A Guide to the PNP Program

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is a Canadian immigration program that allows people to come to Canada and become permanent residents. The requirements differ by province and territory, depending on the economic and labor market conditions in the country. Here's a guide to the PNP. To apply, applicants must meet the minimum requirements for their chosen stream and must submit the required language test results. Eligible jobs must also uplift the British Columbian economy.

• A PNP program operates through the federal Express Entry system. To qualify, a prospective immigrant must have an active Express Entry profile and a minimum CRS score of 400 points. Ontario scans all Express Entry profiles and invites certain profiles to apply under the PNP. The provinces invite candidates under a specific range of CRS or NOC codes. The province invited 6,259 candidates under the PNP in 2021, and nearly half of them were eligible under the targeted tech draw.

• Provincial Nominee Programs are similar to Express Entry, but provinces can nominate their own skilled workers through the program. These provinces must sign an agreement with IRCC to receive the right to nominate eligible foreign nationals. A province can only nominate someone they've met the pre-defined selection criteria for. For example, Quebec can nominate a skilled professional who has experience in the area of expertise of that province.

• To apply for a provincial nomination under the PNP, a candidate must meet certain eligibility requirements, including age, language skills, education, and relevant work experience. These requirements will vary depending on the province and labour market requirements, as well as the industrial domain in which the applicant wants to settle. Processing times for nomination applications vary by province, but are typically a few months. With the PNP, applying for permanent residence in Canada through a provincial nomination is a two-step process.

• Once an applicant is selected for a provincial nomination, the next step is to apply to the federal government. Although the federal government has stepped up the allocation for the PNP, each province's program is unique. Therefore, applicants should consult with each province to determine their eligibility. The federal government does not accept applications from Quebec. However, a qualified applicant may receive a permanent residence in Canada within a year. A successful applicant will have a better chance of winning a nomination by working with an immigration consultant Toronto.

The Bottom line -
The Provincial Nominee Program allows provinces to quickly respond to local needs by selecting applicants with skills in the most in-demand occupations. Many of these programs are linked to Express Entry, which helps candidates earn an additional 600 points on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).