1. Key details of the latest draw

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the 24th Express Entry round of 2026 on April 27, 2026, issuing invitations exclusively to candidates with a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination.

To be eligible in this round, candidates needed to:

• Hold a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 795; and
• Have created their Express Entry profile before 11:11 p.m. UTC on April 13, 2026.

A total of 473 ITAs were issued.

It is worth noting that the high CRS cut-off in PNP-specific draws does not reflect unusually strong base profiles. Every provincial nomination automatically adds 600 points to a candidate's CRS score, meaning a candidate with a base score as low as 195 can clear the 795 threshold once a provincial nomination is attached.

2. How this round compares with recent PNP draws

Placing this round in the context of recent PNP-only draws helps reveal IRCC's pacing of the provincial nominee pool:

• January 5, 2026 — The first draw of the year, also PNP, issued 574 ITAs.
• March 30, 2026 — 356 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 802, the highest PNP cut-off so far in 2026.
• April 13, 2026 — 324 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 786.
• April 27, 2026 (current round) — 473 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 795.

Compared with April 13, this round delivered a clear rebound in invitation volume alongside a modest 9-point uptick in the cut-off. The broader pattern points to a "frequent draws, moderate per-draw volume" rhythm, with IRCC working through the backlog of provincial nominees in the Express Entry pool at a measured pace.

3. The 2026 cadence: PNP and CEC sharing the heavy lifting

Across 23 Express Entry rounds so far in 2026, IRCC has issued 65,627 ITAs, distributed by category as follows:

By number of draws:

Together, CEC and PNP account for the bulk of both draw frequency and total invitations this year, while French-language draws contribute disproportionately through a smaller number of large rounds. CEC alone represented roughly 54% of all Q1 ITAs, underscoring IRCC's intent to convert temporary residents and international graduates already working in Canada into permanent residents (PRs).

4. The 2026 levels plan: a major PNP expansion sets the tone

The backdrop to this PNP round is Ottawa's pronounced tilt toward provincial selection in the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

According to the latest federal figures, the Federal High Skilled category — which encompasses all Express Entry programs — is targeted at 109,000 admissions in 2026. At the same time, the PNP admissions target has been raised from roughly 55,000 in 2025 to 91,500, a jump of about 66% and one of the largest single-year increases the program has ever received. The shift gives provinces a notably bigger role in shaping the composition of Canadian immigration.

Because a sizeable share of PNP admissions flows through Express Entry-aligned streams, the expanded ceiling has translated directly into a heavier PNP draw schedule — nine rounds already in 2026, more than any other category. Several immigration practitioners observe that the PNP route is likely to remain the most realistic path to an ITA for high-scoring candidates in the near term, with applicants holding in-demand provincial occupations, stable local employment, or Canadian credentials best positioned to compete.

5. What this means for applicants

Read together, this round and the year-to-date pattern point to a few practical takeaways for different cohorts:

• Candidates already holding a provincial nomination — With the 600-point boost layered onto a base CRS score, even applicants with base scores around 195 cleared the 795 bar; profile validity windows and CRS recalculations should be monitored closely.
• Temporary residents and international graduates inside Canada — CEC remains the single largest source of ITAs this year, with the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), employer stability, and English/French language results continuing to be the most consequential variables.
• Overseas applicants — Pure CRS-based general draws have not returned to a regular cadence in 2026; IRCC is clearly leaning on category-based and PNP selection. Provincial nomination, in-demand occupation categories, and stronger French-language scores deserve more weight in any PR plan.

With the 2026 levels plan now fully in effect, IRCC is expected to maintain its high-frequency PNP and CEC cadence into the latter part of Q2, calibrating ITA volumes according to how much room provinces release for new nominations.