Provincial Nominee Class
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allows provinces to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a particular province. Provincial nominees are selected based on their ability to contribute to the province’s economic development. Usually, but not always, a genuine Canadian job offer from an employer within the province is a requirement under the Provincial Nomination Program.
Most provinces in Canada participate in the Provincial Nomination Program. Participating provinces sign agreements with Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that allow the provinces to directly select immigrants who meet the requirements they have established. People who wish to apply as a Provincial Nominee must first apply to the province where they wish to settle:
The requirements and procedures for the Provincial Nominee Programs differ from Province to Province.
Provincial Nominee through Express Entry
Each PNP has at least one immigration stream that is aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system. Provincial nominations issued under these Express Entry-aligned streams are known as ‘enhanced nominations’. The benefits of enhanced PNP streams are that they award Express Entry candidates an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, which essentially guarantee they will receive a permanent residence invitation under Express Entry. Another major benefit is they can have their permanent residence application processed by the federal government quicker, typically within six months. The other way to obtain permanent residence through the PNP is under a ‘base’ stream. Here, you apply to a PNP stream directly and once you obtain a provincial nomination, the federal government will process your permanent residence application.Requirements and procedures for the Provincial Nominee Programs
AlbertaBritish Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Yukon
After applicants have been nominated by a province, they have to make a separate application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence. A IRCC officer will assess their application based on Canadian immigration regulations.