Express Entry Targets PNP Candidates, Inviting 681 in Latest Draw

Key Takeaways 

Type of draw: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) 

Invitations issued: 681 

Minimum CRS score: 746 

Tie-breaking rule: November 19, 2025 at 04:09:11 UTC 

Prediction for next draw: Canadian Experience Class (CEC) on Wednesday or Thursday 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 

IRCC held a PNP Express Entry draw on January 20. In this round, IRCC issued 681 invitations to candidates with a provincial nomination, with a minimum CRS score of 746. It’s also a bit unusual that today’s draw happened on a Tuesday, since it would typically be on a Monday unless there’s a federal public holiday. We aren’t sure if this is the start of a new trend, or a one-off deviation just yet.  

This is the second PNP draw of January. The year opened with a PNP round on January 5, 2026, when IRCC invited 574 candidates with a CRS cut-off of 711. Compared to that draw, today’s round invited 107 more candidates, and the CRS cut-off is higher, rising from 711 to 746. 

If we’re trying to guess what might come next, it helps to look at how Express Entry started last year. The first four draws in 2025 were a PNP draw on January 7 (471 invited, CRS 793), a CEC draw on January 8 (1,350 invited, CRS 542), another CEC draw on January 23 (4,000 invited, CRS 527), and then another PNP draw on February 4 (455 invited, CRS 802). 

What’s different this year is that PNP has come out of the gate stronger. The first PNP draw of 2026 invited 574 candidates with a CRS cut-off of 711. That’s a bigger draw and a noticeably lower score than the first PNP draw we saw at the start of 2025. And today’s draw keeps that early-2026 momentum going for provincial nominees – especially since we’ve already seen two bigger PNP draws earlier this year, with 574 invitations on January 5 and 681 invitations today on January 20. 

This also lines up with the federal government’s plans to give provinces a bigger role in selecting newcomers. After a dip in PNP allocations in 2025, the federal government has brought the Provincial Nominee Program back in a big way under the new Immigration Levels Plan. PNP targets are set to jump from 55,000 in 2025 to 91,500 in 2026, which is a pretty clear sign that provinces are being asked to play a bigger role in choosing newcomers to match local job needs. 

If IRCC sticks with that plan, we may keep seeing regular bi-weekly PNP draws – and they could be larger than what we saw for much of 2025. For candidates, that’s a big deal, because a provincial nomination can be one of the quickest ways to boost your CRS score if you’re not close to typical CEC cut-offs. 

What This Means for Candidates 

Starting January 2026 with multiple PNP draws is a good reminder that a provincial nomination can be one of the easiest ways to get an Express Entry invitation – especially now that Canada has increased the number of PNP spots for 2026. 

If you’re hoping to get nominated, this is a smart time to keep an eye on which provinces are reopening or expanding their streams, pay attention to the jobs and industries they’re targeting (often things like healthcare, skilled trades, and other in-demand roles), and double-check that your Express Entry profile is up to date so you’re ready if a province picks you. 

Further Resources for PNP Candidates  

For more information: 

• Track PNPs with our Live PNP tracker  

Learn more about PNPs in our beginner’s guide