If you are in the Express Entry pool, or getting ready to enter it, a provincial nomination can feel like the one thing that would change everything. It still can. A nomination through an Express Entry-linked stream adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and that did not change in 2026. What did change is the landscape around it: how many nominations provinces can give, how often IRCC invites nominees, and which streams are open. This guide walks through the federal picture first, then the notable changes province by province, so you can see where your effort is best spent.
The federal picture in 2026
Each year IRCC gives every province and territory a number of nomination spaces, called an allocation. For 2026, provinces and territories received 43,999 spaces. IRCC also set aside 10,000 extra spaces they can use for federal priorities: 5,000 to nominate licensed doctors with job offers and 5,000 to support French-speaking immigration outside Quebec. The 2026 target for people admitted as permanent residents through the Provincial Nominee Program is 91,500, higher than the number of spaces because many nominees bring family with them. On November 5, 2026, IRCC published its next plan, which raises that target to 95,000 a year for 2027 to 2029.
- A nomination through an Express Entry-linked stream still adds 600 CRS points. The November 3, 2026 CRS changes did not touch these points.
- In 2026, IRCC has held rounds just for candidates with a nomination roughly every two weeks. Because the 600 points are included, the cut-off scores in these rounds have mostly been above 700.
- IRCC says it can also invite nominees in general rounds, not only in Provincial Nominee Program rounds.
- When a province nominates you, you have 30 calendar days to accept or reject the nomination in your Express Entry account. Once you accept, you are usually invited in the next Provincial Nominee Program round.
- A nomination does not give you permanent residence on its own. After your Invitation to Apply (ITA), you still need to meet every federal requirement, including the medical exam, biometrics and admissibility.
What changed, province by province
Provinces adjust their programs often, and 2026 was a busy year. These are the changes we confirmed on each province’s official website. Some of these streams are not linked to Express Entry, but they still shape where nomination spaces go.
| Province or territory | What changed in 2026 | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | The Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative, for up to 250 cleaning and security workers at health authorities in rural and remote communities, took registrations until October 7, 2026 (extended from August 31 because of wildfires). In August, BC’s 2026 allocation rose to 6,254 nominations. | Registration for the initiative has ended. BC says it plans to use its full 2026 allocation by December 31, 2026. |
| New Brunswick | Since May 4, 2026, new invitations under the NB Experience pathway go only to candidates in health care, education and construction, because little of the allocation is left. The Private Career College Graduate Pilot was extended, in a limited way, to the end of 2027. | If your New Brunswick work is in another field, NB Experience is unlikely to invite you for now. The pilot extension is only for students already registered in specific programs. |
| Northwest Territories | In August 2026, the territory’s 2026 allocation rose from 197 to 300 nominations, back to its 2024 and 2025 level. | There are more spaces this year. The territory added an extra Expression of Interest draw for its employer-driven stream to use them. |
| Nova Scotia | Since September 1, 2026, the Nova Scotia Nominee Program charges a non-refundable fee once your Expression of Interest (EOI) is selected for assessment: $1,000 for the worker streams, including Nova Scotia: Express Entry, and $2,000 for the Entrepreneur stream. | Submitting an EOI is still free. Set money aside for the fee in case you are selected. |
| Ontario | Ontario closed its eight previous OINP streams in June 2026. The new Ontario Workforce Priority stream, whose EOI portal opened on August 4, 2026, is now the only one. | You need a qualifying Ontario job offer, or to be a self-employed physician. With a TEER 0 to 3 job, you can ask for an Express Entry nomination worth 600 points. |
| Saskatchewan | Employers now use an Employer Position Assessment (EPA) to get a job offer approved. It replaced the Job Approval Form. | If your plan depends on a Saskatchewan job offer, your employer needs an approved EPA. It is valid for 60 days, and you must confirm its details within the first 10. |
Each province has a full guide on this site: British Columbia, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Saskatchewan. To see how the two kinds of PNP streams differ, read our PNP overview and the Express Entry-aligned PNP guide.
