Provincial Nominee Program
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
People who have the skills, education, and work experience desired by a specific province or territory can apply for permanent residence through the provincial nominee program. Each province or territory in Canada has specific needs for skilled workers. If you meet the province’s requirements, you can get nominated and receive an invitation to apply. However, if you apply for PNP through Ontario, you will have to remain in Ontario. If you apply through British Columbia, you will have to remain in British Columbia. The PNP is designed for provinces and territories to recruit skilled workers to add to their economic growth.
Before you apply, you have to understand the two understand the two types of applications. The first type is an online application known as Express Entry. If the province or territory is interested in you, they will send you a notification of interest. From there, you have 30 days to accept and apply directly to the province or territory. Once your application is received, the province or territory will send you a nomination. Upon receiving an invitation to apply, you will have 90 days to apply for your PR and provide supporting documents.
If you choose to apply through Express Entry, you must meet the requirements of Federal Skilled Workers. You will be selected based on your knowledge and experience in the following sections:
- Education
- Proficiency in official languages (English/French)
- Experience
- Age
- Arranged employment
- Adaptability
The second type of application is a paper-based application. If you apply by paper, you need to send it directly to the province or territory you are interested in living in. If you meet their requirements, they will send you a nomination approval. With the approval letter, you can apply for permanent residence.
Overall, the two main steps are first, to apply to the province or territory for nomination and second, apply for permanent residence. For more detailed information, please go here:
When broken down, the steps to apply seems easy. However, please remember that the final decision to get approved through the provincial nominee program rests with the visa officer. Even if you receive a nomination, your permanent residence application will not be automatically approved.
There are a few things you can do to help make your profile stronger. What is the purpose of the provincial nominee program? As stated in the beginning, the main purpose for the program is to recruit skilled people who would contribute to the economic growth of Canada.
To have a strong profile, you must have good work experience and education. The competitive pool of application means that they will give priority to candidates who already have work experience and/or education obtained in Canada.
If you wish to add to your education or work experience. I recommend enrolling in a designated learning institution in Canada that is eligible for post-graduation-work-permit upon graduation. You can find a list of designated learning institutions here:
Provincial Nominee Program
Remember to check if the school offers PGWP or not. Some schools are not eligible, while some schools have selected programs that are eligible.
Once you gain education and/or work experience in Canada, you will be a better candidate for the provincial nominee program. You may also use the online CRS calculator to see how many points you have and compare it with the newest round of invitations that can be found here :
Comparing your score to the CRS score of the lowest-ranked candidate invited will give you an idea of where you stand in the application pool. In addition, if you look at the score breakdown from the CRS calculator, you can see how many points you have received per section. This will help you decide which areas you need to build on to gain more points.
I understand applications to IRCC can be incredibly stressful. If you need any assistance with your application or have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to one of our licensed immigration consultants. We are here to help you!
Sincerely,
International Experience Club
