Immigrate To Canada Through Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)
Canadian Provinces and Territories made an agreement with the Federal government to nominate foreigners who demonstrated interest to live, settle, and work in that province or essentially immigrate to Canada. To qualify for the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), the applicant must choose the desired province they wish to live in and apply for selection.
Applications for the PNP will be considered based on the provinces’ labor needs and also assess the applicant’s genuine intentions.
For most Canadian provinces, nominating applicants for PNP does not only boost the province’s local economies and key sectors, it also supports the aging populace.
The Following Canadian Provinces and Territories Have PNP:
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Northwest Territories
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Yukon
What is a Provincial Nominee Program?
Provincial Nominee Programs (“PNPs”) is an expedited provincial immigration process to address the province’s labor needs. The PNP programs are categorized into two.
The first type of PNP is the Skilled-worker PNP. This PNP program is for foreign skilled workers who have an offer of employment from a local provincial business or business that satisfies the local provincial needs.
The second type of PNP is the business migration program. This PNP program is an expedited immigration process for foreigners who have expressed the desire to invest in a particular province by setting up a business. To qualify for this PNP category, applicants must be willing to:
set-up a new business
enter a business partnership with a provincial business
invest money in the local economy
In the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) application, the first step of the application process is to get provincial approval. This first step is completed quickly in most cases. The processing time for PNP vary and it depends on the provinces. The processing time can be from two weeks to 9 months.
After the PNP endorsement, the next step in the PNP application process is getting approval from the federal government which includes police, security, and medical checks. This process can take between 6-8 months or longer and it depends on the individual cases. After getting a provincial nomination, the PNP will assist the nominated foreigner to obtain a work visa.
How Does the Provincial Nominee Program Work?
While applying for permanent residence in Canada through the PNP, there are two options applicants can choose from:
Send a direct application to the Canadian province or territory or
The linked Express Entry-PNP process
Direct Application Process
To apply for a provincial or territorial nomination, applicants must submit an paper application by courier or mail. This is usually a lengthy process as it takes between 15 to 19 months before you can be aware of your application status.
The linked Express Entry-PNP Process
Taking the linked Express Entry-PNP process has two pathways:
Expression of Interest – when you make your Express Entry profile online, you can express your interest in living in a specific province or territory. By submitting your expression of interest, the province or territory will be able to select your profile from the Express Entry draw pool and issued a Provincial Nomination, if you satisfy the provincial or territorial elligibility criterias; or
Apply through a Provincial Nominee Express Entry Stream – Most Canadian provinces has an Express Entry stream alongside a populated list of provincial in-demand occupations.
The advantages or applying through the Express Entry linked PNP is the expedited application process which normally takes about six to eight months, and it also gives applicants a higher possibility of getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
