Provincial Nominee Programs

Provincial Nominee Program or PNP is a pathway for Canada immigration being run by the provincial governments and the federal government of Canada. It was introduced in the year 1998 and focuses on meeting the labour and demographic needs of any particular province. It also aims to bring in foreign workers with the occupations skills that are in demand in Canada.

Express Entry via Provincial Nominee Program

Almost all the provinces and territories in Canada have their own Provincial Nominee Programs and all of those have at least one immigration stream or category aligned to the federal Express Entry. If an Express Entry candidate receives provincial nomination, they will get an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score points, thus increasing their chances for receiving an Invitation to Apply(ITA) for permanent residence in Canada, in a subsequent Express Entry draw. Provincial Nominee Program is also a viable alternative for those who may not qualify for Canada immigration through Express Entry because of low CRS scores. Such candidates may apply for Canada immigration through Provincial Nominee Program, if they meet the eligibility requirements.

How Provincial Nominee Program works

Each PNP has different immigration categories and streams, based on the specific labour market and demographic needs of that particular province. The application process is also different for different PNPs. The PNPs also have a score-based selection system and they conduct regular draws to select eligible candidates. Often, draws are also conducted by PNPs to select candidates who have work experience in occupations that are on high demand in that particular province at that particular time. So the candidates need to select the right Provincial Nominee Program for them based on their qualifications and preferences.

If you are applying for Canada immigration through provincial nomination, choosing the right PNP program is pivotal in deciding the success of your application. You may seek the help of Canada immigration experts of CanApprove to choose the right PNP pathway for you.

How to Apply for PNP?

In order to migrate to Canada through Provincial Nominee Program, you need to receive a nomination for permanent residence in Canada from a province or territory. The steps involved in obtaining a provincial nomination are as follows:

The application process for Canada Provincial Nominee Program

If you have received the nomination through an immigration pathway aligned to the federal Express Entry, you will receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence in Canada in a subsequent federal Express Entry draw. But if you have received nomination under a non-Express Entry PNP stream, you need to apply directly using a regular application process.

The application process is different for different PNP programs. Some PNPs are always open to accept applications from qualified candidates. At the same time, some PNPs manage the applications through an Expression of Interest(EOI) system. Candidates interested in these PNPs may submit an Expression of Interest profile to that particular PNP. Then these profiles will be ranked on the basis of qualifications and those with the highest ranks will be invited to apply for provincial nomination in the Expression of Interest draws conducted by these provinces. At the same time, some other PNPs select candidates directly from the federal Express Entry pool and invite them to submit a formal Expression of Interest.

Eligibility for Canada PNP

To apply for permanent residence in Canada as a provincial nominee, you must have obtained provincial nomination from one of the provinces or territories of Canada. The eligibility requirements for obtaining a provincial nomination are different for different PNPs. The advantage of Provincial Nominee Program is that even those candidates who cannot earn enough Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS) score points to be selected in a federal Express Entry draw may obtain Canada PR. As far as Express Entry-aligned PNP pathways are concerned, the nominated candidates will receive an additional 600 CRS score points. It means, they will have a better chance for receiving an Invitation to Apply(ITA) for permanent residence in Canada from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC) in a subsequent Express Entry draw. Some PNP programs select immigration candidates based on their occupation and language proficiency, especially in French. So, by choosing the right PNP program, a candidate can easily realise their dream of obtaining a Canada PR.