11 provinces/territories of Canada has more than 100 immigration programs.

PNPs or Provincial Nominee Programs are one of the most versatile and complicated ones in the Canadian immigration system. Therefore, it is often one of the most ignored programs as well. However, majority of the applicants who would not qualify for the major federal immigration programs would be able to get nomination from a province. It is very important to consider PNPs as part of your immigration strategy to Canada.

We provide following information for your reference only, for additional details or application, please feel free to contact us.

How the Provincial Nominee Program works

PNPs are suitable for workers who have the following abilities: have skills, education and work experience, can contribute to the economy of a particular province or region, live in that province, and wish to obtain provincial nomination to become permanent residents of Canada. Every province/territory of Canada has different requirements for each program. Therefore, it is vital to know each province first, and then know the requirement of each program to be successful. 

Provinces may target any or all of the following category in different times:

1. students
2. business people
3. skilled workers
4. semi-skilled workers

How to apply for Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)?

Similar to federal immigration programs, the provincial nominee programs also have common pre-requisites including but not limited to: 

• You must have specific skills, education or work experience that are useful for that individual province. Since every province has different in-demand occupations, therefore, you should only select a province that match your specific qualifications. 

• You must demonstrate that you want to live in that province permanently. 

• Some provinces require strong linkages with that province such as having family members or sponsors in that province, while others ask for a job or educational links to the province. 

Some people cannot apply for provincial nominee programs regardless of their qualifications:

• Refugee claimants, 
• people under a removal order or who are subject to a federal appeal process, 
• If you have had a PNP refusal in the last 6 months (for the same program)
• If you are nominated or invited by another province for their PNP programs. 
• some provinces have an ineligible occupations list, anyone working in those specific occupations is ineligible to apply regardless of their qualifications. 
• You can not apply to more than one PNP program in the same province. 

The above list is grossly generalized, please check under each immigration program who is ineligible to apply. 

1) Express Entry PNP Application Process

Provincial nominee programs application process depends on whether you have a nomination or not. Please note that both ways require you to either have an express entry profile or create one in order to complete the process. Therefore, you must be eligible to create an express entry profile in the first place. 

If you have a nomination, then follow the following steps:

Step 1: Check your express entry eligibility online, if you were found eligible then create your express entry profile. 

Please note the following in your profile creation process: 

1. Answer (yes) under “Nomination and Selection”. 

2. A drop down menu will appear where you can select the province that has nominated you, select that province. 

Step 2: Once your EE profile is completed, then submit the your profile as soon as possible. Though you have 60 days to officially submit, it is advisable to click the submit button as soon you are satisfied that all information are complete and correct. 

Step 3: Contact the province/territory that has nominated you and send them your express entry profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code. Their contact information must be available on the nomination certificate/letter you have received from the province/territory. 

Step 4: The province will send a confirmation of your nomination to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and you will also get a request to confirm the nomination. Though you will get 30 days to confirm the nomination, it is advisable to confirm it as soon as possible because they can still withdraw it. 

Step 5: Receive your nomination certificate/letter in your express entry profile. This will award you 600 points and will almost guarantee your invitation to apply for permanent residence. 

If you do NOT have a nomination, then follow the following steps:

Step 1: Check your Express Entry eligibility online, if found eligible then create your express entry profile.

You now have to two options to apply for a PNP program

Option 1: You can apply directly (outside of your express entry profile) to a provincial nominee program that is linked with express entry (also called Express Entry PNP).

Step 1: Go through each provincial express entry program and find out which program is best suited for you. 

Step 2: Create provincial profile account online and apply to the program.

Step 3: If a province/territory nominated you, then update your express entry profile and follow the process mentioned in previous pages. 

Option 2: A province/territory checks express entry pool and go through the profiles of those people who have shown interest in the province by selecting “interest” a specific province or “all provinces/territories”. 

Step 1: The province/territory that is also interested in your profile sends you a “notification of interest” including essential contact details of their local immigration office.

Step 2: Contact the office, share your Job Seeker Validation Code, and apply to their PNP that is linked with Express Entry. However, please note you will need to create a provincial nominee program account that is separate from your federal express entry account. 

Step 3: The province/territory will nominate you through your provincial account, and give you 30 days to accept. It is advisable to accept it as early as possible. 

Step 4: The province will send you and the IRCC a copy of the nomination certificate that will give you 600 additional points in your federal express entry account. 

Final Step:

This final step is common for all ways and options you read in this topic so far:

Get an invitation to apply for permanent residence from IRCC in your express entry profile. This is the actual application stage of your journey, you will need to fill out the online form, pay the fee, and submit your documents to IRCC according to your profile. This process is completed online through your federal express entry profile. You have 60 days to submit your application, so make sure you complete the application thoroughly. 

Links: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/provincial-nominees/application-process/express-entry.html 

2) Non-express Entry PNP Application Process

This book also has a complete set of provincial nominee programs that are not linked to the express entry system. In order to find which immigration program you are qualifying for, you need to go through them individually, moreover, you also need to review the profile of that province/territory you are interested in order to know whether you would like to live there permanently. 

Follow the following steps to apply for non-express entry provincial nominee programs:

Step 1: Find a provincial nominee program that is matching with your qualifications or in short with your occupation TEER (Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities) 

Step 2: Apply directly to that program for nominating you for permanent residence. Each province has devised different processes for the application, therefore, you need to check the application section under each immigration program. 

Step 3: After you were nominated, apply to IRCC for permanent residence by creating an online account at the “Permanent residence online application portal” and submit your application. All permanent residence applications are now processed online, paper based applications are no longer accepted. 

Step 4: Nomination and even selection can be conducted by a province/territory, however, conferring the permanent residence status is the sole authority of the IRCC. 

Links: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/provincial-nominees/application-process/paper.html

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