Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued 356 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in the 18th Express Entry draw of 2026. Candidates in this draw were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 802 and to have created their Express Entry profile before 3:54 a.m. UTC on February 12, 2026. So far in 2026, IRCC has focused its draws primarily on candidates residing in Canada, especially those with provincial nominations and Canadian work experience. A total of 53,580 ITAs have been issued to date.

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) held a new selection round on March 26, 2026, issuing 14 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) under the Skilled Worker Stream to candidates in Manitoba and overseas. Those invited had declared in their Expression of Interest (EOI) profiles that they had been directly invited by the province through a strategic recruitment initiative. Among the various initiatives, the Francophone Community initiative accounted for the highest number of invitations, with eight LAAs issued. In addition, three invitees declared valid Express Entry profile numbers and job seeker validation codes.

On March 25, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held five targeted invitation rounds, issuing a total of 1,112 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates currently in Canada who hold valid work or study permits and have qualifying job offers from eligible employers. The invitations covered the Foreign Worker, International Student, and In-Demand Skills categories under the Employer Job Offer streams, across the Greater Toronto Area, Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario (excluding the GTA), Eastern Ontario, and Northern Ontario. At the same time, Ontario is moving ahead with a major restructuring of its provincial nomination system, with several existing categories expected to be repealed on May 30, 2026, when legislative changes come into force and new consolidated streams are introduced.

Over the past three weeks, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) announced results from six provincial immigration draws held between February 26 and March 16, 2026. A total of 1,447 invitations were issued across several streams and pathways, including the Alberta Opportunity Stream, Rural Renewal Stream, Alberta Express Entry Priority Sectors pathway for healthcare, the Accelerated Tech pathway, and the Dedicated Health Care Pathway outside Express Entry. The latest round of draws shows Alberta is continuing to prioritize rural labour shortages, healthcare staffing needs, and the attraction of technology talent in 2026. As of March 17, Alberta had received 6,403 nomination spaces for the year, of which 1,127 had already been used, leaving 5,276 spots remaining.

On March 18, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted its third round of invitations of the year and completed six targeted draws on the same day, issuing a total of 1,243 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Among them, 1,107 ITAs were issued through the Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams, marking the first invitations under these two streams since September 17, 2024. The draws mainly targeted international student graduates and foreign workers with Canadian work experience in specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) occupations. At the same time, Ontario also issued 136 ITAs through its Employer Job Offer streams. These invitations came as the province moves ahead with a major restructuring of its immigration system, with several current categories scheduled to be revoked on May 30, 2026, and replaced by a new framework.

On March 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 362 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence to candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) through the Express Entry system. In this round, candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 742 and to have created their Express Entry profile before 8:35 p.m. UTC on October 5, 2025. This was the 15th Express Entry draw of 2026 and the sixth targeted draw for provincial nominees this year. Overall, IRCC’s selection pattern in 2026 continues to show a clear preference for candidates already in Canada, particularly those with provincial nominations or Canadian work experience. For more information on past Express Entry draws, readers can visit UNA’s dedicated page.

British Columbia recently held a new draw under the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) program of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), issuing invitations to eligible candidates under both the Base and Regional streams. Those invited were mainly business applicants planning to establish a new business in British Columbia or acquire and expand an existing one. In this round, the minimum invitation score was 117 for the Base stream, with 7 invitations issued, while the minimum score for the Regional stream was 129, with fewer than 5 invitations issued. Since the start of 2026, British Columbia has completed five entrepreneur-category draws, reflecting the province’s continued steady pace in attracting business immigrants and supporting regional economic development.

The Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) officially opened its Employer-Driven and Francophone Streams on March 9, 2026. The Employer-Driven Stream has transitioned to an Expression of Interest (EOI) selection model, with its inaugural draw scheduled for March 25, when up to 65 eligible candidates will be invited to submit full applications. The Francophone Stream will continue accepting direct applications on a first-come, first-served basis. For the 2026 cycle, the federal government has allocated 197 nomination spaces to the Northwest Territories.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its eleventh Express Entry draw of the year, and the first for the month, on March 2, 2026. This targeted selection issued 264 Invitations to Apply specifically to candidates within the Provincial Nominee Program. Throughout the year, Canada's immigration department has demonstrated a clear strategic focus on in-country candidates, particularly those who have secured a provincial nomination or possess Canadian work experience. To date, various Express Entry draws in 2026 have resulted in the issuance of over 35,000 invitations.

In February 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), alongside various provincial nominee programs, issued a total of 25,722 invitations to apply for permanent residence. Despite the federal government reducing overall immigration targets in the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, this month's data shows that abundant opportunities remain for skilled professionals who meet specific sector demands. Looking at the distribution of invitations this month, healthcare workers, French-speaking candidates, applicants with Canadian work experience, and provincial nominee candidates dominated the selections. This reflects Canada's increasing focus on addressing current labor market shortages when admitting new immigrants. For prospective applicants, accurately understanding Canada's core talent needs and strategically planning within the appropriate categories could significantly accelerate their journey to obtaining permanent resident status.