Canada issued a second consecutive Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw on May 25 2026, inviting 334 candidates to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry.
The draw required:
- A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 805.
- An Express Entry profile created before 6:16 p.m. UTC on 16 October 2025.
This was the 28th Express Entry draw of 2026 and the second draw in May. The immigration department continues to prioritize candidates already in Canada, especially those with provincial nominations or Canadian work experience.
Recent Express Entry draws (2026)
| Date | Draw type | CRS cut‑off | ITAs issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| … | … | … | … |
(Only selected draws are shown; the full list includes 28 draws up to May 27.)
2026 draw statistics by category
- Provincial Nominee Program: 11 draws, 4,450 ITAs
- Canadian Experience Class: 9 draws, 37,250 ITAs
- French‑Language proficiency: 5 draws, 26,000 ITAs
- Physicians with Canadian work experience: 1 draw, 391 ITAs
- Healthcare and social services: 1 draw, 4,000 ITAs
- Senior Managers with Canadian work experience: 1 draw, 250 ITAs
- Trades: 1 draw, 3,000 ITAs
Overall, IRCC has issued 72,341 invitations to apply across all draw types in 2026.
Implications for applicants
- A CRS score of 805 is now the threshold for PNP draws, significantly higher than recent French‑language draws (cut‑offs around 400).
- Candidates must ensure their profiles are up‑to‑date and meet the October 2025 creation deadline to remain eligible for future draws.
- The continued emphasis on provincial nominations suggests that securing a provincial endorsement remains a strong pathway to permanent residence.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
