What is the Provincial Nominee Program?
Under the Provincial Nominee Program, the different provinces and territories of Canada can nominate individual immigrants according to their requirements. Such immigrants mostly satisfy some business, education, or investment needs of the province. Such immigrants are nominated due to their potential, skill, and financial affluence and their desire to contribute positively to the economy of that particular province.
How does the Provincial Nominee Program work?
The Provincial Nominee Program or PNP is an Immigration program only for individuals who
- Possess the skills, education and work experience to contribute significantly to the economy of a specific province in Canada
- Wants to live in that province willingly
- Wants to become the permanent resident of Canada
- The provinces and territories nominate individuals depending on their requirements such as Immigration program targeted to attract
- Students
- Business People (including entrepreneurs, self employed individuals)
- Skilled workers
- Semi-skilled workers
Provincial Nominee Program Application Process
Depending on the Province and the need of immigration, the individuals would require to either applying for:
- Paper-Based Process: In case the province where you want to immigrate mandates the paper based process, you
- Have to apply to the province for a nomination under the non-express entry stream
- Need to fulfill the eligibility requirements as mentioned by the province that is nominating you
- Have to submit a paper application for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada after you have been nominated by the province
- Clear the medical examination and police check and get the relevant certificate. This step has to be followed by everyone planning to immigrate to Canada, irrespective of the province they plan to live in Canada.
- This type of application processing takes time longer than the Express Entry process.
Express Entry Process: In case you are applying for the Express Entry Process, there are two ways to apply:
First Way:
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- You have to contact the province or territory and apply for a nomination under an Express Entry stream.
- In case the province or territory agrees to nominate you, you need to create your Express Entry profile (or update your profile if you already have one) and show that you have been nominated.
Second Way:
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- You can create your Express Entry profile and show the provinces and territories you are interested to stay in.
- In case the province or territory sends a “notification of interest” to your account, then you can contact them directly.
- Thereafter you need to apply to their Express Entry stream.
- In case you are nominated, the province or territory will send a nomination certificate to your account, and you need to accept it electronically.
After the acceptance of Nomination from the province or territory, you:
- Have to meet the eligibility requirements of the province or territory
- Have to submit an Express Entry profile and show that you meet the minimum criteria for Express Entry as prescribed by the Province or Territory, including being eligible for one of the immigration programs that they cover
Need to submit an electronic application to IRCC once you are invited to apply.
Though the general information has been provided here, you need to check the eligibility and application requirements mandated by the individual provinces and territories. Click on the province you want to choose and read the requirements thoroughly.
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
