Provincial Nominee Program
Candidates aspiring to immigrate to particular provinces and territories of Canada can explore the option of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Provincial nomination speeds up the immigration process and is a popular pathway to permanent residence.
Canada’s federal government allows individual provinces and territories to nominate candidates to meet specific labor market and demographic needs. The application procedures and eligibility criteria depend upon the immigration goals of individual provinces and territories.
With over 80 different streams of Provincial Nomination Programs, one should contact an experienced immigration consultant to choose an appropriate option.
List of contents
Overview
- What are Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs?
- What are the main advantages of provincial immigration for the provinces?
- How do PNPs benefit applicants?
- What are the different PNPs of Canadian provinces and territories?
Eligibility and application process
- What are the main eligibility factors for provincial nomination
- What documents are essential for the PNP application process?
- How to apply for a provincial nomination?
- What is Expression of Interest (EOI)?
- What is the Notification of Interest (NOI)?
PNP and Express Entry
Improve your chances of provincial nomination
Overview
What are Canada's Provincial Nominee Programs?
Canada’s immigration system operates with the support of its federal government, besides provinces and territories. Canadian provinces can nominate candidates for federal selection through Provincial Nominee Programs. Provincial nomination helps Canada spread the economic, demographic, and labor market benefits of immigration across non-metropolitan regions.
Before the launch of Provincial Nominee Programs in 1998, most new immigrants opted to settle in urban areas like British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. It deprived provinces and territories of several advantages of immigration. Smaller provinces and territories leverage provincial immigration to address their labor force and demographic requirements. Each Canadian can create individual PNP streams by designing selection criteria.
What are the main advantages of provincial immigration for the provinces?
Provincial Nominee Programs enable provinces and territories to nominate candidates for permanent residence according to provincial priorities. PNPs help provinces develop their economy, demography, and labor market. They can create unique selection criteria for nomination to attract the right candidates with specific skill sets and educational credentials.
How do PNPs benefit applicants?
Provincial Nominee Programs differ from Canada’s mainstream immigration pathways as provinces tailor these to address provincial needs. These are the notable benefits of PNPs for the applicants:
- Freedom to select a particular province to work and settle
- PNP immigrants have better job prospects and the ability to earn more
- Low unemployment rates
- Most PNPs do not mandate job offers for nomination
- Provincial nomination boosts CRS score by 600 points for assured eligibility to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency
- Lower qualifying criteria for language proficiency
What are the different PNPs of Canadian provinces and territories?
Every territory and province in Canada operates unique Provincial Nominee Programs to bridge labor market gaps and meet demographic needs. Candidates should consult an immigration expert to find the right PNP option, as each program has specific requirements. These are Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs:
- Alberta – Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)
- British Columbia – British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
- Manitoba – Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
- New Brunswick – New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
- Newfoundland and Labrador – Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)
- Nova Scotia – Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
- Ontario – Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
- Prince Edward Island – Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
- Saskatchewan – Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
- Northwest Territories – Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
- Yukon – Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)
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Eligibility and application process
What are the main eligibility factors for provincial nomination
A provincial connection and in-demand skills are the most crucial factors to qualify for a provincial nomination. Various provinces and territories in Canada tailor the eligibility criteria of their Provincial Nominee Programs to align with specific requirements. Provinces look for candidates with skills that match in-demand occupations.
Age, language proficiency, and skilled work experience are a few qualifying factors for success in provincial nomination. A certified immigration consultant can guide you in selecting a relevant PNP stream by evaluating your profile.
What documents are essential for the PNP application process?
The following documents may be necessary to demonstrate your eligibility for a particular Provincial Nominee Program. However, the documentation requirement may vary with different provinces.
- Color photographs
- Passport copy
- Identity proof
- Language test results
- Proof of education
- Educational Credential Assessment for international students
- Work experience proofs
- Proof of settlement funds like bank statements
- Civil and status documents
- Medical fitness certificate
How to apply for a provincial nomination?
