Express Entry draw results for September 28, 2026 show that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 733 invitations to apply for permanent residence through a Provincial Nominee Program round.
The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score was 725, while the tie-breaking rule used an Express Entry profile submitted by September 17, 2026 at 01:36:17 UTC.
The round was held at 10:41:06 UTC and was identified by IRCC as draw number 445.
Table of Contents
September 28 Express Entry draw results
| Detail | Result |
|---|---|
| Draw type | Provincial Nominee Program |
| Draw date | September 28, 2026 |
| Draw time | 10:41:06 UTC |
| Invitations issued | 733 |
| Lowest CRS score invited | 725 |
| Tie-breaking profile date and time | September 17, 2026 at 01:36:17 UTC |
| Draw number | 445 |
This was a program-specific Express Entry draw. IRCC’s instructions identify the round as the Provincial Nominee Program, and program-specific rounds invite top-ranking candidates who are eligible for the selected program.
What the PNP round means for candidates
A Provincial Nominee Program Express Entry draw is intended for candidates who are eligible for the PNP and an eligible Express Entry program. A provincial or territorial nomination is required for the PNP pathway.
IRCC explains that program-specific rounds invite top-ranking candidates who are eligible for the specific program selected for that round.
As a result, the 725 cutoff should not be treated as a general Express Entry threshold for all candidates in the pool.
A candidate who is not eligible for the PNP round would not become eligible simply by reaching or exceeding the published CRS score.
An invitation to apply does not itself represent approval for permanent residence. Invited candidates must still submit an application and meet the applicable program and admissibility requirements.
CRS cutoff falls from the previous PNP round
The September 28 Express Entry draw issued 157 more invitations than the previous PNP round, which offered 576 invitations on September 14.
Despite the larger invitation count, the CRS cutoff decreased from 734 to 725 in the latest round. Because a lower score represents a lower threshold, the cutoff fell by nine CRS points compared with the September 14 PNP draw.
| Date | Round | Invitations | CRS cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 28, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 733 | 725 |
| September 14, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 576 | 734 |
| August 31, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 562 | 697 |
| August 17, 2026 | Provincial Nominee Program | 442 | 760 |
The September 28 result was the largest PNP invitation round among the four listed PNP draws, with 733 invitations.
Its CRS cutoff was lower than the 760 threshold recorded on August 17, but higher than the 697 cutoff recorded on August 31.
These changes show why candidates should use individual draw results as historical context rather than as a guaranteed forecast for a future round.
How the latest draw compares with other September rounds
IRCC held several different types of Express Entry rounds in September 2026 before the September 28 PNP draw.
The September 15 Canadian Experience Class round issued 2,000 invitations at a CRS cutoff of 519.
The September 16 round for senior managers with Canadian work experience issued 250 invitations at a CRS cutoff of 389.
Earlier in the month, the healthcare and social services occupations round issued 3,500 invitations at a CRS cutoff of 475.
The physicians with Canadian work experience category round on September 3 issued 229 invitations at a CRS cutoff of 198.
| Date | Round type | Invitations | CRS cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 28 | Provincial Nominee Program | 733 | 725 |
| September 16 | Senior managers with Canadian work experience | 250 | 389 |
| September 15 | Canadian Experience Class | 2,000 | 519 |
| September 14 | Provincial Nominee Program | 576 | 734 |
| September 4 | Healthcare and social services occupations | 3,500 | 475 |
The comparison illustrates that invitation totals and CRS cutoffs vary according to the type of round, the number of candidates IRCC chooses to invite and the eligibility rules applied to that round.
A category-based or program-specific result therefore cannot be compared directly with a Canadian Experience Class result without considering the different candidate groups.
Express Entry pool snapshot before the round
IRCC reported 229,904 candidates in the Express Entry pool as of September 27, 2026, one day before the draw.
The pool included 728 candidates in the 601-to-1,200 CRS range and 21,070 candidates in the 501-to-600 range.
Among the detailed score bands, 12,745 candidates were in the 491-to-500 range, 12,817 were in the 481-to-490 range and 16,465 were in the 471-to-480 range.
| CRS score range | Candidates in pool |
|---|---|
| 601-1,200 | 728 |
| 501-600 | 21,070 |
| 451-500 | 73,131 |
| 401-450 | 62,611 |
| 351-400 | 47,298 |
| 301-350 | 17,359 |
| 0-300 | 7,707 |
| Total | 229,904 |
The pool distribution covers all candidates and is not limited to people eligible for the September 28 PNP round. IRCC notes that the distribution can change as candidates submit new profiles and existing profiles expire.
What the tie-breaking rule means
The tie-breaking rule for this Express Entry draw used September 17, 2026 at 01:36:17 UTC as the profile submission cutoff.
When multiple candidates have the lowest CRS score invited in a round, IRCC uses the date and time their Express Entry profiles were submitted to determine which profiles fall within the invitation range.
The tie-breaking date does not replace the CRS cutoff and does not mean that every profile submitted before that time received an invitation. It is an additional ranking rule used when candidates share the lowest score selected in the round.
Key points for candidates after draw 445
- The September 28 round was restricted to candidates eligible for the Provincial Nominee Program.
- IRCC issued 733 invitations to apply for permanent residence.
- The lowest CRS score invited was 725.
- The invitation total was 157 higher than in the September 14 PNP round.
- The CRS cutoff was nine points lower than the September 14 PNP cutoff of 734.
- The pool contained 229,904 candidates on September 27, although that total included candidates outside the PNP draw group.
- The tie-breaking rule applied to profiles submitted by September 17, 2026 at 01:36:17 UTC.
What happens after an Express Entry invitation
An invitation to apply is a significant step, but candidates should review the details of their invitation and prepare the supporting information required for the permanent residence application.
The information in the submitted application should remain accurate and consistent with the candidate’s Express Entry profile, including information about education, work history, language results, family circumstances and other relevant details.
Applicants should rely on the instructions provided by IRCC for the specific application stage and should not assume that the CRS cutoff guarantees approval. IRCC assesses program eligibility and admissibility when making a decision on the permanent residence application.
Future Express Entry rounds may use different programs, categories, invitation totals and score thresholds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many invitations were issued in the September 28, 2026 Express Entry draw?
IRCC issued 733 invitations to apply for permanent residence in the September 28, 2026 Provincial Nominee Program round.
What was the CRS cutoff for Express Entry draw 445?
The CRS cutoff was 725.
What type of Express Entry draw was held on September 28, 2026?
It was a Provincial Nominee Program-specific Express Entry draw.
What was the tie-breaking rule for the latest PNP draw?
The tie-breaking rule used September 17, 2026 at 01:36:17 UTC as the profile submission date and time.
Does a CRS score of 725 guarantee an invitation in a future Express Entry draw?
No. Draw type, eligibility, invitation numbers and CRS thresholds can change from one round to another.
Fact-Checked: Verified against IRCC’s official Express Entry rounds data, rounds-of-invitations page and Ministerial Instructions page on September 28, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information and is not legal or immigration advice.
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