Last Updated On 25 May 2026, 4:38 PM EDT (Toronto Time)
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada conducted the second Express Entry draw of the month on May 25, 2026, issuing 334 invitations to apply for permanent residence.
This latest Express Entry draw targeted candidates with a Comprehensive Ranking System score of 805 or more who have a provincial nomination.
This is the highest PNP cutoff recorded in 2026 and comes alongside the smallest PNP invitation count since the February 16 round that issued 279 invitations.
CEC candidates waiting for a broader draw should note that this is the second consecutive PNP-only Express Entry round in May 2026.
No Canadian Experience Class, French-language, or occupation-based category draw has been issued since April 29.
This article covers the full draw details, what the rising PNP cutoff means, and the broader picture for candidates watching the CEC and category-based draw pause.
Table of Contents
May 25, 2026 Express Entry Draw Details
| Detail | Information |
| Program | Provincial Nominee Program |
| Draw Date And Time | May 25, 2026 at 15:22:56 UTC |
| Number Of Invitations Issued | 334 |
| CRS Score Of Lowest Ranked Candidate | 805 |
| Rank Required | 334 or above |
| Tie-Breaking Rule | October 16, 2025 at 18:16:33 UTC |
The tie-breaking rule determines which candidates receive invitations when multiple profiles share the same CRS score at the cutoff.
Candidates who had a CRS score of exactly 805 needed to have submitted their Express Entry profile before October 16, 2025 at 18:16:33 UTC to receive an invitation in this round.
Anyone with a score of 805 who submitted after that timestamp was not selected despite meeting the CRS requirement.
Why The PNP Cutoff Rose To 805
Every provincial nominee receives an automatic 600-point CRS boost when their nomination is reflected in the Express Entry pool.
A CRS cutoff of 805 means the lowest-ranked candidate invited had a base score of approximately 205 before the provincial nomination was applied.
The previous PNP draw on May 11 issued 380 invitations at CRS 798.
The 7-point rise in the cutoff alongside a 46-invitation drop suggests that a smaller batch of new provincial nominations entered the Express Entry pool between the two draws.
When provinces like Ontario and British Columbia issue fewer new nominations in a given period, the pool of nominees above 601 shrinks.
IRCC then needs to reach fewer candidates, which results in a higher CRS floor.
The OINP program redesign taking effect on May 30 could further affect nomination volumes in the near term as Ontario transitions to new selection streams.
2026 PNP Express Entry Draw History
The following table shows every Provincial Nominee Program Express Entry draw in 2026, including today’s round, to illustrate how the CRS cutoff and invitation volume have changed throughout the year.
| Draw Date | ITAs Issued | CRS Cutoff |
| January 5, 2026 | 574 | 711 |
| January 19, 2026 | 681 | 726 |
| February 3, 2026 | 423 | 749 |
| February 16, 2026 | 279 | 789 |
| March 2, 2026 | 264 | 710 |
| March 16, 2026 | 350 | 724 |
| March 30, 2026 | 356 | 802 |
| April 13, 2026 | 324 | 786 |
| April 27, 2026 | 473 | 795 |
| May 11, 2026 | 380 | 798 |
| May 25, 2026 | 334 | 805 |
The CRS cutoff has ranged from 710 to 805 across the 11 PNP draws this year, with the April 27 round at 795 and the April 13 round at 786 representing the most recent pre-May comparison points.
Invitation volumes have generally trended downward since the 681-invitation high in January, with fluctuations driven by how many new provincial nominations enter the Express Entry pool between rounds.
The two highest cutoffs of the year occurred in the two May 2026 PNP draws at 798 and 805.
IRCC Pool Data Shows Unchanged Snapshot
IRCC’s official draw results page is currently displaying the same CRS score distribution data that appeared during the May 11 PNP draw.
The pool snapshot date is listed as May 10, 2026, which is the identical date shown for the previous draw.
This appears to be a data refresh issue on IRCC’s end rather than an actual indication that the pool composition has remained unchanged for two weeks.
The Express Entry pool receives new profiles daily and loses candidates through invitation acceptances, profile expirations, and withdrawals.
We will monitor the IRCC draw page and update the pool snapshot once the department publishes corrected data.
