Express Entry: July Draw Sets Lowest 2026 PNP Score

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has issued another round of invitations through the Express Entry system.

In the latest draw, held on July 6, IRCC invited 534 candidates from the Provincial Nominee Program category to apply for permanent residence.

Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 708 to receive an invitation. They also needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 2:49 p.m. UTC on June 4, 2026.

This was the first Express Entry draw of July and marked the lowest Provincial Nominee Program cut-off score so far in 2026. It was also the lowest CRS score for a PNP draw since November 25, 2025.

PNP Candidates Continue to See Regular Draws

Provincial Nominee Program candidates have remained a major focus for IRCC this year. So far in 2026, the department has held 13 PNP-specific Express Entry draws.

These draws target candidates who have already received a nomination from a Canadian province or territory. A provincial nomination gives candidates a major boost in the Express Entry system, which is why PNP draw scores are usually higher than many other draw types.

The July 6 draw followed another PNP draw on June 22, when IRCC invited 955 candidates with a CRS cut-off score of 730. The latest score of 708 shows a noticeable drop from that round.

Earlier PNP draws in 2026 had even higher cut-offs. For example, the May 25 PNP draw had a CRS requirement of 805, while the May 11 draw required 798.

Express Entry Activity in 2026

As of this draw, IRCC has conducted 35 Express Entry rounds in 2026.

The year’s draws have mainly focused on candidates already connected to Canada. These include Canadian Experience Class candidates, provincial nominees, French-speaking candidates, healthcare and social services workers, physicians with Canadian work experience, trades candidates, and senior managers with Canadian work experience.

Canadian Experience Class draws have been the most frequent after PNP draws, with 10 rounds held so far this year. French-language proficiency draws have taken place six times.

Other categories have seen fewer rounds. IRCC has held two draws for healthcare and social services workers, two for physicians with Canadian work experience, one for trades candidates, and one for senior managers with Canadian work experience.

ITAs Issued Across Categories

IRCC has issued 89,601 invitations to apply through Express Entry in 2026 so far.

Canadian Experience Class candidates have received the largest number of invitations, with 41,250 issued this year. French-language proficiency draws follow with 30,500 invitations.

Healthcare and social services candidates have received 8,000 invitations, while Provincial Nominee Program candidates have received 5,939. Trades candidates have received 3,000 invitations.

Smaller targeted categories have also received invitations. Physicians with Canadian work experience have received 662 invitations, while senior managers with Canadian work experience have received 250.

The latest draw shows that IRCC continues to use Express Entry to select candidates through both broad and targeted immigration categories.