Express Entry: PNP‑focused draw

Express Entry round #403 was held on March 16, 2026, according to official draw trackers reporting the date and timing of the invitation round. (moving2canada.com) IRCC’s tie‑breaking rule for that round prioritized profiles submitted on or before October 5, 2025 at 20:35:25 UTC, a timestamp used to separate candidates with identical scores. (moving2canada.com) Candidates who received ITAs in the round have 60 calendar days to submit a complete electronic Application for Permanent Residence, and most complete e‑APRs are processed within six months in IRCC publications. (publications.gc.ca) The federal government published category‑based Express Entry priorities for 2026 that explicitly list healthcare, STEM, trades, education and French‑language proficiency among the targeted groups for invitations. (canada.ca) Earlier this year IRCC held a record French‑language category draw on February 6, 2026 that issued 8,500 invitations with a minimum CRS around 400, illustrating active use of category‑based rounds alongside program‑specific rounds. (visaverge.com) Observers and industry analysts noted provinces front‑loading many 2026 nominations into sectors such as healthcare, construction and advanced manufacturing, a shift that commentators say reduced the available pool of provincially nominated profiles for this Express Entry round. (visahq.com) IRCC’s published rounds guidance and ministerial instructions continue to show that invitations can be program‑specific or category‑based and that the department will select categories to meet identified economic goals set by the Minister. (canada.ca)