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Provincial Nominee Program draws represent one of the most strategic pathways to Canadian permanent residence available today. These draws allow individual provinces and territories to nominate candidates who meet their specific labour market needs and economic development priorities. When a candidate receives a provincial nomination through an Express Entry-aligned stream, they gain an additional 600 points to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score—essentially guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in subsequent federal draws.

What makes PNP draws particularly significant in 2026 is the substantial increase in federal allocation compared to 2025. Canada has raised its PNP admission target from 55,000 to 91,500 for 2026, providing provinces with considerably more capacity to nominate qualified candidates. However, this hasn’t translated to uniformly larger draw sizes across all provinces—in fact, we’re seeing more targeted, strategic selection with smaller, occupation-specific draws becoming the norm.

Each province operates its own nomination system with unique criteria, occupational priorities, and selection mechanisms. Some use Expression of Interest (EOI) pools where candidates are ranked and invited during periodic draws, while others have employer-driven streams or direct application processes. The frequency, size, and focus of draws can shift rapidly based on labour market demands, federal policy changes, and provincial economic priorities.

Below is a comprehensive table of all PNP draw results from 2025 through the latest available data in April 2026, organized chronologically with the most recent draws first.

Provincial Nominee Program Draw Results: 2026-2025

 

Draw DateProvince/ProgramStream/CategoryInvitations IssuedMinimum Score/CRSPriority Occupations/Notes
April 6, 2026Federal Express EntryPNP CategoryNot disclosedNot disclosedLatest PNP draw in early April 2026
April 2, 2026Federal Express EntryTrade Occupations3,000477Category-based draw; 25 eligible trade occupations including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, welders
March 17-27, 2026Alberta (AAIP)Multiple streams298+VariesFive draws targeting healthcare, construction, manufacturing, rural renewal, law enforcement
March 30, 2026Federal Express EntryPNP Category356802Third PNP draw of March; elevated CRS reflects strong base scores among recent nominees
March 25, 2026Ontario (OINP)Employer Job Offer (Regional)Large number57+ (FW stream)Highly structured region-specific draws across 5 Ontario regions; targeted by location, NOC, and EOI score
March 18, 2026Ontario (OINP)Masters Graduate, PhD Graduate, Employer Job Offer, REDI1,243VariesHISTORIC: First Masters/PhD draws since 2024; streams reopened before anticipated redesign
March 16, 2026Federal Express EntryPNP Category362Not disclosedSmallest PNP draw since category-based selection introduced; first draw of third week of March
March 2, 2026Federal Express EntryPNP Category264710First Express Entry draw of March 2026; eleventh overall draw of year
February 24, 2026Alberta (AAIP)Tourism and Hospitality Stream68Not disclosedSector-specific draw for tourism workers
February 20, 2026Federal Express EntryHealthcare and Social Services4,000467Largest category-based draw of 2026; 37 eligible healthcare occupations
February 20, 2026Alberta (AAIP)Alberta Opportunity Stream – Priority Sectors831Not disclosedLarge draw focusing on priority economic sectors
February 19, 2026Prince Edward Island (PEI PNP)Labour & Express Entry109N/APriority: International graduates from UPEI, Holland College, Collège de l’Île; Healthcare, trades, manufacturing
February 19, 2026Federal Express EntryPhysicians with Canadian Work Experience391169FIRST EVER category-based draw for physicians; exceptionally low CRS threshold
February 17, 2026Federal Express EntryCanadian Experience Class6,000508Largest CEC draw of 2026
February 17, 2026Federal Express EntryPNP Category279789Small targeted draw
February 16, 2026Federal Express EntryPNP Category279789Provincial nominees only
February 12, 2026Manitoba (MPNP)Skilled Worker Stream (EOI Draw #264)29N/AStrategic recruitment: 24 Employer Services, 2 Francophone, 3 Regional; 6 with Express Entry
February 11, 2026British Columbia (BC PNP)Skills Immigration460135 (points)High-wage: $62/hr minimum
February 11, 2026New Brunswick (NBPNP)Multiple Pathways196N/AHealthcare occupations exclusively
February 4, 2026British Columbia (BC PNP)Skills Immigration429138High-wage: $70/hr (206 ITAs); Points: 223 ITAs
February 3, 2026Federal Express EntryPNP Category423749Provincial nominees only
February 2, 2026Alberta (AAIP)Alberta Opportunity Stream91557Fourth AAIP draw of 2026
February 2, 2026Ontario (OINP)Employer Job Offer: FW, IS, In-Demand Skills1,825N/AIncludes 129 physicians, 47 REDI, 1,649 healthcare/ECE
January 31, 2026Manitoba (MPNP)Skilled Worker Stream549N/A424 SWM, 100 SWO, 25 IES
January 29, 2026Manitoba (MPNP)Skilled Worker Stream (EOI #263)47N/AStrategic recruitment focused
January 20, 2026Federal Express EntryPNP Category681746First federal Express Entry draw of 2026
January 15, 2026Prince Edward Island (PEI PNP)Labour & Express Entry26N/AInternational graduates priority

