Apply for Canadian Permanent through the province of your choice.
A provincial nomination gives you an additional 600 CRS points.
Provincial Nominee Program
What are Provincial Nominee Programs for immigration to Canada?
Provincial nominee programs (PNPs) offer a pathway to Canadian permanent residence for individuals who are interested in immigrating to a specific Canadian province or territory as skilled workers. The provinces cannot approve permanent resident status on their own. Applying through a PNP is therefore a 2-step process.
The applicant first needs to apply to the particular province and secure a nomination. Once, the province nominates them, they must then apply to the Federal government to seek approval of their Canadian permanent residence application. This applies to all of Canada’s provinces and territories apart from Quebec and Nunavut. Instead, the province of Quebec has the authority to establish its own selection criteria for economic immigration.
Please click here to be directed to the QUEBEC immigration page.
What role do provincial nominee programs play in Canadian immigration?
To meet their economic needs, Canada’s provinces and territories operate their own Provincial Nominee Program’s (PNP’s) aligned with the express entry and non-express entry streams. Each province has its own set of rules and requirements to select eligible candidates from the pool of applicants.
This means that an applicant interested in receiving nomination under program aligned with the Express Entry system, needs to have an eligible Express Entry profile in order to meet the eligibility requirements of that PNP.
Upon approval, the applicant then needs to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry streams at the federal level.
Once an applicant is nominated through a PNP aligned with the Express Entry system, they are awarded 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, thereby guaranteeing an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw. Such applications are submitted electronically through the Express Entry system and hence have a shorter processing time.
For provincial nominee programs that are not aligned with the Express Entry system, an applicant will need to submit a paper-based federal application for permanent residence to Canada upon receiving a nomination through a PNP. Paper-based federal applications for permanent residence can take significantly longer to process than electronic Express Entry applications.
What are the requirements for Canadian Provincial nominee programs?
The requirements vary with each PNP in Canada. Provinces and territories are often looking for skilled applicants to meet the province's shortage in that specific labour market.
An applicants language proficiency, education, and skill set also contribute towards their selection. The primary goal of the PNPs is to fill the economic and demographic gaps in the province, hence an applicants ability to contribute towards economic development and their genuine intention to live in that province are given significant consideration.
What is eligibility criteria to apply for the Provincial nominee program?
When applying through the Express Entry Stream (online application), you must:
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have an express entry profile created (recommended but not necessary)
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meet the minimum requirements of one of the province or territory’s Express Entry streams
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be nominated under that stream
When applying through the paper based application stream, you must:
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meet the minimum requirements of one of the province or territory’s non-Express Entry streams
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be nominated under that stream
What is the processing time for a permanent residence application under the Provincial Nominee Program?
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Paper based application - Non Express Entry Stream: 15 to 19 months
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Electronic application - Express Entry Stream: 6 to 12 months
What is the process of applying for permanent residence through Provincial Nominee Program?
All PNPs are different, the process for applying depends on the program you choose. While some PNPs accept applications from qualified applicants throughout the year, other PNPs follow the first-come, first-served system. They may accept multiple candidates in a single draw and may not invite any candidates at all throughout the year.
There are also PNPs that issue a notification of interest, by selecting candidates directly from the Express Entry pool, or by having interested applicants submit a formal Expression of Interest. Simply stating, these PNP's either send you an expression of interest directly or ask you to apply directly to them and seek a nomination.
Steps to apply for PR through paper based provincial nominee programs:
This is a 2 step process:
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First, chose a Canadian province or territory and apply to that province or territory for a nomination. Your applications outcome will be decided on:
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the provinces' economic and demographic needs &
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how convincing and genuine is your plan to live in that province (most applicants apply to one province and once they land in Canada, they move to a different province. This is unethical and can have a negative impact on your immigration status).
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After a province or territory nominates you, you must apply to the federal government (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) for permanent residence, pass a medical exam, submit a police check, obtain your CoPR (after approval by the IRCC) and land in Canada.
Steps to apply for a PR though the Express Entry stream, electronic application:
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Choose the PNP your are interested in. Make sure you meet the eligibility requirements for each PNP you apply for.
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Apply to your chosen PNP: Submit an application directly to your chosen province or territory.
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Secure a Provincial Nomination certificate. This ensures you an additional 600 CRS points. The province or territory will then nominate you to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
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Submit your application for permanent residence to the Canadian federal government through the express entry system.
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Receive an ITA.
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Submit supporting documents.
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Submit medicals and police clearance certificates.
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Receive CoPR, arrive in Canada.
Can I qualify for a PNP if I do not qualify for Express Entry?
Having an active and eligible profile in the Express Entry pool is the basic requirement for many PNPs. However, there are exceptions to this where some provinces issue nominations to applicants who do not meet the Express Entry eligibility. These programs vary in their eligibility requirements.
Contact us to find out which program suits you best. If you receive a nomination you are required to submit a permanent residence application to the federal government.
For non-Express Entry programs, the application for permanent residence must be submitted in the paper-based format.
Can I apply to Express Entry and PNP at the same time?
Certainly. Applying at the same time puts your application for consideration at the federal and provincial level at the same time.
Can I change provinces once I immigrate to Canada through provincial nomination?
You are allowed to move to another province if you obtained permanent residence through the PNP, however , if you mislead the immigration officer about your residency intentions when submitting your PNP application you may be held accountable for misrepresentation. Misrepresentation is considered a serious offence and can result in an immigration ban from Canada for a specific period of time. Be honest about your intentions before you apply.
What are the best provincial nominee programs to immigrate to Canada?
There are 80 provincial immigration streams. Choosing the Canadian immigration pathway that best suits you may confuse you. Contact us and let a professional make the best decision for you.
We are listing the available PNP programs in each province. Feel free to browse and explore based on your choice of province or territory for permanent immigration in Canada.
Source: Provincial website for each province in Canada.
ALBERTA
The AINP offers the following immigration streams:
BRITISH COLOMBIA
The BC PNP offers the following immigration streams:
MANITOBA
The Manitoba PNP offers the following immigration streams:
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Skilled Worker Immigration Stream
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International Education Stream
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Business Investor Stream
NEW BRUNSWICK
The NBPNP offers the following immigration streams:
NEWFOUNDLAND and Labrador
Newfoundland offers the following two PNP categories:
NORTH WEST TERRITORIES
North West Territories offers the following two PNP categories::
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Entry level/Semi-skilled occupations
NOVA SCOTIA
Nova Scotia offers the following two PNP categories:
ONTARIO
Ontario offers the following two PNP categories:
Employer job offer category:
Human Capital Streams:
Business Streams:
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
PEI offers the following two PNP categories
SASKATCHEWAN
Saskatchewan offers the following two PNP categories
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Entrepreneur and
YUKON
The PNP categories in Yukon include:
What are the major differences between Express Entry to Canada VS Provincial Nominee Programs for immigration to Canada? Read more
