New Express Entry Draw Issues 324 PNP Invitations
New Express Entry Draw Issues 324 PNP Invitations
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a new Express Entry draw on April 13, 2026, issuing 324 Invitations to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. This draw was specifically for candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Draw Details and CRS Score Requirements
The latest round exclusively targeted candidates who had already received a nomination from a Canadian province or territory. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for an invitation was 786. This score is significantly higher than in general draws because a provincial nomination automatically adds 600 points to a candidate's base score, placing them at the top of the pool. According to official data released by IRCC, the draw occurred at 10:51:11 UTC. A tie-breaking rule was also applied, with the cut-off set to November 19, 2025, at 18:53:59 UTC. This mechanism is used when multiple candidates have the same minimum score; only those who submitted their profile before this specific date and time received an invitation. To be invited, a candidate needed a rank of 324 or above.
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What This Means for Express Entry Candidates
This program-specific draw highlights the continued importance of Provincial Nominee Programs within Canada's immigration strategy. These programs allow provinces to select immigration candidates who meet their local economic and demographic needs. For applicants, securing a provincial nomination is a critical advantage, often guaranteeing an invitation in a subsequent PNP-specific draw. Candidates in the Express Entry pool without a provincial nomination were not included in this round. However, they remain eligible for other types of draws, including general rounds and category-based selections. General rounds invite top-ranking candidates regardless of their program, while category-based rounds target individuals with specific skills, such as work experience in in-demand occupations or strong French language abilities. It is important for all candidates to keep their Express Entry profiles up-to-date and explore PNP options relevant to their qualifications.
What the Data Tells Us
Three hundred twenty-four invitations is a small round, and that size is the signal. IRCC was drawing from however many nominations the provinces had issued since the last PNP draw, not deciding how many people to admit.
The 786 cutoff should not be read as a rising bar. The 600 nomination points sit inside that number, so the lowest-ranked invited candidate held a base score of roughly 186. Compared against any general or category-based round, that is a modest human-capital profile.
The tie-breaking timestamp of November 19, 2025 mattered for anyone sitting exactly at 786. A profile created before that moment was invited; an identical one created after it was not.
The takeaway is unchanged from every PNP round this year. A provincial nomination outweighs any realistic gain in language scores, education, or work experience, and the fastest route into a round like this is a stream that matches your existing profile.
For those invited, the 60-day window begins now, and an incomplete application is refused rather than returned for correction.