Overview of Express Entry Draw #391
On January 20, 2026, IRCC held Express Entry Draw #391 under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) only. This means only candidates who had a provincial nomination in their Express Entry profile were considered in this round.
In this draw, 681 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence were issued. The draw was conducted at 12:31:58 UTC and followed the standard Express Entry ministerial instruction format.
Key numbers from the draw
- Program: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP only)
- Draw number: 391
- Date and time: January 20, 2026 at 12:31:58 UTC
- Number of invitations: 681
- CRS score of lowest-ranked candidate invited: 746
- Rank required to be invited: 681 or above
- Tie‑breaking rule: November 19, 2025 at 04:09:11 UTC
Because provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points, a cut‑off of 746 suggests that most invited candidates likely had scores in the mid‑100s before nomination.
What the tie‑breaking rule means
IRCC used a tie‑breaking rule of November 19, 2025 at 04:09:11 UTC for this round. This rule applies only when more than one candidate has the lowest CRS score (746 in this draw).
In simple terms:
- If multiple candidates had a CRS score of 746, IRCC invited only those who submitted their Express Entry profiles before November 19, 2025 at 04:09:11 UTC.
- Candidates with 746 points who submitted after that timestamp stayed in the pool for future draws.
This is why two people with the same CRS score can see different results in the same draw.
Who was eligible to be invited
Under the Ministerial Instructions for this draw:
- Only eligible foreign nationals in the Express Entry pool who are part of the PNP class grouping (as defined in the Express Entry Instructions) were considered.
- IRCC created a “group ranking” of all eligible PNP candidates in the pool.
- Invitations could be issued to the first 681 candidates in that group ranking.
The invitation window ran from January 20, 2026 to January 21, 2026, which is the formal period during which ITAs could be issued under these instructions.
What this draw means for PNP candidates
A CRS cut‑off of 746 continues the trend of relatively high scores for PNP‑only rounds, reflecting the 600‑point boost from nomination. For many skilled workers, this confirms that obtaining a provincial nomination remains one of the strongest strategies to secure an Express Entry ITA.
If you:
- Already have a provincial nomination and your CRS is near or above this range, you have strong chances in upcoming PNP‑only draws.
- Do not have a nomination and your CRS is lower, focusing on a PNP stream aligned with Express Entry can significantly improve your odds by adding 600 points.
This draw also follows earlier 2026 rounds that show IRCC continuing to use program‑specific draws (PNP, CEC, and category‑based) to manage immigration levels and labour market needs.
Summary
Ministerial Instruction (MI) #391 does not change how Express Entry works overall, but it sets the specific rules for this one PNP‑only round held on January 20, 2026.
1. Program and group targeted
- MI #391 creates a grouping that includes only candidates who are eligible under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) class in Express Entry.
- Only these PNP candidates are ranked and considered for invitations in this round.
2. Draw window (time period)
- Invitations under MI #391 can be issued only between January 20, 2026 and January 21, 2026.
- After this period ends, the authority to issue ITAs under this specific instruction expires.
3. Number of ITAs and rank cut‑off
- A maximum of 681 invitations may be issued to eligible PNP candidates in this round.
- Only candidates who fall within the top 681 positions in the PNP group ranking can receive an invitation.
4. CRS cut‑off and tie‑breaking rule
- The CRS score of the lowest‑ranked invited candidate is 746 for this round.
- If multiple candidates have 746, only those who submitted their Express Entry profile before November 19, 2025 at 04:09:11 UTC are invited (tie‑breaking timestamp).
5. Legal basis and formalization
- The instruction is issued under section 10.3 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and fits within the existing Express Entry Instructions framework.