The application process for provincial nomination involves receiving a nomination and federal selection, as provinces have no authority to grant permanent residency status to any applicant. They can nominate the right candidate for final approval by the federal immigration authorities. Consider the following steps of the application process:
- Know your eligibility – An experienced immigration attorney helps you determine eligibility to recommend the right PNP stream.
- Fill out the application form – Complete the application form and submit it to the relevant territory or province.
- Get a Provincial Nomination – A successful candidate receives the nomination certificate after checking the application and documents. It is an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
Apply for permanent residence – The candidate applies to the federal authorities after the provincial nomination.
What is Expression of Interest (EOI)?
The Expression of Interest (EOI) process is like Express Entry draws as candidates submit EOI profiles to enter the pool of eligible candidates. The province holds EOI draw to target candidates with specific skill sets as per the need. The draw considers a combination of points grid scores, education, work experience in a particular occupation, and language ability. Selected candidates receive invitations to apply for permanent residence.
What is the Notification of Interest (NOI)?
Several provinces view Express Entry profiles of the candidates in the Express Entry pool of applicants. They select candidates for a provincial nomination by issuing a Notification of Interest (NOI). Provinces leverage the NOI process to select candidates with work experience in particular occupations and education, addressing labor market gaps.
PNP and Express Entry
How to choose between PNP and Express Entry
Express Entry is the established application management system. Candidates submit their profiles to the Express Entry pool for competitive selection. Successful candidates receive Invitation to Apply for permanent residence. The CRS scores depend upon a candidate’s age, educational qualifications, relevant work experience, and language proficiency.
Candidates with low CRS scores can consider getting a provincial nomination to boost their chances of selection as a provincial nomination qualifies them to get an additional 600 points. Several PNPs select candidates with low CRS scores in the Express Entry pool.
What is Express Entry-aligned PNP stream?
Canadian provinces leverage the Express Entry-aligned stream of the Provincial Nominee Program to link the PNP with Express Entry. Provinces can select profiles of eligible candidates from the Express Entry pool to qualify them for provincial nomination. The candidates earn 600 points by becoming eligible for a provincial nomination, improving their chances of Express Entry selection.
Improve your chances of provincial nomination
Choosing the right PNP stream is crucial for a positive outcome because there are over 80 diverse streams of provincial immigration. You require an expert immigration consultant to find the right PNP stream. Royal Citizen Immigration is your reliable immigration resource for exploring various PNP options. We provide comprehensive guidance by matching your profile with the right PNP stream for successful immigration.
Frequently Asked Questions
A candidate with an Express Entry profile gets an additional 600 points with a provincial nomination. It helps the candidate improve the CRS score significantly to receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence.
String ties and connections in the province, relevant job skills, and experience working or studying in the province are the primary factors to boost provincial immigration.
A provincial nomination confirms that the candidate meets the province’s job market needs and improves the possibility of finding a job in the province. There is an addition of 600 points to the CRS score boosting Express Entry selection after provincial nomination.
Provincial immigration aims at helping immigrants settle in a specific province of their choice. Moving to another province may amount to misrepresentation, attracting severe consequences, though there is no restriction to move to another province after immigrating to a specific province through provincial immigration.
Provincial Nominee Programs help Canada’s provinces and territories attract talent and skilled workers that match the job market needs, economy, and demography. Provincial immigration spreads the benefits of immigration across Canada and away from the main urban centers. PNPs allow immigrants to choose a suitable province to study, work and settle.
Language test results are valid for up to two years if these are from designated language tests.
Provincial nomination entitles the nominee to bring their spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children as permanent residents to Canada.
Provinces can access Express Entry profiles of candidates that match their labor market and demographic needs. Candidates can also express their interests in specific provinces while creating Express Entry profiles. Provinces select these candidates and issue invitations to apply.
A PNP application may take up to 19 months if it is a non-Express Entry PNP stream. However, Express Entry-linked PNP applications require six months for processing.
Canada allows a candidate to apply to two different provinces for provincial immigration.
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