Also worth knowing: Manitoba
Not every useful option is new. Manitoba’s International Student Entrepreneur Pilot (ISEP), part of its International Education Stream, lets up to 20 Manitoba graduates a year build a business in the province instead of taking a job, with a nomination once they meet the conditions of their business agreement. If you studied in Manitoba and have a business idea, it may be worth a look in our Manitoba guide.
What this means for you
It is normal to feel unsettled when a program closes or changes, especially if you were counting on it. The good news is that the heart of the PNP path works the same way it did, and most of these changes are about who gets priority rather than about closing the door. Here is what you can do now.
- 01
Keep your Express Entry profile current
Many provinces search the federal pool for candidates. An accurate, up-to-date profile, with your latest test results and work history, is what they see.
- 02
Look first where you have ties
Work, study or family in a province often matters most. Read that province’s guide and its official website to see which streams are open today.
- 03
Check how your occupation fits
Several 2026 changes favour health care, education, construction and other in-demand work. If your occupation is on a province’s priority list, note it. If it is not, look at other provinces too.
- 04
Plan for fees and deadlines
Nova Scotia now charges a fee when you are selected, and provincial invitations usually come with a deadline. Keep your documents ready so you can move quickly.
- 05
Act quickly after a nomination
You have 30 calendar days to accept it in your Express Entry account. Log in often so you do not miss it.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is a provincial nomination still worth 600 CRS points?
Yes. A nomination through an Express Entry-linked stream still adds 600 points. The November 2026 CRS changes affected points for Canadian work experience and job offers, not the points for a nomination.
How often does IRCC invite provincial nominees?
In 2026, IRCC has held Provincial Nominee Program rounds roughly every two weeks, and it can also invite nominees in general rounds. You can follow recent rounds on our draws page or on IRCC’s rounds of invitations page.
Can I get a nomination if I am not in the Express Entry pool?
Yes, through a base stream. You apply directly to the province, there is no CRS score, and after the nomination you apply to IRCC through a separate process outside Express Entry.
Ontario closed its streams. Can I still get an Ontario nomination?
Yes, through the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, if you have a qualifying full-time, permanent job offer from an Ontario employer or you are a self-employed physician. Candidates with a TEER 0 to 3 job can ask to be nominated through Express Entry.
Will there be more PNP spaces next year?
IRCC’s plan published on November 5, 2026 sets a Provincial Nominee Program target of 95,000 admissions a year for 2027 to 2029, up from 91,500 in 2026. IRCC has not yet published each province’s 2027 allocation on the pages we checked.
You don’t have to face the wait alone.
Thousands of people have shared their real timelines so the next person isn’t left guessing in the dark. Add yours, keep your own application and your family’s together in one place, and see a grounded estimate of how long your decision might take, drawn from people who are walking the same path.
- Share your timeline and help the next applicant find their footing.
- Track your own and your family’s applications together, in one calm place.
- See a realistic estimate of your wait, based on people on the same journey.
It’s free, and what you track stays private to you. Sharing your timeline with the community is always your choice.
Key takeaways
- A provincial nomination through an Express Entry-linked stream still adds 600 CRS points, and you have 30 days to accept it.
- IRCC held Provincial Nominee Program rounds roughly every two weeks in 2026, and its new plan raises the PNP target to 95,000 a year from 2027.
- Several provinces narrowed, closed or reshaped streams in 2026, so check your province's current rules before you plan around one.
- IRCC: Immigrate as a provincial nominee (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Get or confirm a nomination (Express Entry) (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Express Entry rounds of invitations (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Deputy Minister transition binder 2026, economic immigration (2026 PNP allocations) (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Supplementary information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Supplementary information for the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan (opens in a new tab)
- WelcomeBC: BC PNP news (opens in a new tab)
- Government of New Brunswick: Important notices (opens in a new tab)
- Immigrate NWT: Nominee Program allocations increased to 300 (opens in a new tab)
- Nova Scotia: NSNP application fees effective September 1, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Ontario: 2026 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program updates (opens in a new tab)
- Ontario: Ontario Workforce Priority stream (opens in a new tab)
- Saskatchewan: Employer Position Assessment at a glance (opens in a new tab)
- Manitoba: International Student Entrepreneur Pilot (opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed: Nov 7, 2026