Provincial Nominee Program

Provincial Nominee Program Update — May 30, 2026

Saturday, May 30, 2026

On May 25, IRCC issued 334 ITAs in a PNP Express Entry draw at a CRS cutoff of 805 — the highest PNP cutoff recorded in 2026 and down 46 invitations from the May 11 draw (380 ITAs at CRS 798).

Canada increased its 2026 PNP nomination allocation to 91,500, a 66% increase from 2025's 55,000, though still 17% below 2024's 110,000 allocation.

A March 30, 2026 regulatory change (SOR/2026-63) transferred key PNP eligibility decisions from IRCC officers to provinces themselves, significantly shifting decision-making authority.

What You Should Do

  • If you have a provincial nomination, confirm it is reflected in your Express Entry profile — the 600-point CRS boost means you need a base score of only ~205 to meet the current 805 cutoff. Log in at canada.ca/ircc-portal to verify your profile shows the nomination.
  • Research your target province's specific PNP streams and new eligibility criteria directly on that province's immigration website, as SOR/2026-63 (effective March 30, 2026) gave provinces direct authority over eligibility decisions — requirements may differ from previous federal guidance.
  • If you are targeting British Columbia, note that the federal government allocated 5,254 PNP nominations to BC for 2026 — check current BC PNP streams and expression of interest (EOI) requirements at welcomebc.ca.

Sources

  1. Canada holds second consecutive provincial nominee draw
  2. Canada Issues 334 Invitations in New Express Entry Draw Targeting Provincial Nominees
  3. Canada PNP 2026: 91,500 Allocations & SOR/2026-63 Changes
  4. Provincial Nominee Programs to Expand Significantly in 2026

Topics Covered

PNP Federal-Provincial Authority TransferPNP Express Entry Draw Trends

PNP Federal-Provincial Authority Transfer: Effective March 30, 2026, SOR/2026-63 transferred key PNP eligibility decisions from federal IRCC officers to provincial governments, alongside a 66% increase in nomination allocations to 91,500 for 2026.

PNP Express Entry Draw Trends: The May 25 PNP draw hit a 2026 high CRS cutoff of 805 with only 334 ITAs, suggesting fewer new provincial nominations entered the Express Entry pool between May 11 and May 25. Two consecutive PNP-only draws in May preceded the resumption of CEC and French draws on May 27–28.

More Provincial Nominee Program Updates

Provincial Nominee Program Update — June 8, 2026

Jun 8, 2026

Provincial Nominee Program Update — June 4, 2026

Jun 4, 2026

Provincial Nominee Program Update — June 1, 2026

Jun 1, 2026

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