Understanding Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program 2024 (PNP Programs)

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) may be a program that permits Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals for immigration to Canada. If you’re curious about immigrating to Canada through a PNP, you’ll have to first apply to the province or territory where you would like to measure.

Each province and territory has its requirements and criteria for nomination. Gaining the nomination from a territory boosts your Express Entry points by 600, supplying you with an almost automatic invitation to use for the Canadian permanent residence visa.

For example, some provinces may require you to possess an employment offer to be eligible, while others may have programs specifically for skilled workers or students. Once you’ve been nominated by a province or territory, you’ll then apply for permanent residence through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Each province and territory of Canada has its provincial nominee program, apart from Quebec and Nunavut. Nunavut may be a relatively new territory and hence, there’s no immigration program for it. However, this doesn’t mean that one cannot immigrate to Nunavut. If you obtain Canada PR, you’ll move to Nunavut. 

As for Quebec, the province runs its administration and manages its immigration. This autonomy has been granted by the Canada-Quebec Accord, signed by both the federal and provincial governments. To immigrate to Quebec, one has to apply to the Quebec Selected Trained Worker Program.

What Is The Canada Provincial Nominee Program?

The Canadian province and territory nominee programs (PNPs) are for people curious about moving to at least one of Canada’s provinces or territories to get permanent residency. Each Canadian province and territory has its own PNP that’s tailored to its particular economic and demographic demands.

Purpose of the Provincial Nominee Program

The main purpose of the PNP is to assist meet Canada’s economic needs by attracting foreign workers and international students to areas where there are labor shortages. The programs also aim to keep families together and permit immigrants to settle in their new communities.

Who goes for the Canada PNP route?

Many of us choose the Canada PNP route. a number of these people include:

• People with employment offers from a corporation within the province.
• Students who complete their education in Canada.
• People with family ties to the province.

Candidates who do not have a high CRS score but can get a call for participation to use for permanent residency supported by the provincial nomination.

How The Provincial Nominee Program Works

1. General Eligibility

To be eligible for a province’s PNP program, you want to fulfill the wants of that province. Candidates are going to be chosen by the province and supported by their skills, education, and work experience to best contribute to the economy of that province.

The eligibility criteria for the Provincial Nominee Program are set by each province. A province, for instance, may seek certain abilities in people to alleviate a shortage of skilled workers in a certain industry or profession. On the opposite hand, a Canadian province, for instance, may prioritize candidates who have French-language expertise. Each province determines its criteria to support current demands.

Every province aside from Nunavut and Quebec has its own Provincial Nominee Program, with differences in PNP eligibility across the country. to enhance your chances of acceptance, you’ll apply to all or any of the programs you’re eligible for from over 80 provincial immigration streams.

You can apply for the PNP program if you are:

• Student
• Business owner
• Skilled worker
• Semi-skilled worker
• Self-employed (in some cases)

2. Requirements for Provincial Nominee Programs

Some of the common PNP requirements are:

• Work skills
• A certain level of education (graduates and above)
• Training or work experience
• Language abilities
• Canadian connections
• Police clearance
• Medical clearance
• Proof of funds

The requirements of every province may vary from time to time. to find out the precise criteria and standards, you ought to visit the website of the province you’re curious about.

3. What Provincial Nominee Programs are available in Canada?

Find out about the Provincial Nominee Programs offered by each participating province and territory below. Note that Quebec doesn’t have a Provincial Nominee Program, though it does operate its own trained worker Program.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

Ontario has one of the most varied and dynamic of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs. Skilled workers, graduates, and businesspeople can plan their immigration to Ontario.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)

British Columbia offers wide-ranging streams and categories for workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs in its Provincial Nominee Program. It includes categories aligned with Canada’s federal Express Entry immigration selection system.

Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)

Alberta is one of Canada’s hottest destinations for brand-spanking new immigrants, offering PNP streams for Express Entry candidates and non-Express Entry candidates. The Alberta Provincial Nominee Program welcomes workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs to the province.

Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program has been changing over the last several years. Check here to make sure that you simply have the newest information about the MPNP.

Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program

This province within the Canadian Prairies is looking to welcome Express Entry candidates, also as workers in in-demand occupations.

Nova Scotia Nominee Program

With many Express Entry-aligned streams and room to welcome graduates and entrepreneurs, Nova Scotia is an increasingly popular destination for newcomers.

New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program

The NBPNP includes a well-liked Express Entry-linked stream, also as opportunities for workers with job offers and immigrant entrepreneurs.

Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)

The PEI PNP welcomes applications from Express Entry candidates, skilled workers, graduates, and business investors.

Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)

The NLPNP includes Canadian immigration pathways for Express Entry candidates, graduates, workers, and business people.

Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)

If you’ve got an employment offer north within the Northwest Territories, the NTNP might be your immigration route. Express Entry candidates have a fanatical stream under the NTNP.

Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)

Yukon is trying to find Express Entry candidates and other workers, as well as business people, to contribute to life within the territory.

Provincial Nominee Program categories

With quite 70 unique PNP streams across the provinces, we will fit them into three broad categories: first-come first-served, Expression of Interest, and passive.

First-come, first-served PNP streams

This means that when a selected Provincial Nominee Program stream opens, applications are accepted within the order they’re submitted until a quota is met. First-come first-served streams often accept applications on an endless basis. It was to be that some PNPs (namely, Ontario Employer Job Offer streams) would have application intake windows open for brief periods, but this proved to be problematic as sometimes quotas would refill in as little as 10 minutes.

But for the subsequent streams, if you’re eligible, you’ll submit at any time:

• Saskatchewan International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer
• Newfoundland and Labrador trained worker

Expression of Interest

This is the go-to method for provinces that incorporate points systems into their Provincial Nominee Program streams. In some ways, this category mirrors the federal Express Entry system, with potential applicants first having to place forward their candidacy by submitting an Expression of Interest form.

It should be noted that these points systems often completely break away from the great Ranking System (CRS) to rank Express Entry candidates. an individual could be competitive in Express Entry, but won’t be competitively consistent with the points system and won’t rank a selected PNP stream.

Examples include:

• British Columbia Express entry-trained worker
• Manitoba trained worker Overseas

The minimum scores required to receive a call for participation through these and other EOI-based streams fluctuate from draw to draw. There’s no certain thanks to know what score could also be required in the future, then the simplest advice is to be within the relevant pool so that you’ll be considered for selection supported by your credentials.

Passive Provincial Nominee Program

Some Provincial Nominee Program streams are considered passive because applicants, who are Express Entry candidates in most cases, cannot actively apply or declare their interest in being considered for a nomination through these streams. Rather, potential applicants could also be contacted by the province in question and invited to use.Applicants who are invited will receive communication from the province sent to their IRCC online account.

Examples include:

All three of Ontario’s Express Entry-linked streams: 

• Human Capital Priorities, French-speaking trained workers, and Skilled Trades.
• Alberta Express Entry
• Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities

Processing Time

The time taken to process the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) depends on the appliance process. If you’ve applied under the Non-Express Entry system, then it’ll take 1-2 years. But if you’ve applied under the Express Entry system, then the time taken is around six months.