No federal Express Entry draw took place last week. Instead, provincial programs did the inviting.
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island together reported up to 1,194 invitations in a busy provincial roundup. The phrase “up to” matters: B.C. issued fewer than five invitations in one category, so the exact four-province total is below 1,194. The headline figure counts that category as five.
There is another timing detail worth knowing: Alberta’s 476 invitations were published on October 7 but came from four draws held between September 24 and October 7. This is a weekly news snapshot, not four provinces all drawing on the same day.
What stands out? Provinces selected for labour needs, local employment and community connections. A high score can help, but it is not a substitute for fitting the right pathway.
The invitation snapshot
| Province | Invitations and reported minimum scores | What selection focused on |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 476 across four draws; minimum scores 51–64 | Rural renewal, Alberta Opportunity, general priority sectors and aviation |
| B.C. | 283 confirmed, plus fewer than five on October 8 | Childcare, healthcare, construction trades and veterinary care |
| Manitoba | 340 Letters of Advice to Apply in Draw #281 | Manitoba-based workers in targeted occupations and strategic recruitment |
| P.E.I. | 90 on October 7 | Priority-sector workers with provincial job offers and selected international graduates |
These thresholds are not directly comparable. Alberta uses its own Worker Expression of Interest selection, B.C. publishes Skills Immigration scores, and Manitoba did not publish a minimum score for Draw #281. P.E.I. did not publish one for this selection either.
Alberta: 476 invitations across four draws
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) 2026 draw table shows four rounds held from September 24 to October 7:
- Rural Renewal Stream: 131 invitations, minimum score 51 (September 24)
- Alberta Express Entry Stream, Priority Sectors (General): 200, minimum 64 (September 29)
- Alberta Opportunity Stream: 123, minimum 54 (October 2)
- Alberta Express Entry Stream, Priority Sectors (Aviation): 22, minimum 56 (October 7)
The 200 invitations in the general priority-sector selection made it the largest of the four. The lowest listed minimum was 51 for Rural Renewal, but a lower threshold does not mean that stream is an easier fit for everyone. Eligibility and the candidate’s connection to the province still matter.
Alberta had invited 13,172 candidates in 2026. As of October 7, it had issued 5,541 of its 6,603 nomination spaces, leaving about 1,062 for the rest of the year. The province says draws are not on a fixed schedule and are conducted as needed to meet priorities. A strong CRS score on its own is no guarantee of selection: check the requirements for your specific stream, including any Alberta work, job-offer or designated-community criteria that apply.
B.C.: four targeted draws, not one general invitation round
The BC PNP invitation results list four targeted Skills Immigration selections on October 8:
- Childcare/ECE: 86 invitations, minimum score 99
- Healthcare: 82, minimum 76
- Construction trades: 115, minimum 94
- Veterinary care: fewer than five, minimum 86
The veterinary category was especially specific: animal health technologists and veterinary technicians in NOC 32104 needed a valid professional designation. In other words, an occupation title alone may not be enough. The job’s duties and any required provincial credential matter too.
B.C. has issued up to 6,461 invitations in 2026. Its Skills Immigration registration pool had 7,695 active registrants as of October 6. Of those, 1,444 were in the 90–99 score range, 1,426 in the 100–109 range, and 1,057 scored 120 or higher.
That pool is a useful reminder: even where a score threshold is published, the invitation is tied to the category and selection rules of that round. A score that looks promising in isolation may not help if your occupation or registration details do not match the target.
Manitoba: education, health and recruitment connections
In MPNP draw 281, held October 8, Manitoba issued 340 Letters of Advice to Apply under Skilled Worker in Manitoba. The official MPNP draw archive reports:
- 257 occupation-specific selections: 46 for health occupations and 211 for education-related occupations, including teachers, early childhood educators and teacher assistants.
- 83 through the Skilled Worker pathway, selected through strategic recruitment initiatives such as employer, regional, francophone and ethnocultural recruitment.
A total of 103 invitees declared both a valid Express Entry profile number and job-seeker validation code. Manitoba has invited 7,223 candidates in 2026, including 2,150 with Express Entry profiles.
No minimum ranking score was published for this round. The practical signal is still clear: Manitoba selected candidates based on their current employment in the province and specified occupations, alongside candidates connected to recruitment initiatives. If you are preparing an EOI, accurate work history and the right NOC classification are essential.
P.E.I.: job offers and local graduates in focus
P.E.I. issued 90 invitations on October 7 to priority-sector workers with job offers in the province and international graduates of UPEI, Holland College and Collège de l’Île. The province’s draw results show 1,319 invitations in 2026 so far.
The next anticipated P.E.I. draw is October 15, 2026. It is a scheduled date, not a promise of a draw or a particular number of invitations. If P.E.I. is on your shortlist, use the time to check that your Expression of Interest reflects your current work, education and job-offer details.
Newfoundland and Labrador: a separate bonus round
Outside the four-province total above, Newfoundland and Labrador issued 131 invitations on October 9: 130 through the NLPNP and one through the Atlantic Immigration Program. It was the province’s largest round since August 26, when it issued 140, and more than three times its September 25 round of 41.
The province has issued 2,826 invitations in 17 rounds in 2026: 2,430 through the NLPNP and 396 through the AIP. It does not publish score thresholds or an occupation breakdown, so candidates should not assume that a profile matching one recent invitee will predict the next round.
The practical takeaway: get your NOC right
Across these selections, one theme keeps appearing: the match matters. Provinces are picking for particular sectors, occupations, credentials, jobs and community needs, not simply inviting whoever has the highest general score.
Before submitting or updating a provincial profile:
- Match your work to the NOC by duties, not just job title. Use the official NOC search tool.
- Check the province’s current criteria. A targeted draw may require a particular occupation, local job, credential or recruitment connection.
- Keep your EOI or registration accurate and current. Errors in job duties, dates, education or work location can undermine eligibility.
- Treat draw scores as a snapshot, not a prediction. Thresholds can change, and score systems differ by province.
A provincial nomination can be a powerful step. For eligible Express Entry candidates, a nomination can add 600 CRS points; it is not itself permanent residence, and candidates must still apply federally. You can review the federal provincial nominee process and compare provincial options in our PNP guide.
Wondering which province or stream fits your experience? Contact Canada Vertex Immigration for a PNP eligibility assessment. We can help you review your occupation classification, provincial connections and next steps. If P.E.I. is a possibility, remember its next anticipated draw date: October 15.
Mac Virgilio Pagaduan Jr, RCIC R533465 of Canada Vertex Immigration Ltd., Member of CAPIC.
