Canada moved one step closer towards its strong immigration policy by conducting a  single Express Entry draw solely for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates on April 28, 2025.

In the most recent draw, a formal Draw #343, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence to 421 candidates. The candidates would have had at least a  Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 727. 

This draw is the second PNP-only draw this April so far and very much does its part  to show once again that there is policy movement for regional streams of immigration  that grow out of local labor market requirements. 

The Express Entry System: Canada’s Skilled Immigration Driver 

Since its introduction in 2015, Canada’s Express Entry is a centralized management system for applications that can attract skilled immigrants across the globe. It  processes applications for three federal immigration economic streams: 

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) 

Canadian Experience Class (CEC) The candidates start by filling out an online profile,  upon which they are ranked in sequence by the CRS, based on a combination of a fixed list of factors such as age, education, working experience, language proficiency in the official languages, and adaptability. They are combined and form a candidate’s score. 

IRCC performs regular draws from this pool—rotating between from all pools and  from a designated pool such as the PNP or the CEC. The surplus members beyond  the cut-off is provided an ITA and must submit a bulk permanent residence  application within 60 days. 

What is the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)? 

Provincial Nominee Program is also extremely popular as a method of immigrating to  Canada long-term, particularly for those individuals who are unlikely to have a good  enough score on the Comprehensive Ranking System to receive an invitation to a regular draw. 

All Canadian provinces and territories except Quebec and Nunavut are qualified under the program to nominate candidates willing to relocate and settle in a region of their choice. The nominations are based on the province’s need, which may be distinguished from the type of work sought in the region, level of education, and regional preference as previous work or study. 

The largest benefit? Provincial nomination gives a candidate 600 points, so they essentially have a near-guaranteed shot at receiving an ITA at the next Express Entry draw, whatever their original score was. 

April 28, 2025, PNP Draw Snapshot 

What transpired in Draw #343 

 Draw Number: 343 

 Date: April 28, 2025 

 Stream Targeted: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) 

 Number of Invitations Issued: 421 

 Minimum CRS Score Required: 727 

Tie-breaking Rule Used: September 9, 2024, 17:11:19 UTC.C The tie-breaking rule is used when there is a tie in equality with one of the applicants having an equal  CRS score. Candidates who have already submitted their profile according to the date and time given would be invited only if they are to have a score of 727. 

This draw was following an April PNP-only draw, the 14th to take place with 825  candidates receiving invites under a higher cut-off of 764 CRS. The reduced cut-off  is representative that provincial nominee capacity is being brought online  increasingly, possibly as part of phased roll-out alongside Canada’s longer-term immigration agenda. 

A Glimpse at 2025 Trends in Express Entry 

Up to date as of April 2025, a cumulative number of 31,929 ITAs was issued under the Express Entry stream by Canada. The buzz this year is about the pervasiveness of PNP-directed draws. There have been six PNP-only draws out of the last seven rounds. Not coincidental in origin—it is one of the immigration plans of the country. 

Under Canada’s Immigration Plan Levels 2025-2027, Canada will be issuing 395,000 new permanent residents in 2025, and out of them, a massive figure of 232,150 immigrants will be arriving under economic streams of immigration, such as Express Entry and PNPs. 

This regionalization is two-pronged in its benefit: it serves the province’s regional labor market needs and spreads immigration geographically more extensively across the nation, particularly outside of the larger metropolitan areas of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. 

What This Means for Future Applicants 

If you are among them who wish to gain permanent residency in Canada but your CRS score is low to make you eligible for the 470+ category which is typical in general draws, trends are working in your direction. Your preferred stream can be PNP. 

Obtaining a provincial nomination not only makes your Express Entry profile more competitive—it can also provide faster processing, job connections, and, in some cases, settlement assistance. It also shows the government that you’re committed to living and working in a particular region, which can carry weight in the final decision. 

In short, a nomination can turn a good profile into a winning one. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Q1: Why is the PNP nomination so powerful in Express Entry? 

Because it will earn you a 600-point CRS score boost, usually many times more than whatever draw you will only be lucky enough to be drawn for. You’ve won yourself an ITA in the next cycle to be held over. 

Q2: What’s the chance of my being given a provincial nomination? 

Do your research. Check every territory and province site to see which PNP streams are open to take applications. Some run an Expression of Interest (EOI) system, and others take direct application, or job offers from in-situ employers. 

Q3: What happens next after receiving an ITA? 

You will have 60 days from the date we receive and require your PR application, documents, medical examination, and payment. Provided all goes according to plan, you will then be issued a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR). 

Q4: Am I including my family members within my PR application? 

You may also include your common-law partner or spouse, or dependents. Your dependent children should be under 22 years of age and are not union or common- law union. 

Q5: What is the tie-break rule for Express Entry draws? 

Where there are several candidates with the same CRS score, IRCC has prioritized candidates who already have a profile submitted. The cut-off date for this latest draw was September 9, 2024, at 17:11:19 UTC. 

Final Thoughts: The Strategic Value of PNPs 

April 28 draw is not merely a pilot of Canada’s immigration cycle—there is a wider policy shift to construct a regional demand-driven labor force. In pre-opening processing for PNP candidates, Canada is asserting more control and authority to choose immigrants who are viable to become contributors to the province’s economy. 

For some others who happen to be immigrants, that will translate to one: alter your strategy. An expertly constructed Express Entry profile is crucial, but combined with a provincial nomination, it would work wonders for your success rate. 

As Canada is about to depend more and more on high-skilled immigrants to fill vacancies and grow its economy, being first concerning PNP opportunities could very well be your golden ticket to achieving your Canadian dream.