April 13 PNP Express Entry Draw: Just 324 Invitations at CRS 786 — Smallest PNP Round of 2026

IRCC closed out the weekend with a Provincial Nominee Program draw — the 8th PNP round of 2026 and the 21st Express Entry draw overall this year.

What happened

On April 13, 2026, IRCC issued 324 Invitations to Apply exclusively to Express Entry candidates with a provincial or territorial nomination, at a minimum CRS score of 786. The tie-breaking timestamp was November 19, 2025 at 18:53:59 UTC.

If the 786 cutoff looks absurdly high — it's because every PNP candidate gets a 600-point bonus on top of their base CRS. A cutoff of 786 means you needed a base score of roughly 186 before the nomination boost. That's extremely accessible.

Why the draw was small

324 ITAs is a small draw — even for PNP rounds, which tend to be the smallest Express Entry draw type. For comparison, the previous PNP draw on March 30 sent 356 invitations at CRS 802.

The drop from 802 to 786 is actually a good sign. A lower cutoff means IRCC had to reach deeper into the pool to fill its quota, which suggests the PNP candidate pool is thinning. Fewer eligible candidates waiting = faster movement for anyone who gets nominated.

April draws so far

Two draws in the first two weeks of April — one category-based, one PNP. The pattern from Q1 suggests a CEC draw is next, likely within the next few days, followed by a possible French-language draw. CEC draws have been running at CRS 507–511 in 2026.

What to do if you got invited

You have 60 days to submit a complete PR application. The clock started on April 13.

Your checklist:

• Immigration medical exam — book immediately, clinics have 2–3 week wait times
• Police certificates from every country you've lived in for 6+ months since age 18 — check our PCC guides by country
• Proof of funds (unless exempt through CEC or a valid job offer)
• Employment reference letters with job title, duties, hours, and dates
• Valid language test results — IELTS or CELPIP scores valid for 2 years

Important: PR fees are increasing on April 30. Submit before then to lock in current rates.

What to do if you're waiting for a nomination

PNP draws only help candidates who already have a provincial nomination in hand. If you're still waiting on a nomination, focus on the province's own process — that's the bottleneck, not Express Entry.

If you don't have a nomination and your base CRS is competitive (500+), you may not need one. CEC draws are running at 507–511 with much larger volumes (2,000–4,000 ITAs). Check your score with our CRS Calculator.

If your base CRS is below 470, a provincial nomination is your most realistic path — it adds 600 points and essentially usually puts nominees above recent federal PNP cutoffs. Explore province-specific streams that match your occupation and location.

CRS score check

See where you stand: CRS Calculator | All Express Entry Draws