Three Canadian provinces have recently nominated candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
The PNP was established in 1998 to assist provincial governments in selecting economic immigration candidates who are most likely to settle in a nominating province and contribute to the local labour force and economy.
Because immigration is a shared duty of the federal and provincial governments, provinces can do so. While candidates who accept a provincial nomination must still apply for permanent resident status to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) independently, being nominated by a province is very favourable when it comes to having a permanent residence application accepted.
This is especially relevant if a candidate for the PNP is also in the federal Express Entry pool. Express Entry candidates who are selected and approved for a province nomination receive an immediate 600 points boost through the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), a procedure known as enhanced nomination.
These extra 600 points almost ensure that an Express Entry candidate will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in the next round of invites. So far in 2023, the minimum CRS score to get an ITA has never been greater than 791 (a PNP candidate-only draw on February 15). However, the minimum score is often lower.
Results of provincial immigration from September 30 to October 5
British Columbia
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) normally invites applicants in numerous distinct draws each week.
On October 4, the province held a general draw and invited 110 applicants. This suggests that no occupations were specifically targeted.
The minimal score required to be invited differed depending on the candidate’s program stream. Skilled Worker candidates needed a score of 111, International Graduates needed a score of 113, and Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled candidates needed a score of 91.
Three more lotteries were held for candidates in the Skilled Worker and International Graduate streams. In all three draws, candidates needed a minimum score of 60. The outcomes are as follows:
· 51 early childhood educators and assistants
· 25 healthcare professionals
· Less than five other priority occupations
Alberta
On October 3, 33 individuals were nominated under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP).
The candidates were chosen from the Priority sector – Agriculture occupations with Alberta job opportunities category. They were all Express Entry candidates as well.
A CRS of at least 313 was required to be nominated.
This round of invites follows the first-ever Express Entry category-based selection round for Agriculture and Agri-food work experience. In many respects, the introduction of category-based Express Entry draws mirrors existing PNP streams from throughout Canada, allowing the federal government to simplify economic immigration candidates to fill Canada’s most pressing work shortages.
Prince Edward Island
On October 5, Prince Edward Island invited 20 candidates under the Labour and Express Entry categories of the PEI PNP.
All of the candidates worked in the healthcare and food processing industries.
Since July 20, PEI has held targeted drawings. Until then, all draws had been broad and did not target any one occupation.
Since July, the province has invited 505 candidates, primarily from the healthcare, food processing, manufacturing, and construction industries. It has also held open calls for unspecified vital staff.