Important Context for 2026 PNP Landscape:

Overall Federal Trends: As of April 2, 2026, IRCC has conducted 20 Express Entry draws issuing 58,830 ITAs—putting 2026 on track to significantly exceed 2025’s 114,102 total. The week of February 16-20 was historic, with four draws issuing 10,670 invitations. New category-based draws introduced in 2026 include: Physicians with Canadian Work Experience (Feb 19), Senior Managers, Researchers, Transport Workers, and Skilled Military Recruits (announced Feb 18). The Agriculture/Agri-food category was retired for 2026.

Alberta (AAIP): Exceptionally active in 2026. Conducted 23 draws through late March, issuing over 1,740 invitations in March alone across 10 draws. 2026 allocation: 6,403 nominations. As of April 1, 1,475 nominations issued, leaving 4,928 remaining. Targeting healthcare, construction, manufacturing, tourism/hospitality, rural renewal, and law enforcement.

Ontario (OINP): Major developments in March 2026. The historic reopening of Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams on March 18 (first draws since 2024) issued 1,243 invitations before anticipated program redesign. March 25 saw highly structured regional draws across five Ontario regions. First-ever mining-focused draw in April 2026 targeted 15 engineering and trades NOC codes. 2026 allocation: 14,119 nominations.

British Columbia (BC PNP): Maintains high-wage strategy ($62-$70/hour minimums). 2026 allocation: 5,254 nominations. Application fees increased to $1,750 (from $1,475) on January 22, 2026.

Prince Edward Island (PEI PNP): Following published schedule. February 19 draw issued 109 invitations. Next expected draws: March 19 and April 16, 2026. Continuing focus on healthcare, trades, manufacturing. Sales/service sector excluded. 2026 YTD: 135 invitations.

Manitoba (MPNP): Drastically reduced draw sizes (72% decrease from 2025). Hospitality/food services removed from TRRP effective February 4; 16 skilled trades occupations added. Strategic recruitment dominates selection.

Saskatchewan (SINP): No draws since September 2024 due to reduced 2025 allocation. 2026 allocation: 4,761 nominations (50% reserved for priority sectors: healthcare, agriculture, skilled trades).

Nova Scotia (NSNP): Transitioned to EOI model December 2025. Portal modernized February 13-18, 2026. No traditional draws reported in 2026 yet. 2026 allocation: 5,236 nominations.

New Brunswick (NBPNP): February 11 draw exclusively healthcare-focused (196 invitations), reflecting critical healthcare workforce needs.

This table reflects an immigration system in rapid evolution, with unprecedented targeting of specific occupations (physicians, trades, senior managers, researchers) alongside traditional provincial streams. The 2026 landscape demonstrates IRCC’s strategic shift toward occupation-specific federal selection combined with province-driven regional priorities, creating multiple pathways for candidates across different skill sets and CRS score ranges.

 

As of April 6, 2026

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Grace Valdez is a Toronto-based blogger dedicated to helping and navigating life in Canada. She writes practical, easy-to-follow guides on everything from frugal living, settling into Canadian banking and budgeting, to understanding visa pathways, PR applications, and provincial settlement resources. Grace's warm, no-jargon writing style has made her a trusted online resource for thousands of readers building in Canada.

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