Late on the evening of December 15, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted an unannounced Express Entry draw exclusively for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. A total of 399 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued to profiles with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score of 731, the highest threshold for a PNP-only round this year.
The draw—IRCC’s second in as many weeks—signals Ottawa’s intent to keep provincial immigration streams moving despite end-of-year processing backlogs. Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta had all warned of inventory pressure after record nomination allocations in 2025. By restricting the draw to nominees already approved by a province, IRCC can convert nominations into permanent-resident applications quickly, helping provinces hit their landings targets before December 31.
For employers, the draw offers welcome predictability. PNP nominees are typically already working in Canada on employer-specific work permits; an ITA locks in their transition to permanent residence, reducing retention risk. Mobility teams should ensure that employees who received provincial nominations before 15 December update their Express Entry profiles so they can be captured in similar draws over the next few weeks.
![IRCC Issues 399 Invitations in Surprise PNP-Only Express Entry Draw]()
Organizations and individuals looking for hands-on assistance with the next steps can turn to VisaHQ. Through its Canada resource center (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the platform offers up-to-date checklists, digital form filling, and live support for Express Entry, PNP and work-permit cases alike—helping nominees, HR teams and their families avoid costly errors and stay on top of IRCC’s evolving requirements.
The high CRS cut-off reflects the 600-point bonus attached to a provincial nomination, combined with strong human-capital scores among nominees. Candidates without a nomination should not be discouraged, immigration advisers stress; IRCC historically pauses general draws during the final fortnight of the year to manage inventory and will likely revert to broader categories in January.
With this round, IRCC has issued 106,0-plus ITAs in 2025—already above its 100,000 target. Corporate planners should anticipate longer processing times in Q1 2026 as the department juggles a heavier-than-usual year-end application surge.
The draw—IRCC’s second in as many weeks—signals Ottawa’s intent to keep provincial immigration streams moving despite end-of-year processing backlogs. Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta had all warned of inventory pressure after record nomination allocations in 2025. By restricting the draw to nominees already approved by a province, IRCC can convert nominations into permanent-resident applications quickly, helping provinces hit their landings targets before December 31.
For employers, the draw offers welcome predictability. PNP nominees are typically already working in Canada on employer-specific work permits; an ITA locks in their transition to permanent residence, reducing retention risk. Mobility teams should ensure that employees who received provincial nominations before 15 December update their Express Entry profiles so they can be captured in similar draws over the next few weeks.
Organizations and individuals looking for hands-on assistance with the next steps can turn to VisaHQ. Through its Canada resource center (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the platform offers up-to-date checklists, digital form filling, and live support for Express Entry, PNP and work-permit cases alike—helping nominees, HR teams and their families avoid costly errors and stay on top of IRCC’s evolving requirements.
The high CRS cut-off reflects the 600-point bonus attached to a provincial nomination, combined with strong human-capital scores among nominees. Candidates without a nomination should not be discouraged, immigration advisers stress; IRCC historically pauses general draws during the final fortnight of the year to manage inventory and will likely revert to broader categories in January.
With this round, IRCC has issued 106,0-plus ITAs in 2025—already above its 100,000 target. Corporate planners should anticipate longer processing times in Q1 2026 as the department juggles a heavier-than-usual year-end application surge.
