Express Entry has lowered the passing score for provincial nominees
The CRS cut-off score has dropped significantly compared to previous draws.
On March 2, 2026, the Canadian government held a new Express Entry draw for candidates with a provincial nomination. 264 people received invitations to apply for permanent residence.
The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 710. For comparison, in the previous draw on February 16, 2026, the minimum score was 789, and 279 candidates received invitations. The cut-off score dropped significantly, as did the total number of invitations. This is the lowest score since the draw on November 25, 2025, when the CRS was 699 points and 777 candidates were invited.
The drop in the cut-off score may be related to changes in the pool of candidates with provincial nominations, as well as current priorities in Canada's immigration policy and how quotas are distributed across different draws.
Candidates with a provincial nomination receive an additional 600 CRS points, which significantly strengthens their position in the system. This means that in this draw, having just 110 points based on core criteria was enough to receive an invitation, including age, education, English or French language skills, work experience, and adaptability factors in Canada.
Want to know how many points you could score? Use our CRS online calculator to get a preliminary assessment of your immigration chances.
The results of this draw once again confirm the important role of Provincial Nominee Programs, which allow Canadian regions to attract professionals who best match their economic and demographic needs.
How Provincial Nominee Programs work
Each Canadian province and territory sets its own requirements for candidates based on labor market needs and regional priorities. Generally, to receive a nomination you need to:
- meet the requirements of one of the federal immigration programs;
- create a profile in the Express Entry system;
- receive a provincial nomination, which adds 600 CRS points and significantly increases your chances of receiving an invitation.
Keep up with the latest Express Entry draws so you don't miss new opportunities to immigrate to Canada.
