IRCC Releases First Express Entry Draw of February 2026: 423 PNP Candidates Invited
Details of the First February Draw
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officially released the results of the latest Express Entry draw on February 3, 2026. This draw marks not only the first round in February but also the fifth invitation round since the start of 2026.
This selection round was open exclusively to candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). IRCC issued ITAs for permanent residence to 423 eligible applicants in this draw.
According to official data, the specific requirements for invitation were as follows:
- Minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score: 749;
- Tie-breaking Rule: Candidates must have completed their Express Entry profile submission before 10:30 PM Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on December 16, 2025. This means that for candidates with a score exactly at 749, only those who entered the pool prior to this timestamp received an invitation.
Typically, CRS scores for the PNP category are higher because candidates with a provincial nomination receive an automatic 600-point boost to their base score.
Analysis of 2026 Express Entry Selection Trends
To date, Express Entry selection in 2026 has demonstrated a distinct policy direction. Across the five completed draws this year, IRCC's focus has remained entirely on immigration candidates currently within Canada, particularly those holding provincial nominations or possessing local Canadian work experience.
According to statistical data, the distribution of draw types in 2026 so far is as follows:
| Draw Type | Number of Draws |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 2 |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 3 |
Invitation Statistics
regarding the number of invitations, IRCC has issued a cumulative total of 15,678 ITAs in 2026. The breakdown by category is as follows:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 14,000 invitations issued;
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 1,678 invitations issued.
As the data suggests, while PNP draws have been more frequent (3 times), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) occupies the dominant position in terms of large-scale talent absorption, contributing the vast majority of invitation quotas. This trend represents a noteworthy positive signal for international students and temporary foreign workers currently working and gaining experience in Canada.
Summary of the 2026 Express Entry draws
| Date | Draw category | Invitations issued | Minimum CRS score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 3 | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 423 | 749 |
| Jan 21 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 6,000 | 509 |
| Jan 20 | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 681 | 746 |
| Jan 7 | Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 8,000 | 511 |
| Jan 5 | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | 574 | 711 |
Friendly reminder: There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada. We recommend first using UNA AI to generate an objective and neutral immigration plan, so you can gain an initial understanding of the possible immigration pathways and their requirements, and then choose to proceed with one-on-one consultations with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant partnered with UNA.
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