The first Express Entry draw of February has been conducted on February 3rd, 2026, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 423 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score was 749 (applicants get 600 additional points for provincial nominations) for the draw. The Express Entry profile of candidates should have been created on or before 16th December 2025 by 10:30 p.m. UTC.
To date, in 2026, five Express Entry draws have been conducted (including the latest draw). They are two Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws (total 14,000 ITAs issued) and three Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws (total 1,678 ITAs issued). IRCC has issued 15,678 ITAs in 2026 under the Express Entry system so far.
The Express Entry draws in 2026 reflect how Canada continues to prioritize in-Canada candidates, especially provincial nominees and those with Canadian work experience.
The PNP continues to remain competitive with a large pool of applicants. Provincial nomination gives candidates an advantage with the award of a 600-point bonus, often guaranteeing an ITA in PNP draws for those with even moderate base scores.
Read to know: New Brunswick PNP 2026: 379 Invitations Issued Across Three Streams
CANADA 
+1 (647) 767-0672