September 28, 2026 Express Entry Draw: 733 PNP Invitations, CRS 725
On September 28, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 733 invitations to apply in an Express Entry draw. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score required was 725.
Latest round details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date and time | September 28, 2026 at 10:41:06 UTC |
| Round type | Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) |
| Invitations issued | 733 |
| Lowest-ranked CRS score | 725 |
| Rank required | 733 or above |
| Tie-breaking rule | September 17, 2026 at 01:36:17 UTC |
The CRS score distribution of candidates in the pool is current as of September 27, 2026.
Why the CRS cut-off is 725
A provincial nomination adds 600 points to a candidate's CRS score. This draw invited candidates who already hold a provincial nomination.
The cut-off score of 725 reflects this 600-point addition on top of a candidate's baseline score. Candidates do not need a 725 base score without a nomination.
How PNP rounds work
Express Entry manages three round types: general, program-specific, and category-based rounds. This invitation round was a program-specific round restricted to PNP-eligible candidates.
Candidates enter this stream by securing a nomination from a province or territory. After accepting the nomination in their Express Entry profile, they receive the additional 600 points.
What the tie-breaking rule means
The tie-breaking rule resolves ties among candidates with the lowest qualifying score. For this round, the rule applies to candidates with a CRS score of 725.
Candidates at 725 who submitted their profiles before September 17, 2026 at 01:36:17 UTC received invitations. Those who submitted after that cutoff did not qualify.
What happens next for invited candidates
The 733 invited candidates received an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
Invited individuals have a limited window to submit a complete permanent residence application to the federal government.
What This Data Tells Us
The 725 continues the downward movement that began after the September 14 round of 734. Nine points in two weeks is a small shift, and it reflects which nominations reached the pool rather than any change in federal standards.
Round size is the more notable figure. At 733 invitations this is the largest PNP round since June, up from 576 two weeks earlier, which is why the cut-off settled lower.
Read with the 600 nomination points removed, the number describes a base score near 125. That remains a modest profile, and it is why PNP cut-offs cannot be compared against CEC or category-based figures.
The tie-breaking timestamp of September 17, 2026 is unusually recent. Candidates sitting exactly at 725 had profiles under two weeks old, which tells you this group entered the pool with nominations already in hand.
For candidates without a nomination, the movement between 697, 734, and 725 across three rounds makes the same point each time. The number tracks provincial supply, not anything a candidate in the general pool can influence.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Readers should consult a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer about their own specific situation.
Stay informed
Get our immigration updates first on Google
Add SEP Immigration as a preferred source and our latest news and guides appear more often in your Google results.
Continue Reading