A brief overview of Canada’s previous month’s Provincial Nominee Program and the corresponding results.

In the month of April this year, Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) handed out close to 3000 ITAs (Invitation to Apply) to immigration aspirants for provincial nomination.

Canada, in 1998, announced the PNP (Provincial Nominee Program) which is an immigration program conjointly directed by three governments: Federal, Provincial and Territorial. The primary purpose of this program is to assist Canadian provinces and territories form their individual immigration streams in order to suffice their labour make requirements and serve the economic growth intentions.

Moreover, the PNP initially aimed at escalating the advantages of immigration equally amongst provinces and inspiring immigration to minor and thinly populated regions of the country. However, this program has now become a substantial means of economic immigration to major provinces and territories in Canada. Smaller provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Saskatchewan rely on this program to fulfil their labour and demographic needs. It is anticipated that, by the end of year 2024, PNPs on their own shall have more than 93,000 immigrants as permanent residents each year.

PNPs connected with Express Entry:

Majority of the territories and provinces have a minimum of one PNP stream which is affiliated to the federal Express Entry system. This Express entry system is the country’s management system for immigration programs like Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). These particular streams allow a province to choose candidates who hold Express Entry profiles and invite them to apply for a provincial nomination.

Lately, IRCC has been issuing more ITAs (Invitation to Apply) to PNP aspirants than ever. A total of 1,554 candidates were given invitations under two PNP-oriented Express Entry draws.

On top of this, Canadian immigration minister Sean Fraser in the previous week declared that Express Entry invitations for FSWP and CEC candidates shall commence form the beginning of July this year and that most of the fresh Express Entry applications without any further delay would be processed within IRCC’s standard time period of six months.

April’s data on number of invitations through different PNP draws:

Alberta- 250 candidates

British Columbia- More than 665 candidates

Manitoba- 526 candidates

Ontario- 1,335 candidates

Prince Edward Island- 141 candidates

Quebec- 33 candidates