Express Entry: IRCC invites 423 candidates in third PNP draw of the year

Key Takeaways  

Type of draw: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)  

Invitations issued: 423

Minimum CRS score: 749

Tie-breaking rule:  December 16, 2025 at 22:30:36 UTC

Prediction for next draw: Canadian Experience Class (CEC) later this week. Check out our dedicated page for more info on when we’re expecting the next Express Entry draw. 

Our Analysis of This Express Entry Draw 

Today’s PNP draw is the third and smallest PNP draw of the year. 

The first PNP draw took place on January 5 and invited 574 candidates with a CRS cut-off of 711 while the second was on January 20 and invited 681 candidates with a minimum score of 746.  

Today’s draw was smaller than usual with a higher CRS than we have seen so far in 2026. If IRCC is going reach PNP targets for 2026, it will need to remain active when it comes to PNP draws (even though it is unclear how many of the 91,500  spaces available will go to Express Entry PNP candidates).

We could start to see bigger draws in the first half of the year. IRCC has a processing service standard of seven months for PNP Express Entry applications meaning that anyone who gets an ITA before the end of June could potentially arrive by the end of the year. If the draws are not notably large, then they will have to be more frequent.  

It is also worth noting that PNP draw sizes are limited to the number of candidates in the pool who have a provincial nomination. If there are only 500 candidates to invite, that’s the highest number of ITAs that can be issued.

Overall, If Canada is planning to admit 91,500 PNP candidates before the end of 2026, IRCC will have to get busy. 

However, we should also keep in mind that some admissions will come from the back half of 2025 for those who will arrive in Canada in early 2026. There are currently 10,800 people waiting for a decision for their PNP Express Entry. 

What this means for you 

Larger or more frequent PNP draws means that it might be worth considering applying for a PNP nomination if you haven’t already done so. It’s separate from your Express Entry application (sometimes with a fee depending on the program).  

The higher PNP target indicates that IRCC is letting the provinces decide who is the best fit to meet local labour force needs. It could be worth exploring if you are eligible for a PNP stream within your province, or the province that you would like to move to. You might have a skill that a province can use. 

If nothing else, a PNP nomination will add 600 points to your overall CRS score and almost guarantees an ITA in a different draw, depending on the Express Entry program you apply for. 

Further Resources for PNP Candidates  

For more information: 

• Track PNPs with our Live PNP tracker  

Learn more about PNPs in our beginner’s guide