Maple News reports that Canada conducted its largest-ever Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)-only Express Entry draw on December 10, issuing 1,032 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence. This marks a historic high for PNP-targeted draws under the Express Entry system.
Candidates invited in this round had previously received provincial nominations, which automatically granted them an additional 600 points toward their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. As a result, the minimum CRS cut-off for this draw was 698.
This draw represents the seventh consecutive PNP-only selection since September—part of a broader trend in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) focus on candidates nominated by Canadian provinces. It also surpasses the previous high of 1,002 invitations issued under a similar draw in June.
Since its launch in 2015, Express Entry has rarely centered solely on PNP candidates—with just 38 such draws recorded. These draws typically involve fewer than 1,000 invitations, making this recent development unusually large and significant.
Throughout 2021, IRCC has restricted Express Entry invitations to candidates in the PNP and Canadian Experience Class (CEC). This strategy, stemming from COVID-19-related travel restrictions, has prioritized applicants already living in Canada and able to fulfill permanent residency requirements without needing to cross international borders.
However, the narrow focus on domestic applicants and short-term pathways like the Temporary Residence to Permanent Residence (TR to PR) stream has contributed to a buildup of application backlogs. As of late October, there were approximately 138,000 pending applications across Express Entry-aligned programs. Of those, nearly 38,000 belonged to the PNP stream, and about 48,000 to the CEC.
IRCC’s data shows that from September to October, the department processed an average of 1,700 PNP applications monthly. Though this pace lags behind the 14,300 monthly average for CEC cases, it reflects IRCC’s strategy to concentrate resources on the most volume-heavy categories. In contrast, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), once a dominant stream for new immigrants, saw only about 500 applications finalized per month during that period.
As IRCC continues to manage application volumes and adapt to post-pandemic realities, further shifts in draw composition, frequency, and processing priorities are likely. For now, this record-setting PNP draw reaffirms Canada’s ongoing commitment to partnering with provinces to meet labor market needs and population goals through immigration.