this point in the year, IRCC had issued 144,259 invitations, and selections have leaned heavily toward candidates with ties to Canada — provincial nominees, Canadian work experience and French-language ability.
Candidates in Canada who submit their permanent residence application may qualify for a bridging open work permit. If your current permit will expire before a decision, applying for the bridging permit first keeps you working under maintained status, provided you stay in Canada. Eligible family members may also qualify for open work permits.
What’s next: CRS changes on November 3
From November 3, 2026, IRCC is adding points for Canadian work experience and qualifying job offers in high-wage occupations, under a new Labour Market Integration Factor: up to 150 points for Canadian work experience, or 50 to 100 points for a qualifying job offer depending on the occupation’s wage tier. A job offer will no longer need an LMIA to earn CRS points. IRCC published a list of 186 eligible occupations and will pause draws for up to two weeks while it recalculates every candidate’s score.
A provincial nomination remains the single most powerful boost in Express Entry. If you are working in Canada, NewSteps Immigration can assess which province’s program you are closest to qualifying for.
Disclaimer: This post is general information only, published by NewSteps Immigration. We accept no liability for this post, as the information in it may be incorrect or may change without notice. Please refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the final and official information.
