Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allows provinces to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a particular province. Provincial nominees are selected based on their ability to contribute to the province's economic development. Usually, but not always, a genuine Canadian job offer from an employer within the province is a requirement under the Provincial Nominee Program.

Most provinces in Canada participate in the Provincial Nominee Program. Participating provinces sign agreements with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) that allow the provinces to directly select immigrants who meet the requirements they have established. Immigrants who wish to apply as a Provincial Nominee must first apply to the province where they wish to settle:

1. Alberta
2. British Columbia
3. Manitoba
4. New Brunswick
5. Newfoundland and Labrador
6. Nova Scotia
7. Ontario
8. Prince Edward Island
9. Saskatchewan
10. Yukon

Before submitting an application to immigrate to Canada, a Nominee must first receive a Provincial Nomination Certificate from the province. After a successful nomination by a province, a separate application must be made to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa.

Provincial Nomination Certificate: The Provincial Nomination Certificate is a document issued by Provincial authorities indicating that the person designated on the certificate has been selected to reside within the territory of that province. The certificate is not a Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa and cannot be utilized for entry into Canada

Provincial Nominee Program Processing Times vary from one Canadian Immigration Visa office to another.

For more information on the Provincial Nominee Program, see our Provincial Nominee FAQ.

ONTARIO’S PILOT PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM

Ontario's Pilot Provincial Nominee Program (Pilot PNP) launched on May 24, 2007. In this first year, the Pilot PNP will nominate 500 individuals.

Ontario recognizes that employers play a critical role in our economic success. For many employers, newcomers to Ontario are a valuable source of skilled workers and professionals. Multinational firms establishing or expanding their businesses in Ontario may also want to bring key executives, managers or employees to work in their Ontario operations.

About the Pilot PNP

The Ontario Pilot Provincial Nominee Program (Pilot PNP) is Ontario’s first-ever nomination program. The Pilot PNP is designed to contribute to job creation, job retention and economic development by attracting new investment, and by helping employers in targeted sectors to attract and retain qualified employees for jobs for which there are currently labour shortages. The Pilot PNP also supports government priorities by facilitating the immigration of professionals in the health care and education sectors.

Immigration is a cornerstone of Ontario’s economic prosperity and social fabric. More than half of all newcomers to Canada have chosen to settle in the Province of Ontario each year since 1987. Newcomers bring valuable skills and knowledge to Ontario’s labour market, energizing the province’s economy and making Ontario a destination of choice around the world. Historically, individuals could immigrate to Ontario only through the federal immigration system. The Pilot PNP will, for the first time, allow Ontario to have a role in the selection of its own newcomers.

Individuals who meet all Pilot PNP requirements may be nominated by the province for permanent residence as Provincial Nominees. Nominated individuals must then apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). CIC then does all required processing (including medical and background admissibility checks) in order to issue work permits and/or grant permanent residence to applicants.



Alberta Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Alberta is a province with friendly people, a diverse landscape and exciting communities. Plenty of opportunities await skilled newcomers. If you are considering living and working permanently in Alberta, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can help you through the immigration process.


What is the Alberta PNP?

The Alberta PNP is an employer driven skilled worker immigration program operated on behalf of the Government of Alberta by the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Industry in conjunction with Citizenship Immigration Canada (CIC) to expedite the processing of an application for permanent residence.

The Alberta PNP is designed to meet the needs of Alberta employers who are unable to fill skilled and select semi-skilled positions with Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada.

Individuals nominated by the Province of Alberta, together with their spouse and dependent children, are eligible to apply for a permanent resident visa through CIC under the Provincial Nominee Class. CIC grants priority to processing permanent resident visa applications for Provincial Nominees. CIC makes the final decision on the permanent resident visa application.



Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program

Under the Agreement for Canada-Prince Edward Island Co-operation on Immigration, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) is a Federal-Provincial partnership between the Province of Prince Edward Island, represented by Island Investment Development Inc. (IIDI), and the Government of Canada, represented by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program expedites immigration to Canada for individuals and their families who meet provincial criteria in support of the following initiatives:

• Increased business and economic development
• Increased supply of skilled workers
• Increased population
• Achievement of provincial demographic, social and cultural objectives

The purpose of the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program is to select individuals who appear to be suitable for immigration to Prince Edward Island. While it is important that the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program process be transparent to all parties, applicants must also understand that it is Prince Edward Island’s right and responsibility to select applicants who appear to fit the province’s unique economy and culture.

The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program’s decision is made only after reviewing the application forms and all supporting documents to determine whether the applicant has an appropriate personal and family history and the capacity to integrate into the local community, based on a combination of education, age, language, experience and adaptability.

The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program is a shared responsibility, whereby the Province recruits, selects and nominates qualified immigrant applicants, with the Federal government completing security and health background checks and giving final approval. The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program is equivalent to an “immigrant class”; therefore, Prince Edward Island rules apply, rather than those relating to the familiar Canadian immigrant classes.

At this time, there are four categories under the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program. You are encouraged to read about the individual categories to understand which suits your skills and ability to qualify as a potential immigrant applicant under the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program.