In 2021, approximately 80,800 skilled foreign workers will receive permanent residency through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Each of Canada’s provinces and territories has created their own skilled worker programs for those who want to live and settle in a particular Canadian province. You can either apply through these program streams directly or enter the Express Entry system from where you can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to create a second PNP profile. Not all of the PNP streams work through Express Entry but a PN can always boost your Express Entry profile.

When applying for a PNP, candidates are required to have the skills, education and work experience needed to make an immediate economic contribution to the province or territory. They should be ready to successfully establish themselves in the selected region. If you meet all the criteria and score the province’s required amount of points, you are then issued with a nomination and ITA for permanent residence with the federal government. If you applied for the nomination from the Express Entry pool, your nomination from the province will then boost your CRS score and if you are drawn from the pool, you are then issued with your ITA.

Canada aims to welcome between 64, 000 – 81, 500 immigrants through the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) in 2021. Just how many PNPs are there in Canada? There are more than 80 provincial nomination programs in Canada that allow participating provinces and territories to nominate eligible economic immigration candidates for Canadian permanent residence. Learn more about the Provincial Nomination Programs for exciting alternative routes to Canada.

About Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs

The Canadian government made an agreement with local provinces in which they can nominate immigrants who wish to live, settle, and work in that particular province or essentially, immigrate to Canada. In order to receive a visa through the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), the candidate is required to choose a province they wish to live in and subsequently apply for a nomination.

The province will then consider the application based on its immigration and labor needs, while also assessing your genuine intention to settle in the province. For most provinces, Canadian immigration is an important part of not only boosting local economies and development in key sectors but also supporting an aging population.

11 Provincial Nomination Programs in Canada
Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NW PNP)
Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NL PNP)
Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NS PNP)
Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP)
Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)

Note that the province of Quebec has its own unique immigration selection system and a points system that is also different from other provinces.

What is a Provincial Nominee Program?

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) that allow accelerated immigration processing according to provincial needs have been set up in most provinces in Canada. There are basically two types of PNP programs.

The first type is the skilled worker PNP. This program will allow expedited processing for skilled workers that have a job offer from a local provincial business in an occupation or business sector that meets local provincial needs. The following may also be requirements for some PNP streams:

• job offer from a local employer;
• work experience in the province/territory; and
• adaptability and familial ties to someone living in the province.

The second type of program is a business immigration program. Most business immigration PNPs allow expedited immigration processing if the applicant does some variation of one of the following in the province:

• establishes a new business;
• invests money, or
• enters a joint venture with a local business.

What are the processing times for PNP applications?

With the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications, the first step is for the application to be approved by the province. In most cases, this first step is completed quickly. The provincial processing time can range from two weeks to nine months depending on the province. PNP approval is commonly called being “nominated” by the PNP.

After the PNP approval, the second step is federal approval consisting of police, medical and security checks are still required. This generally takes 6-8 months at most but can be longer depending on individual cases. After PNP nomination has occurred the PNP can assist the nominee to obtain a work visa on an expedited basis, before immigrating to Canada.

How Does the Provincial Nominee Program Work?

When applying for permanent residence through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) under the Canadian immigration system, there are two main options you can choose from: 

• Apply directly to a province or territory; or
• The Express Entry-linked process 

Direct Application Process

Applying for a provincial nomination directly to your chosen province means that you will have to submit a paper application via mail or courier. This is generally a long process and could take anywhere from 15 to 19 months to find out whether or not your application has been successful. 

Express Entry Application Process

Taking the Express Entry-linked route has two pathways:

• Expression of Interest – when you create your Express Entry profile you can express interest in a particular province or territory. This allows a province to select your profile directly from the Express Entry draw pool and send you a provincial nomination, provided you have the skills and experience that they are looking for; or
• Apply through a Provincial Nominee Express Entry Stream – Almost every province in Canada has an Express Entry stream along with a list of in-demand occupations. 

The benefits here faster processing, averaging at about six to eight months, as well as having a higher chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

Find out where your job is in-demand in each of Canada’s provinces and territories here.

PNPs and Express Entry

Since its introduction in early 2015, most provinces and territories have streams that are aligned with the Federal Express Entry system. Through the Express Entry system, these “enhanced” nominations award nominees with up to 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points.

It is important to understand that a provincial nomination is the single most important factor in the CRS. 

The CRS gives applicants a score out of a possible 1,200 that is assigned to an Express Entry candidate, which also in effect decides which candidates should get an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. 

Most PNP streams have a lower CRS cut-off score than regular Express Entry draws. For example, Alberta’s minimum CRS score is 300 which means that simply having a nomination would almost certainly guarantee that you will receive an  (ITA) at the following pool draw.

It is important to note, that in order to take the Express Entry immigration pathway to Canada under an enhanced PNP stream, you will first be required to create an Express Entry profile.