Express Entry: Canada Issues 380 New ITAs to Provincial Nominee Candidates

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has issued 380 new invitations to apply through the Express Entry system in its first draw of May.

The May 11 draw focused on candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program. To receive an invitation, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 798. They also needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 5:23 a.m. UTC on January 7, 2026.

This was the tenth Express Entry draw of the year for provincial nominees. It was also the twenty-seventh Express Entry selection round held in 2026.

Provincial nomination gives a major boost

Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination gain 600 extra CRS points. This makes a nomination one of the strongest ways for candidates to improve their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.

PNP draws are aimed at candidates who already have an eligible Express Entry profile and have been nominated by a province or territory. Because of the 600-point boost, many nominated candidates receive scores that are far above those in other draw categories.

2026 draws continue to focus on candidates in Canada

So far this year, IRCC has focused heavily on candidates who are already connected to Canada. This includes people with Canadian work experience and those selected by provinces and territories through nominee programs.

Canadian Experience Class draws have been the largest source of invitations in 2026. IRCC has held eight CEC draws and issued 34,250 invitations through that category.

French-language draws have also remained a major part of the year’s Express Entry activity. IRCC has held five French-language proficiency draws and issued 26,000 invitations.

More than 72,000 invitations issued this year

In total, IRCC has issued 72,007 invitations to apply through Express Entry so far in 2026.

Provincial Nominee Program draws account for 4,116 of those invitations. Healthcare and social services candidates have received 4,000 invitations, while trades candidates have received 3,000.

Other targeted draws this year include 391 invitations for physicians with Canadian work experience and 250 invitations for senior managers with Canadian work experience.

The May 11 PNP draw followed several recent rounds in late April. On April 29, IRCC issued 4,000 invitations to French-language candidates with a CRS cut-off of 400. On April 28, 2,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates were invited with a cut-off score of 514. One day earlier, 473 provincial nominees were invited with a minimum score of 795.

The latest draw shows that provincial nominees remain a key group in Canada’s Express Entry system. With high CRS scores and strong provincial support, these candidates continue to be among the most likely to receive invitations.