Canada Invites 562 Provincial Nominees in August 31 Express Entry Draw

Canada invited 562 PNP candidates on August 31, 2026, with a CRS cut-off of 697, the lowest of the year

On August 31, 2026, Canada invited 562 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score was 697, marking the lowest PNP cut-off of the year.

Draw Details

This was draw number 438 (the 50th Express Entry round of 2026), held on August 31, 2026 at 10:42:13 UTC. The tie-breaking rule was April 12, 2026 at 04:32:26 UTC, meaning candidates with a CRS score of exactly 697 who submitted their profiles before this date and time were invited.

Significance of the Lower CRS Cut-Off

The 697 cut-off does not signal a tougher program — it signals that IRCC cleared out the backlog of nominees waiting in the pool. This represents positive news for provincial nominees, as the lower threshold compared to previous PNP draws in August (which had cut-offs of 760 and 768) indicates more candidates were successfully invited.

August 2026 Express Entry Activity

August 2026 was an active month for Express Entry invitations. Throughout August, IRCC conducted multiple draws including PNP rounds on August 31 (562 ITAs at CRS 697), August 17 (442 ITAs at CRS 760), and August 4 (507 ITAs at CRS 768), along with Canadian Experience Class draws and French-language proficiency rounds.

2026 Invitation Trends

By mid-August 2026, IRCC had issued approximately 114,865 Express Entry invitations across 47 draws, surpassing the 113,988 invitations issued across all of 2025. This demonstrates Canada's continued commitment to bolstering its skilled workforce through the Express Entry system.

How to Get a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Nomination

An Express Entry–linked nomination adds 600 CRS points, virtually guaranteeing an invitation. Canada's Provincial Nominee Programs give skilled workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs a targeted path to Canadian permanent residence, and in 2026, they are more accessible than ever.

Two Main Pathways to Apply

Express Entry-Aligned (Enhanced) Streams

Express Entry-aligned (or "enhanced") streams require you to already have a profile in the Express Entry pool and to be eligible for one of the federal programmes behind it. The province issues a nomination through the Express Entry system, which adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System score.

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Create an account and submit an Express Entry profile
2. Apply to an Express Entry-aligned PNP stream, or wait to receive a Notification of Interest
3. Receive your provincial nomination certificate
4. Accept the nomination and boost your CRS score automatically by 600 points
5. Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in the next Express Entry draw
6. Submit your application for Canadian permanent residence

Base (Paper-Based) Streams

1. Apply directly to the province's PNP stream
2. Province reviews and nominates you
3. Submit a PR application to IRCC (not through Express Entry)
4. IRCC processes your application

Processing time for base PNP applications is significantly longer — often 18-24 months after nomination.

How Provinces Select Candidates

Many provinces ask candidates to submit an EOI profile to a candidate pool. The province then runs draws, inviting top candidates to apply for nomination. Draw criteria typically factor in points score, occupation, language ability, and education, and can shift from draw to draw based on labour market priorities.

Typical Selection Process:

1. Create an Express Entry profile and indicate which provinces you're interested in
2. A province reviews Express Entry candidates and sends a Notification of Interest (NOI) to those who match their criteria
3. You apply to the province's PNP stream
4. If nominated, you accept the nomination in your Express Entry account
5. Your CRS score increases by 600 points

Provinces That Send Notifications of Interest (NOI) in 2026

The following provinces can search the Express Entry pool and send Notifications of Interest to candidates:

1. Ontario (OINP) - Human Capital Priorities Stream, French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, Skilled Trades Stream
2. British Columbia (BC PNP) - Express Entry BC Skilled Worker, Express Entry BC International Graduate
3. Alberta (AAIP) - Alberta Express Entry Stream
4. Saskatchewan (SINP) - Saskatchewan Express Entry Stream
5. Manitoba (MPNP) - Express Entry Skilled Workers Overseas Stream
6. Nova Scotia (NSNP) - Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry, Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities
7. New Brunswick (NBPNP) - Express Entry Stream
8. Prince Edward Island (PEI PNP) - PEI Express Entry
9. Newfoundland and Labrador (NLPNP) - Express Entry streams

If a province or territory is interested in your profile, it will send a "notification of interest" message to your account. The message tells you to contact the province or territory to discuss your options. This message is not a nomination and does not guarantee you'll be nominated.

