Last updated: September 15, 2026
On September 14, 2026, IRCC issued 576 invitations to apply (ITAs) in its latest Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw, at a minimum CRS score of 734, the second-highest PNP cutoff of the year. If you’re holding, chasing, or still deciding whether to pursue a provincial nomination, this draw tells you something important about how much competition you’re up against right now.
What Just Happened
IRCC’s PNP-specific draw invited candidates who had a valid provincial nomination and had created their Express Entry profile before August 29, 2026, 9:39 PM UTC. A nomination adds a flat 600 points to a candidate’s CRS score, which is why PNP cutoffs sit so far above other draw categories, the 734 threshold reflects roughly 130–150 points of “real” human capital score on top of that boost.
This draw was only slightly larger than the 562 ITAs issued on August 31, but the cutoff climbed from 697 to 734 in that same window – a meaningful jump in just two weeks.
What It Means for You
We are now seeing something close to a “clean sweep” pattern. Based on pool data from the day before the draw, the number of candidates scoring above 600 points was very close to the 576 invitations issued suggesting IRCC invited nearly every eligible nomination holder in the pool, rather than cutting the line at a fixed score.
Practically, this means:
- A provincial nomination is close to a guaranteed ITA right now – If you are nominated, you are very likely getting invited within one to two draw cycles, regardless of your exact CRS score.
- Competition is heavier in 2026 than 2025 – Cumulative PNP invitations for the year are running noticeably ahead of the same point last year, suggesting provinces are nominating more candidates, not fewer.
- Cutoffs are volatile, not trending in one direction – PNP draws this year have swung between roughly 697 and over 800, so timing your application around a “good” draw is largely out of your control.
Summary of Express Entry draws
| Date | Draw Type | CRS cut-off score | ITAs issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 734 | 576 |
| September 4 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 3,500 |
| September 3 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 198 | 229 |
| September 1 | Canadian Experience Class | 521 | 2,000 |
| August 31 | Provincial Nominee Program | 697 | 562 |
| August 19 | French-Language proficiency | 382 | 5,000 |
| August 18 | Canadian Experience Class | 523 | 1,000 |
| August 17 | Provincial Nominee Program | 760 | 442 |
| August 7 | Transport | 470 | 300 |
| August 6 | French-Language proficiency | 391 | 5,000 |
| August 5 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 3,000 |
| August 4 | Provincial Nominee Program | 768 | 507 |
| July 23 | Skilled Military Recruits | 368 | 4 |
| July 22 | French-Language proficiency | 399 | 5,000 |
| July 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 2,000 |
| July 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 744 | 511 |
| July 10 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 392 | 500 |
| July 9 | French-Language proficiency | 420 | 5,000 |
| July 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 517 | 2,000 |
| July 6 | Provincial Nominee Program | 708 | 534 |
| June 25 | Healthcare and social services | 475 | 4,000 |
| June 24 | Physicians with Canadian Work Experience | 223 | 271 |
| June 23 | Canadian Experience Class | 516 | 4,000 |
| June 22 | Provincial Nominee Program | 730 | 955 |
| May 28 | French-Language proficiency | 409 | 4,500 |
| 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 |
| March 31 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 2,250 |
| March 30 | Provincial Nominee Program | 802 | 356 |
| March 18 | French-Language proficiency | 393 | 4,000 |
| March 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 507 | 4,000 |
| March 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 742 | 362 |
| March 5 | Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 429 | 250 |
| March 4 | French-Language proficiency | 397 | 5,500 |
| March 3 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 4,000 |
| March 2 | Provincial Nominee Program | 710 | 264 |
| February 20 | Healthcare and social services | 467 | 4,000 |
| February 19 | Physicians with Canadian work experience | 169 | 391 |
| February 17 | Canadian Experience Class | 508 | 6,000 |
| February 16 | Provincial Nominee Program | 789 | 279 |
| February 6 | French-Language proficiency | 400 | 8,500 |
| February 3 | Provincial Nominee Program | 749 | 423 |
| January 21 | Canadian Experience Class | 509 | 6,000 |
| January 20 | Provincial Nominee Program | 746 | 681 |
| January 7 | Canadian Experience Class | 511 | 8,000 |
| January 5 | Provincial Nominee Program | 711 | 574 |
Over the course of 2026, IRCC has issued 121,732 ITAs through Express Entry, spread across several draw types.
| Draw type | ITAs Issued |
|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | 51,250 |
| French-Language proficiency | 50,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 8,537 |
| Healthcare and social services | 11,500 |
| Trades | 3,000 |
| Transport | 300 |
| Physicians with Canadian work experience | 891 |
| Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience | 750 |
| Skilled Military Recruits | 4 |
What to Do Next
If you already hold a provincial nomination, there’s little reason to wait, get your Express Entry profile complete and accurate now, since IRCC appears to be clearing nearly the full pool of eligible candidates each round. If you are still in the nomination process with a province, ask your immigration advisor for a realistic timeline, since provincial processing, not the federal draw is now the bottleneck for most applicants.
We are not going to promise you a specific draw date or guaranteed outcome – CRS cutoffs and pool composition change every two weeks, and case-by-case factors (nomination stream, program backlog, document readiness) matter as much as the score itself. What we can tell you is that the trend right now favors candidates who already have a nomination in hand over those still weighing whether to pursue one.
Book a strategy call with The Veritas House to find out where you would land in the current pool and whether a provincial nomination is your fastest route to PR.
Book your FREE consultation: https://theveritashouse.zohobookings.in/tvh
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Last updated: September 2026. CRS cutoffs, PNP nomination quotas, and Express Entry rules can change from one draw to the next.
