Canada issued 576 invitations to apply to Provincial Nominee Program candidates in its latest Express Entry draw. Invited candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 734. This round likely extended invitations to all eligible candidates holding a provincial nomination.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada invited 576 candidates with a provincial nomination to apply for permanent residence. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score required for an invitation was 734. The tie-breaking rule for this draw was August 29, 2026 at 21:39:50 UTC.
This draw's Comprehensive Ranking System cut-off was 37 points higher than the previous Provincial Nominee Program draw on August 31, which had a minimum score of 697. However, the current score of 734 remains within the range observed in Provincial Nominee Program draws this year. This round was also marginally larger than the August 31 draw, when 562 Provincial Nominee Program candidates received invitations.
A provincial nomination adds 600 points to a candidate's Comprehensive Ranking System score, generally placing them at the top of the Express Entry pool. With 576 invitations issued, this draw likely included all eligible candidates with a provincial nomination. For those with a provincial nomination linked to Express Entry, this draw may have advanced their path to permanent residence.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has now issued 8,537 invitations to Provincial Nominee Program candidates across 18 draws in 2026. This figure represents a 22.8 percent increase over the 6,947 Provincial Nominee Program invitations issued by the same point in 2025. The overall Provincial Nominee Program admissions target for 2026 is 91,500, increasing to 92,500 in 2027. As of September 13, 2026, there were 574 candidates with scores above 600 in the Express Entry pool.
Candidates who received an invitation to apply should prepare and submit their permanent residence application within the deadline shown in their Express Entry account. Provincial Nominee Program activity is expected to continue, and most provinces still have ample nomination room left for 2026. Each province sets its own priorities and may target candidates based on factors such as occupation, work experience, language ability, location, or connections to the province.
The estimated processing time for Provincial Nominee Program applications submitted through Express Entry is currently around 6 months. Candidates invited in this draw are likely to receive permanent residence by mid-2027. The next draw is predicted to be for the Canadian Experience Class on September 15.