Canada Express Entry: PNP Draw CRS Score 789 – Feb 16, 2026 Update

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invited 279 provincial nominees to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry on February 16, 2026. The draw required a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 789. Candidates needed to have submitted an Express Entry profile before 12:59 a.m. Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on September 5, 2025, to be considered.

This latest draw is the seventh Express Entry selection of 2026 and the fourth specifically targeting candidates with provincial nominations, according to IRCC data. The February 16 draw follows a pattern established earlier in the year, with Canada’s immigration department prioritizing applicants already within the country, particularly those with provincial nominations and Canadian work experience.

Earlier in February, IRCC conducted two other Express Entry draws. On February 6, 8,500 candidates with French-language proficiency were invited with a CRS score of 400. A draw on February 3 extended invitations to 423 provincial nominees with a CRS score of 749. Prior to that, on January 21, 6,000 candidates were invited through the Canadian Experience Class with a CRS score of 509. January also saw a draw of 681 provincial nominees (CRS 746, January 20) and 8,000 Canadian Experience Class candidates (CRS 511, January 7), as well as 574 provincial nominees (CRS 711, January 5).

As of February 16, 2026, IRCC has issued a total of 24,457 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through all draw types this year. The breakdown is as follows: 14,000 ITAs to Canadian Experience Class candidates, 8,500 ITAs to French-Language proficiency candidates, and 1,534 ITAs to Provincial Nominee Program candidates.

Canada exceeded its Francophone immigration target for 2025, according to a recent statement from the Canadian government. This may influence future draw strategies and targets.