I believe this being a follow up to 
            
              #2291055: REST resources for anonymous users: register →
            .
I am creating an user with the rest resource, configured not to verify email address, and the register_no_approval_required is not sent.
However, registering the user with the same settings through the drupal UI as an anonymous user does send the notification.
One would expect the same behavior: 
./core/modules/user/src/RegisterForm.php
    // No email verification required; log in user immediately.
    elseif (!$admin && !\Drupal::config('user.settings')->get('verify_mail') && $account->isActive()) {
      _user_mail_notify('register_no_approval_required', $account);
      user_login_finalize($account);
      drupal_set_message($this->t('Registration successful. You are now logged in.'));
      $form_state->setRedirect('<front>');
    }
./core/modules/user/src/Plugin/rest/resource/UserRegistrationResource.php:
  protected function sendEmailNotifications(UserInterface $account) {
    $approval_settings = $this->userSettings->get('register');
    // No e-mail verification is required. Activating the user.
    if ($approval_settings == USER_REGISTER_VISITORS) {
      if ($this->userSettings->get('verify_mail')) {
        // No administrator approval required.
        _user_mail_notify('register_no_approval_required', $account);
      }
    }
    // Administrator approval required.
    elseif ($approval_settings == USER_REGISTER_VISITORS_ADMINISTRATIVE_APPROVAL) {
      _user_mail_notify('register_pending_approval', $account);
    }
  }