Today's Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw issued 442 invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Express Entry pool. The minimum CRS score required to receive an ITA in this PNP Express Entry draw was 760.
The in-depth coverage of this Express Entry draw is made possible by the support of Scotiabank. The views, opinions, and information expressed in this piece are those of Moving2Canada and do not reflect those of Scotiabank. Scotiabank is not responsible for the content, accuracy, or any representations made herein.
Key Takeaways
Type of draw: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Invitations issued: 442
Minimum CRS score: 760
Tie-breaking rule: August 07, 2026 at 18:01:56 UTC
Prediction for next draw: Canadian Experience Class (CEC) on August 18, 2026. Check our dedicated page for more on when we’re expecting the next Express Entry draw.
Our Analysis of this Express Entry Draw
IRCC invited 442 candidates with a provincial nomination in today’s draw. The minimum CRS score was 760.
So far this year, cut-offs for PNP draws have ranged from 708 to 805. Today’s CRS cut-off falls well within this established range.
With 442 ITAs, this was the smallest PNP draw since June 22, when IRCC issued 955 PNP ITAs. That said, today’s draw still falls within the prevailing ITA range this year. The smallest PNP draw we’ve seen so far in 2026 was 264 ITAs on March 2.
That said, a smaller draw size doesn’t mean that IRCC is pulling back on PNPs. In fact, PNP draws clear the pool of everyone holding a nomination, so the size of each draw is set by how many nominations provinces have handed out since the last round, not by how many spots IRCC wants to offer. A nomination adds 600 points to your CRS score and all but guarantees an invitation.
As of August 16, there were 439 candidates scoring 600 or higher in the Express Entry pool, which suggests today’s 442 ITAs again cleared out nearly all nomination holders.
With today’s draw, IRCC has now issued 7399 ITAs to PNP candidates across 16 PNP rounds in 2026. More importantly, IRCC is now 360 ITAs short of creating a new record.
What This Means for PNP Candidates
PNP draws have been the most consistent part of Express Entry this year, and today’s round keeps that going. Since provinces still have a fair portion of their nomination allocations left to use for the year, we don’t expect PNP draws to stop or slow down.
As of August 10, 2026, IRCC had roughly 11,800 Express Entry-linked PNP applications and 102,400 base PNP applications sitting in the processing queue. This means that IRCC already has more than enough application inventory to meet its 91,500 admissions target for 2026.
If you were invited today, you will likely only receive permanent residence by early 2027, as Express Entry PNP processing is currently running at about six months.
What’s Next for Express Entry Candidates
A provincial nomination is the clearest route through Express Entry, but it is not the only one, and for many people it is not available. Provincial allocations have been cut, and several streams now require a job offer, in-province work experience, or an occupation on a shortlist.
If a provincial nomination is out of reach, the federal draws may still be available to you:
- The Canadian Experience Class (CEC), if you have qualifying Canadian work experience and a CRS score in the range recent CEC draws have been landing in (507-520)
- Category-based draws for French-language ability, healthcare and social services, STEM, trades, education, transport, or other targeted categories
Category-based draws consistently have lower cut-offs than CEC draws, which makes them the more realistic target for people building a score from abroad.
If you fall into one of those groups but your CRS score is short, you should explore ways to boost it: retaking your language test, adding French, gaining more experience in a category occupation, and claiming spousal factor points.
Further Resources for PNP Candidates
For more information:
- Track PNPs with our Live PNP tracker
- Learn more about PNPs in our beginner’s guide
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About the author
Sugandha Mahajan
She/Her
Content Marketer
Born and raised in New Delhi, India, Sugandha moved to Canada as a permanent resident in early 2020, just weeks before the pandemic shut everything down. She has first-hand experience with many common newcomer challenges, including navigating the Express Entry system, finding a job without Canadian experience, and figuring out small talk. To deepen her understanding of the field, she is currently pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Immigration & Citizenship Law at Queen’s University.
Read more about Sugandha Mahajan
Citation
Mahajan, Sugandha.
"IRCC Issues 442 ITAs in August 17 PNP Express Entry Draw."
Moving2Canada.
Last modified August 17, 2026.
https://moving2canada.com/2026/08/442-ita-pnp-express-entry-draw/.
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