The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) has recently received nominations for candidates from three Canadian provinces.

The purpose of the PNP, which was founded in 1998, is to assist provincial governments in choosing economic immigration applicants who are most likely to settle in a nominated province and make a positive contribution to the labor force and economy there.

Provinces are able to do this because the federal and provincial governments share responsibility for immigration. Although applicants who accept a provincial nomination must still submit a separate application for permanent resident status to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), being nominated by a province increases the likelihood that the application will be accepted.

If a PNP applicant is also included in the federal Express Entry pool, this is especially true. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), also known as improved nomination, awards 600 extra points to Express Entry candidates who are accepted and authorized for a provincial nomination.

An Express Entry candidate will almost certainly obtain an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in a subsequent round of invites thanks to these extra 600 points. The lowest CRS score needed to be awarded an ITA in 2023 is 791 (a PNP candidate-only draw on February 15). The minimum score is often lower than this, though.

Provincial immigration results from September 30 – October 5

British Columbia

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) often holds multiple drawings each week to invite candidates.

The province had a general draw for 110 candidates on October 4. This indicates that no particular professions were targeted.

Depending on the candidate’s program stream, a minimum score was required to be invited. 

The required scores for applicants from the skilled worker stream were 111, 113 for international graduates, and 91 for entry-level and semi-skilled candidates.

For applicants in the skilled worker and international graduate streams, there were three extra drawings. In each of the three drawings, candidates needed a minimum score of 60. These are the outcomes.

1. 51 assistants and early childhood educators
2. 25 medical specialists
3. Fewer than five additional priority jobs

Alberta

33 individuals had been nominated for the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) as of October 3.

The applicants were chosen from the Priority sector – Alberta job offer category for the Agriculture vocation. Additionally, they were all Express Entry applicants. Receiving a nomination needed a CRS of at least 313 points.

This draw comes after the first-ever Express Entry category-based invitational selection round for work experience in agriculture and agri-food. With the introduction of category-based Express Entry draws, the federal government may speed up the selection of applicants for economic immigration in order to fill Canada’s most urgent job openings. These draws in many respects mirror the PNP streams that already exist across the country.

Prince Edward Island

On October 5, Prince Edward Island sent invitations to 20 candidates under PEI PNP’s Labour and Express Entry category. All of the applicants were employed in the medical and food processing industries.

Since July 20, PEI has held targeted drawings. All previous drawings had been generic and had not been focused on any one vocation.

Since July, the province has extended invitations to 505 applicants, with a focus on those in the construction, manufacturing, food processing, and healthcare industries. Additionally, it has sought applicants’ drawings for unspecified vital personnel.