In the very first Express Entry draw of 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Canada (IRCC) handed out 574 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence (PR)
in Canada, which was the official kickoff of the federal immigration selections for 2026. This
draw was solely aimed at the PNP candidates, thereby indicating Canada’s consistent
approach to give priority to provincial labor and economic requirements through the federal
immigration stream.
Express Entry Draw Highlights
● Draw Date – 5 January 2026
● Program – Provincial Nominee Program
● Number of Invitations – 574
● CRS Score – 711
CRS Score Distribution in Pool
The CRS distribution in the Express Entry pool as on 4 January 2026, the day before the
draw, reflects the competition across score bands –
| CRS Score Range | Number of Candidates (4 Jan 2026) |
Number of Candidates (14 Dec 2025) |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 601–1200 | 559 | 390 | 169 |
| 501–600 | 21,013 | 21,792 | -779 |
| 451–500 | 70,523 | 68,700 | 1,823 |
| 491–500 | 12,873 | 12,315 | 558 |
| 481–490 | 12,499 | 12,149 | 350 |
| 471–480 | 15,435 | 14,859 | 576 |
| 461–470 | 14,881 | 14,535 | 346 |
| 451–460 | 14,835 | 14,842 | -7 |
| 401–450 | 65,120 | 66,948 | -1,828 |
| 441–450 | 14,139 | 13,992 | 147 |
| 431–440 | 14,285 | 14,244 | 41 |
| 421–430 | 12,816 | 12,750 | 66 |
| 411–420 | 12,442 | 12,367 | 75 |
| 401–410 | 11,438 | 13,595 | -2,157 |
| 351–400 | 52,469 | 52,574 | -105 |
| 301–350 | 18,745 | 18,829 | -84 |
| 0–300 | 8,125 | 8,069 | 56 |
| Total | 236,554 | 237,302 | -748 |
Implication For Candidates
● Provincial Nomination Benefit – A provincial nomination results in the automatic
addition of 600 CRS points to a candidate’s profile, thus, a lot of PNP candidates
become instantly competitive in the Express Entry draws.
● Score That Is Basically On Par – The 711 CRS cutoff of this draw indicates that
strong profile candidates, either those utilizing PNP pathways or those having
resources to reach there—are the lucky ones to be called for having an invitation.
● Federal Needs – Commencing 2026 with a PNP-specific draw mirrors the recent
trend where Canada resorts to targeted draws to meet regional labour and
demographic needs.
Recap of Recent Express Entry Draws
| Date | Number of Invitations | CRS Score | Draw Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Jan 2026 | 574 | 711 | Provincial Nominee Program |
| 17 Dec 2025 | 6,000 | 399 | French Language Proficiency |
| 16 Dec 2025 | 5,000 | 515 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) |
| 15 Dec 2025 | 399 | 731 | Provincial Nominee Program |
| 11 Dec 2025 | 1,000 | 476 | Healthcare and Social Services Occupations |