Canada’s provincial nominee programs (PNPs) saw a large surge of activity last September, with provinces issuing a collective 6,500 invitations to apply.
Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program
Established in 1998, PNPs started out with 200 admitted applicants, and have grown to facilitate the intake of over 80,000 permanent residents each year.
At least 11 provinces and territories are currently participating in the Provincial Nominee Program. WIth the exception of Nunavut and Quebec, most provinces have developed their own nominee programs to suit their needs. At present, there are over 80 different streams that have been created to accommodate aspiring immigrants who can supplement the labor market and economic needs of different provinces.
Most PNPs have streams linked to the federal Express Entry system. The federal Express Entry system manages the pool of economic immigration candidates, and is Canada’s primary source of immigration.
Provincial nominees with profiles in the Express Entry system automatically receive an additional 600 points to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scor. This effectively guarantees them an invitation to apply for permanent residency during the next Express Entry round.
Candidates nominated through ‘base’ provincial nominee programs, also known as programs outside of the Express Entry system, may also choose to pursue permanent residency through other options apart from Express Entry.
PNP-Linked Express Entry: Highlights for September 2021
In September, IRCC conducted three Express Entry draws targeting PNP candidates, issuing 635 ITAs on September 1, another 521 on September 15, and lastly 761 on September 29. The number of PNP Express Entry invitations issued over the last month is therefore slightly higher compared with previous months.
Since the beginning of 2021, IRCC has been holding draws under PNP and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) categories only. There have been 18 PNP-specific draws so far this year and the number of invitations to apply via Express Entry has nearly doubled from this time last year.
Alberta
The province of Alberta invited a total of 1,335 candidates in September, 500 in a large draw and the remaining 835 candidates in two smaller draws respectively.
British Columbia
Meanwhile, British Columbia held six draws, inviting 994 candidates to apply for a provincial nomination through the Express Entry British Columbia and Skills Immigration streams.
Manitoba
The province of Manitoba held two draws focusing on three streams: Skilled Workers in Manitoba, International Education Stream, and Skilled Workers Overseas. A total of 1,253 Letters of Advice to Apply were issued, and 236 candidates were linked to Express Entry.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia held two draws targeting business immigration candidates, for a total of 30 invitations. Of the 30, 28 were candidates from the Entrepreneur category, and the remaining 2 were candidates from the International Graduate category.
Ontario
Ontario has held five draws this September, for a total of 1,751 invitations. Two of the draws were focused on candidates from the newest Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams. The remaining three were focused on Employer Job Offer and Regional Pilot categories, and the In-Demand Skills stream.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island held their regular draw on September 16 and issued a total of 143 invitations.129 invitations were issued to Express Entry and Labour Impact candidates, while the remaining nine went to Business Impact candidates.
Saskatchewan
The province of Saskatchewan issued a total of 919 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination last month. Two draws focused on the International Skilled Worker stream, focusing on Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand. The SINP also held their second-ever draw inviting Entrepreneur candidates this year.
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