2026 Provincial Allocations

The 2026 PNP allocations by province are:

• Ontario: 14,119 nominations
• Alberta: 6,403 nominations
• British Columbia: 5,254 nominations
• Saskatchewan: 4,761 nominations
• Yukon: 282 nominations

Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia have expanded allocations in 2026. Provinces such as Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba still have nomination allocations available.

Key Eligibility Requirements

Job Offer Requirements

Not all PNP streams require a job offer. Ontario's Human Capital Priorities and Saskatchewan's Express Entry sub-category often nominate candidates based solely on skills and Express Entry profile.

However, most PNP streams require or heavily favour candidates with a valid job offer from a provincial employer. This is the single most effective thing you can do to secure a nomination.

Occupation Requirements

Provinces maintain occupation in-demand lists that change based on labor market needs. For example:

• British Columbia's Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has completely transformed. Moving away from general draws, BC now funnels its limited provincial nominations into three distinct priorities: Care, Build, and Innovate

• Ontario — Workers in all TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupations with a full-time and permanent job offer in Ontario are eligible for certain streams

• Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) — Almost all the occupations under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) TEER Category 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are eligible

Important 2026 Provincial Updates

Ontario (OINP):

On June 26, 2026, Ontario amended its regulations to remove all eight former OINP streams and replace them with a single new Ontario Workforce Priority stream. Ontario's Expression of Interest (EOI) system closed to new registrations on that date, and no further invitations are being issued under the former streams.

As of August 4, 2026, the Ministry has opened the EOI portal for the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, though it has not announced when it will begin issuing invitations to apply under the new stream.

British Columbia:

BC restructured the BC PNP in April 2026 around three priorities: Care, Build and Innovate. Skills Immigration was narrowed to two streams: Skilled Worker and Health Authority, each with an Express Entry BC option. Invitations in 2026 have gone to childcare, health, education and veterinary occupations, construction trades, and high-economic-impact roles.

Nova Scotia:

On February 18, 2026, Nova Scotia consolidated ten streams into four: Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Graduate, Entrepreneur, and Nova Scotia Express Entry.

Provincial Nomination Fees (2026)

Provincial nomination application fees vary by province and have seen several updates in 2026:

British Columbia (BC PNP)

Effective January 22, 2026, the BC Provincial Nominee Program increased the Skills Immigration application fee from $1,475 to $1,750.

Nova Scotia (NSNP)

Effective September 1, 2026, Nova Scotia introduced application fees for the Nova Scotia Nominee Program, with a $1,000 fee applying to worker streams including Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Graduate, and Nova Scotia Express Entry.

Saskatchewan (SINP)

The introduction of a $500 application fee for skilled workers with job offers under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program starting April 1, 2026.

Ontario (OINP)

The application fee is $1,500.

Alberta (AAIP)

Alberta worker streams publish a CAD $1,500 application fee and a CAD $135 Worker EOI fee.

Federal Government Fees (2026)

IRCC increased fees on April 30, 2026, with the permanent residence processing fee for the principal applicant at $990 CAD and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee at $600 CAD.

Complete Federal Fee Breakdown:

• Principal applicant pays $1,590 including the $600 right of permanent residence fee
• Accompanying spouse or partner costs the same ($1,590)
• Each dependent child: $270
• Biometrics: $85 per person

Total Cost Estimates

The total cost of immigrating through a PNP typically ranges from $2,800 to $4,200 CAD for most streams, depending on the province and your family situation.

Additional Costs to Consider:

• Language test (IELTS/CELPIP/TEF): ~$300-$320
• Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): ~$200-$350
• Medical examination: ~$450/adult, $270/child
• Police clearance certificates: ~$100/country
• Biometrics: $85/person (max $170 per family)

Processing Times

Enhanced streams take roughly 8–10 months total while base streams run 18–25 months.

A nomination through an Enhanced stream adds 600 CRS points to your Express Entry profile, virtually guaranteeing an ITA in the next draw. The subsequent federal application is processed through Express Entry with a target of 6 months.

Strategic Approach

The key research steps are:

1. Identify which provinces have active demand for your occupation
2. Check the current occupation in-demand lists for each
3. Identify whether you have any existing ties that could support provincial selection
4. Create profiles in the registration-based systems that match your profile
5. Subscribe to provincial draw notifications