The PNP is a popular option for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada.
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is one way for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada and get permanent resident status.
The purpose of the program is to welcome skilled workers in order to strengthen provincial and territorial economies and spread the benefits of immigration across Canada. It has been a successful way of attracting skilled workers to provinces that have historically had small immigration populations, such as the prairies and the Atlantic provinces.
PNP allows Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals who want to immigrate to Canada and are interested in settling in a specific province. There are over 80 provincial immigration streams that are designed to attract workers, graduates and entrepreneurs. Each program is designed to respond to the provinces labour force needs.
All provinces are included in the program except for Nunavut and Quebec. Quebec has their own authority to determine the selection criteria for economic immigration.
There are two main ways to get permanent resident status through the PNP: the “base”” programs and the “enhanced” programs.
The “base” programs
The first option are the “base” programs. This is when the applicant applies directly to a PNP stream. The province will then ensure that the application meets all the eligibility criteria for that stream. If all the criteria are met, the province will then issue a letter of nomination to the applicant and the applicant can then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for permanent residence.
The ”enhanced” programs
The second option are the “enhanced” programs, which are aligned with the federal Express Entry application management system. An applicant who is eligible for an Express Entry-managed program, such as the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) can increase their chance of an Invitation to Apply (ITA) by obtaining provincial nomination.
