Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada has made the announcement regarding First Express Entry Draw of July 2026 and invited 534 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants to submit their application for Canadian Permanent Residency.
The recent round of invitations has taken place on 6 July 2026 where IRCC invited only those candidates who have been nominated by one of the Provincial Nominee Programs in Canada. A minimum CRS score of 708 was needed to be able to get an ITA. The score is 22 points lower than that of previous PNP-specific invitation draw of June.
Highlights of First Express Entry Draw of July 2026
- Draw Date – July 6, 2026
- Draw Type – Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Total Invitations Issued – 534
- Minimum CRS Score Required – 708
Why Is the CRS Cut-off 708?
Being nominated in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) automatically gives 600 CRS points to candidate. Thus, applicants chosen via the PNP program have much higher CRS scores than the applicants from regular Express Entry programs.
The cut-off being 708 implies that the invited candidates had at least 108 points in CRS before getting their bonus points for the provincial nomination. This proves how much one can benefit from the provincial nomination while trying to obtain permanent residency in Canada.
Express Entry Pool Distribution (as of July 5, 2026)
According to IRCC, the number of people in the Express Entry pool is 235,127.
| CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates |
|---|---|
| 601–1200 | 525 |
| 501–600 | 18,611 |
| 451–500 | 73,691 |
| 491–500 | 13,061 |
| 481–490 | 12,555 |
| 471–480 | 16,198 |
| 461–470 | 16,499 |
| 451–460 | 15,378 |
| 401–450 | 65,818 |
| 441–450 | 14,294 |
| 431–440 | 14,127 |
| 421–430 | 12,870 |
| 411–420 | 12,383 |
| 401–410 | 12,144 |
| 351–400 | 51,096 |
| 301–350 | 17,513 |
| 0–300 | 7,873 |
| Total | 235,127 |
Key Insights from the Express Entry Pool
The most recent Express Entry pool breakdown clearly demonstrates that there is stiff competition among most CRS bands.
The majority of profiles are in the 451-500 CRS band, with 73,691 profiles currently registered here.
In addition to this, 65,818 profiles belong to the 401-450 band. The two CRS bands together comprise almost 60% of all Express Entry profiles.
On the other hand, only 525 profiles were in the CRS band above 600, the vast majority of which are provincial nominees.
Implications of This Draw for Express Entry Applicants
This most recent draw underscores the value that candidates can expect from a Provincial Nomination, which is especially useful for those trying to increase their odds of getting an Invitation to Apply.
In light of the 600 extra CRS points granted to provincial nominees, they still have an edge over other Express Entry candidates.
Those candidates who do not currently hold a provincial nomination can consider looking into Provincial Nominee Programs, increasing their CRS score by means of bettering their language scores, getting more work experience or improving their education qualifications.