Candidates should continue checking official IRCC draw results for the updated pool composition.
IRCC’s CEC And Category-Based Draw Pause
While the PNP draw confirms that IRCC is still operating the Express Entry system, the absence of any CEC, French, or occupation-based draw in May 2026 is the dominant story.
The last CEC draw was on April 28 with 2,000 invitations at CRS 514. The last French-language draw was on April 29 with 4,000 invitations at CRS 400.
No occupation-based category draw for healthcare, trades, education, or any other targeted category has been issued since the April 2 Trades draw.
CEC draw sizes had already been declining from 8,000 in January to just 2,000 in the April 14 round at CRS 515 and the April 28 round at CRS 514.
May 2026 has now produced two PNP-only draws and zero broader non-PNP rounds.
This pattern has precedent in both May 2024 and May 2025, when IRCC paused CEC and category activity during similar planning windows before eventually resuming with occupation-based rounds before returning to CEC.
Pool data from the last available snapshot showed the 501 to 600 CRS range growing by 1,799 candidates between April 26 and May 10.
Each additional week without a CEC draw allows this range to grow further and will now eventually push the CEC cutoff above the recent 514 to 515 level, which was already higher than the February 17 CEC cutoff of 508.
Our full analysis of projected CEC, French, and occupation-based draw timing and CRS ranges covers three possible resume scenarios from late May through early July 2026.
What Candidates Should Do Now
Provincial nominees who received an invitation in this draw have 60 days to submit a complete permanent residence application.
Required documents include police certificates, immigration medical exams, proof of funds, employment letters, and valid language test results submitted through the IRCC online portal.
CEC candidates with scores between 510 and 520 should keep profiles active and all documents current, because a short-pause resume scenario could produce invitations as early as late May or early June.
Candidates below 510 should explore category-based draw eligibility for healthcare, trades, education, or French-language proficiency, where CRS cutoffs have been dramatically lower than CEC thresholds in 2026.
Improving French language proficiency to NCLC 7 or higher opens access to French category draws where cutoffs have been as low as 393 this year, according to IRCC draw records.
Provincial nominations remain the most reliable path for candidates stuck below the CEC cutoff because the 600-point boost bypasses CRS competition entirely.
Verifying your occupation code against the correct National Occupation Classification is essential before any category draw because eligibility depends on matching specific NOC codes with at least 12 months of qualifying work experience.
Candidates pursuing provincial nominations through Ontario should monitor the OINP stream transition closely, as the May 30 revocation of existing streams may create a temporary gap before replacement pathways launch.
IRCC can change draw timing, category selection, and invitation volume at any time without advance notice under the Express Entry program design.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was the CRS cutoff in the May 25 Express Entry draw?
The CRS cutoff was 805 points for the Provincial Nominee Program draw held on May 25, 2026. This is the highest PNP cutoff recorded in any Express Entry draw in 2026.
Why is the PNP CRS cutoff so high?
Every provincial nominee receives an automatic 600-point boost added to their base CRS score. A cutoff of 805 means the lowest ranked invited candidate had a base score of approximately 205 before the provincial nomination was applied. The cutoff rises when fewer new provincial nominations enter the Express Entry pool between draw rounds.
When is the next CEC Express Entry draw expected?
IRCC has not issued a CEC draw since April 28, 2026. Based on historical May and June precedents, the next non-PNP draw could come in late May or early June, though it may be an occupation-based or French-language draw rather than CEC. IRCC does not confirm draw dates in advance.
Why is IRCC only running PNP draws in May 2026?
IRCC has not publicly explained the pause in CEC and category-based draws. PNP draws operate on a different cycle and historically continue even when IRCC pauses broader non-PNP draw activity. Similar pauses occurred in May 2024 and May 2025 before IRCC resumed with category-based rounds.
Why is the IRCC pool data unchanged from the previous draw?
IRCC’s draw results page is currently showing the same CRS score distribution from May 10, 2026 that was displayed during the May 11 PNP draw. This appears to be a data refresh issue on IRCC’s end. We will update the pool snapshot once IRCC publishes corrected data.
Fact Checked: All draw details in this article have been verified against official IRCC Express Entry draw results published on canada.ca as of May 25, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant or licensed immigration lawyer for guidance specific to your situation.
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