Express Entry Draw #445: Canada Issues 733 ITAs to Provincial Nominees
Draw Date: September 28, 2026 | Draw Type: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | Invitations Issued: 733 | CRS Cutoff: 725
What Happened in Draw #445
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted Express Entry Draw #445 on September 28, 2026, issuing 733 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) exclusively to candidates holding a valid provincial nomination. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required to receive an invitation was 725 points — a threshold that, on the surface, sounds extraordinarily high, but is entirely expected for a PNP-specific round.
This was a targeted draw, meaning IRCC did not pull from the general Express Entry pool. Only candidates who had already secured a nomination from a participating Canadian province or territory were eligible to receive an ITA in this round. No all-program draw was held concurrently.
What the 725 CRS Cutoff Actually Means
The 725-point cutoff can create significant confusion for candidates who are not yet holding a provincial nomination. To be clear: a score of 725 is virtually impossible to achieve without a provincial nomination.
Here is why. A provincial nomination automatically adds 600 points to a candidate's CRS score. That means a nominee with a base human capital score of just 125 points — a relatively modest profile — would land at exactly 725 and qualify for this round. For context, a base score of 125 can be achieved by candidates with limited work experience, moderate language scores, or educational credentials that fall below a master's degree equivalent.
In other words, if you hold a valid provincial nomination and are sitting in the Express Entry pool, your effective CRS score is your base score plus 600. If that combined total is 725 or higher — meaning your base score is 125 or above — you would have received an ITA in this draw. The realistic base score threshold for this round was therefore approximately 125 points, not 725.
Candidates without a nomination who see this cutoff should not be discouraged. This number has no bearing on all-program or category-based draws, where cutoff scores have historically ranged from the low 400s to the mid-500s.
How Draw #445 Compares to Recent PNP Rounds
PNP-specific draws have been a regular feature of the Express Entry calendar, typically running alongside or between all-program and category-based rounds. In recent PNP draws leading up to this one, invitation volumes have generally ranged between 600 and 900 ITAs per round, with CRS cutoffs consistently clustered in the 715 to 730 range — a band almost entirely shaped by the 600-point nomination bonus.
Draw #445's cutoff of 725 sits comfortably within that historical range, suggesting IRCC continues to manage PNP draw thresholds in a stable and predictable manner. The 733 invitations issued represents a moderate volume, neither a record high nor an unusually low number, indicating routine processing of the provincial nominee backlog in the federal Express Entry pool.
Who Specifically Benefits from This Draw
Draw #445 delivers direct, immediate value to a specific group of candidates:
- Active provincial nominees in the Express Entry pool whose combined CRS score (base score + 600-point nomination bonus) met or exceeded 725 on September 28, 2026.
- Candidates nominated through Enhanced PNP streams aligned with the federal Express Entry system, including streams under programs such as the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), British Columbia PNP, Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), and other provincially-aligned federal streams.
- Mid-profile candidates with base CRS scores as low as 125, who would otherwise have little chance of receiving an ITA in a competitive all-program draw, now have a clear pathway through their provincial nomination.
If you received a provincial nomination and your profile was active in the pool on the draw date, check your IRCC secure account immediately. ITAs must be accepted within 60 days, after which they expire and cannot be reissued for the same draw.
What Applicants Just Below the Cutoff Should Do Now
If you hold a provincial nomination and your combined CRS score fell just below 725 in this round, do not wait passively. Take these concrete steps:
- Verify your CRS score breakdown. Confirm that your 600-point nomination bonus is correctly reflected in your Express Entry profile. Errors in nomination code entry or profile information can suppress your score artificially.
- Update your profile for accuracy. Any new language test results, job offers, or Canadian work experience completed since your last profile update should be added immediately. Even a modest base score improvement of 5 to 10 points could position you above the cutoff in the next PNP draw.
- Retake your language test if eligible. IELTS or CELPIP scores below CLB 9 or 10 leave significant CRS points on the table. A stronger language result can add 10 to 32 points to your base score, depending on your current performance.
- Monitor draw frequency. PNP-specific draws have been held regularly throughout 2025 and 2026. Another round targeting provincial nominees is likely within weeks. Maintaining an up-to-date, accurate profile ensures you are ready when