Canada Provincial Nominee Program

If you want to immigrate to Canada and settle in a specific province or territory, you may be eligible for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

What is Provincial Nominee Program?

Provincial Nominee Program is a program that allows provinces and territories to nominate candidates who have the skills, education and work experience to contribute to their economy and society.

Each province and territory in Canada has its own streams and criteria for their PNP. You can find out more about each province’s PNP on their websites.

The PNP has two main streams: Express Entry and non-Express Entry:

• The Express Entry stream is for candidates who have a valid profile in the federal Express Entry system, which manages applications for three economic immigration programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program and Canadian Experience Class.
• The non-Express Entry stream is for candidates who do not have a profile in the Express Entry system or who are not eligible for any of the federal programs.

How to apply for the PNP?

1. Apply for the PNP through the Express Entry stream:

• Create an Express Entry profile and meet the minimum criteria for one of the federal programs.
• Indicate which provinces or territories you are interested in or select "All provinces and territories".
• Wait for a province or territory to send you a notification of interest through your account.
• Apply to the province or territory for nomination under their Express Entry stream.
• Meet the eligibility requirements of the province or territory that nominates you.
• If you are nominated, accept the nomination through your account.
• Apply for permanent residence online within 60 days of accepting the nomination.

2. Apply for the PNP through the non-Express Entry stream:

(Note: Because the requirements and process for applying for PNP vary depending on the time, the following information is for reference only, please check the official IRCC website of Canadian yourself)

• Contact the province or territory directly and apply for nomination under their non-Express Entry stream.
• Meet the eligibility requirements of the province or territory that nominates you.
• If you are nominated, apply for permanent residence online and also updated related paper forms.
• You may also need to get a medical exam and police check (certificate).

What is the benefits of applying through the PNP?:

The benefit of applying through the PNP are:

• You can increase your chances of getting an invitation to apply for permanent residence if you have a provincial nomination, which gives you 600 additional points in your Express Entry ranking score.
• You can choose a province or territory that matches your skills, education and work experience, as well as your personal preferences and goals.
• You can benefit from the support and guidance of the province or territory that nominates you during your immigration process and settlement.

The PNP is a great option for many immigrants who want to live and work in Canada. If you are interested in this program, you can find more information on the official website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).