792 Candidates Invited in October 26 PNP Express Entry Draw

Key Takeaways

• Type of draw: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• Invitations issued: 792
• Minimum CRS score: 761
• Tie-breaking rule: April 3, 2026 at 18:00:26 UTC
• Prediction for next draw: Canadian Experience Class (CEC) on October 27. Check our dedicated page for more on when we’re expecting the next Express Entry draw.

Our Analysis of This Express Entry Draw

In today’s PNP draw, IRCC invited 792 candidates with provincial nominations to apply for permanent residence. The minimum CRS score required was 761.

Today’s CRS cut-off was 11 points lower than the previous PNP draw on October 13, when 752 candidates received invitations with a minimum score of 772.

Although the cut-off remains high compared to other Express Entry draws, this is expected for PNP-specific rounds. A provincial nomination adds 600 points to a candidate’s CRS score, placing nominated candidates among the highest-ranking profiles in the Express Entry pool.

Today’s draw was also slightly larger than the previous round, with IRCC issuing 40 more invitations.

According to the latest Express Entry pool distribution figures, there were 787 candidates with CRS scores above 600 as of October 25. With 792 invitations issued, it appears nearly all eligible candidates with a nomination have now received an invitation.

With today’s draw, IRCC has now issued 10,814 ITAs to PNP candidates across 21 draws in 2026.

What This Means for PNP Candidates

If you have an active Express Entry profile and have already received a provincial nomination, today’s draw may have brought you one step closer to Canadian permanent residence.

Candidates who received an ITA today will have 60 days to submit their permanent residence applications.

If you are expecting a nomination soon, the continued frequency of PNP draws is encouraging. PNP draw sizes have fluctuated throughout 2026, but these rounds have generally remained consistent, taking place approximately every two weeks.

That said, IRCC has already announced that draws will be paused for two weeks starting November 3, 2026, so we expect that the next draw will come later than usual.

Canada’s PNP admissions target for 2026 is 91,500, and it is expected to increase to 92,500 in 2027. These targets include permanent residents admitted through both Express Entry-linked and non-Express Entry PNP streams.

Candidates invited in today’s draw will count towards the 2027 target. You should also keep in mind that receiving an ITA does not guarantee permanent residence. IRCC must still review the completed application and assess applicants for admissibility before granting PR status.

What This Means for Express Entry Candidates

A provincial nomination remains one of the most effective ways to improve your chances of receiving an Express Entry invitation.

With 600 additional CRS points, nominated candidates typically have scores high enough to receive an ITA in a PNP-specific draw.

However, securing a nomination is not necessarily easy. Each province has its own eligibility requirements and selection priorities. Many PNP streams favour candidates with local work experience, a job offer, or other connections to the province.

If you do not qualify for a provincial nomination, there are other ways to strengthen your Express Entry profile.

Improving your language test scores, gaining additional eligible work experience, or developing French-language proficiency could help increase your CRS score.

You should also check whether you qualify for category-based Express Entry selection or the new high-wage occupation points, which could improve your chances of receiving an ITA.

Further Resources for PNP Candidates

For more information:

• Track provincial nominations with our Live PNP Tracker.
• Learn more about provincial nominations in our Beginner’s Guide to PNPs.