Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 534 invitations to apply through Express Entry in the first July draw, targeting Provincial Nominee Program candidates with the lowest PNP cut-off score recorded so far in 2026.
To be considered in the July 6 draw, candidates needed:
- a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 708;
- an Express Entry profile created before 2:49 p.m. UTC on June 4, 2026;
- eligibility under the Provincial Nominee Program draw category.
The July 6 round was the 35th Express Entry draw of 2026. The 708 CRS cut-off was the lowest score in a PNP draw since November 25, 2025.
Express Entry activity in 2026
Express Entry draws in 2026 have mostly focused on candidates already in Canada, especially those with Canadian work experience or provincial nominations.
| Draw type | Number of draws |
|---|---|
| Provincial Nominee Program | 13 |
| Canadian Experience Class | 10 |
| French-language proficiency | 6 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 2 |
| Healthcare and social services | 2 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 1 |
| Trades | 1 |
IRCC has issued 89,601 invitations to apply across all Express Entry draw types in 2026.
| Draw type | ITAs issued |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 41,250 |
| French-language proficiency | 30,500 |
| Healthcare and social services | 8,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 5,939 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 662 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 250 |
Recent PNP draw trend
The July 6 PNP draw had a lower CRS cut-off than every earlier PNP draw listed for 2026.
| Date | Draw type | CRS cut-off | ITAs |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 25 | Provincial Nominee Program | 805 | 334 |
| May 11 | Provincial Nominee Program | 798 | 380 |
| April 27 | Provincial Nominee Program | 795 | 473 |
| April 13 | Provincial Nominee Program | 786 | 324 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
The latest draw continues the pattern of targeted Express Entry rounds rather than broad all-program invitations. For PNP candidates, the lower July cut-off may be notable, but eligibility still depended on both CRS score and the profile creation deadline.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
