Latest Express Entry Draw On January 20 Sent 681 ITAs

Last Updated On 20 January 2026, 1:46 PM EST (Toronto Time)

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On January 20, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) ran a Provincial Nominee Program-only Express Entry draw, issuing 681 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) with a cutoff Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 746.

Canada’s Express Entry system just delivered another clear signal about how permanent residence selection is being steered early in 2026: provincial nominations remain a major fast-track lane.

That 746 headline number looks intimidating at first glance. But in a PNP-only draw, it is largely a “nomination score,” not a “human capital score.”

The minimum is driven by the extra 600 CRS points awarded for a provincial nomination.

Full Details Of The January 20 Express Entry Draw

Program: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Date and time: January 20, 2026
Invitations issued: 681
CRS cutoff (lowest-ranked invited): 746
Tie-breaking timestamp: November 19, 2025 at 04:09:11 UTC

A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points to an Express Entry profile.

So when the cutoff is 746, the practical interpretation is:

Minimum core CRS (non-nomination portion) is 146 or above (746 minus 600).

This is exactly why PNP-specific draws regularly post high cutoff scores: the nomination points push profiles into the top tier.

We are hoping to see a large French-language proficiency Express Entry draw tomorrow on January 21, 2026.

CRS score distribution in the pool as of January 20, 2026

The CRS distribution below shows what the pool might look like just after this round.

Total candidates in the pool: 236,443

CRS score range	Number of candidates
601-1200	0
501-600	16,341
451-500	72,714
491-500	13,278
481-490	12,942
471-480	15,965
461-470	15,320
451-460	15,209
401-450	66,836
441-450	14,452
431-440	14,571
421-430	13,092
411-420	12,863
401-410	11,858
351-400	53,221
301-350	19,062
0-300	8,269
Total	236,443

This January 20 Express Entry draw is a reminder that Canada’s PR system is not only about building a high CRS through age, education, and language.

In 2026, the fastest path for many candidates is increasingly structural: align your profile with a province’s needs, secure a nomination, and let the +600 points do the heavy lifting.

If you are serious about competing this year, your best move is to treat the PNP strategy as an active project, not a backup plan.

Pick realistic provinces, become “nominatable,” stay ready for sudden intakes, and keep your Express Entry profile accurate so you do not lose out on a tie-break or an NOI when timing matters most.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the most common reasons provincial nomination applications get refused or delayed, even when the candidate seems eligible?

The top causes are documentation quality and consistency issues rather than “not meeting the points.” Examples include employer letters that do not match declared duties or dates, missing proof of work hours or pay, unclear education documentation, expired or soon-to-expire language results, and contradictions between provincial forms and the Express Entry profile (job titles, dates, NOC/occupation selection, marital status, dependants). Another frequent issue is weak proof of intent to settle in the province. The safest approach is to build a single, consistent evidence file you can use across both the province and IRCC, and validate every date, job duty, and credential before submitting.

Does a provincial nomination “expire,” and what happens if it expires before I get PR?

Yes, nominations come with validity windows set by the province. If the nomination expires before you use it (or before the linked process completes), you may lose the benefit and may need a re-nomination, which is not guaranteed. This is why timing matters: once nominated, you should move quickly on any required acceptances, documentation, and downstream steps so you do not run into expiry or changing provincial criteria.

Which province issued nominations in the January 20, 2026 Express Entry draw?

The January 20, 2026 Express Entry draw was specifically for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), but it did not specify which province issued the nominations. Each province in Canada has its own PNP that targets specific skills and occupations based on local labor market needs.

Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC

Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant) licensed by CICC (formerly known as ICCRC) with member number R708618. He brings extensive knowledge of immigration law and new changes to rapidly evolving IRCC.