What is the Canadian PNP? - Settle Canada

The Provincial Nominee Program, or PNP for short, is an immigration program jointly administered by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in conjunction with the provinces. The federal government and the provinces have jurisdiction over Immigration in Canada, as observed in of the Constitution Act, 1867.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was introduced in 1998 as a way for provincial governments to hand-pick candidates for immigration. The aim was to help provinces supplement their labour needs with suitable immigrants. Before the PNP program, most of Canada’s immigrants were concentrated along established destinations, leaving little for the rural, prairie and Atlantic Canada.

PNP has grown to become one of Canada’s leading streams of immigration. The most recent Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024 targets 83,500 new Permanent Resident Admissions through this stream in 2022, followed by 86,000 in 2023 and 93,000 in 2024.

How many PNPs are there in Canada?

Currently, there are over 80 PNP streams. You can view each province and their streams from the links below:

Are you eligible for PNP?

There are many streams under PNP, each targeting a specific immigrant class.

We’ll examine the three most popular provinces, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, and identify their immigration programs and eligibility requirements.

Alberta Advantage Immigration program (AAIP)

The province of Alberta runs this program. The various streams under this program are:

Alberta Opportunity Stream- This stream caters to temporary foreign workers already working in Alberta. It provides them with a pathway to Permanent Residency if they meet the following criteria:
Must have a valid temporary foreign worker permit.
Employed by an Alberta employer and have a valid full-time job offer or employment contract.
A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5 for each English language skill if working in a NOC 0, A and B occupation. A CLB 4 if working in a NOC C or D occupation.
A high school education that is equivalent to Canadian standards.
Twelve months of work experience in Alberta in the last 18 months. Or 24 months of experience in Canada or abroad.

Alberta Express Entry Stream– This stream allows Alberta to pick qualified and suitable immigrants from the IRCC’s Express Entry pool.
Candidates cannot apply directly to this stream.
Eligible candidates will receive a Notification of Interest (NOI) from the AAIP. They will be assessed and asked to submit their applications.
Alberta Accelerated Tech Pathway- This expedites the process for Express Entry stream candidates with a valid job offer from an Alberta-based tech employer.
Rural Renewal Stream- This stream allows newcomers to settle in rural Alberta. To be eligible, one must:
Intend and be able to reside in the designated community in Alberta.
Have an Endorsement of Candidate letter from the designated community.
Have a full-time job offer or contract with an Alberta employer.
Be licenced, registered or certified to work in the current occupation.
Have 12 months of full-time work experience in the last 18 months.
A minimum CLB 5 for NOC 0, A and B occupations. A minimum CLB 4 for NOC C and D occupations.
A minimum high school education equivalent to Canadian standards.
Have sufficient funds to support oneself.
Farm Stream– Allows entrepreneurs with financial resources and experience in farm management to establish or purchase a farm in Alberta. To be eligible, a candidate must:
Proof he has farm management skills
Proof he has the financial resources
Submit a business plan with the application.
Graduate Entrepreneur Stream– Caters to International graduates from Alberta’s post-secondary institutions who want to start a business in Alberta. The requirements for this stream are:
A degree or diploma from a recognized Alberta institution.
Have a valid PGWP issued by the IRCC.
Have a minimum CLB 7 for all English skills
Buy or establish a new business with a minimum of 34% ownership.
Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream– Helps qualified foreign graduates to immigrate and launch their businesses in Alberta. The eligibility criteria for this stream are:
Have six months of full-time work experience
A post-secondary degree from outside Canada.
A complete Business plan and 10-minute pitch of the venture
A minimum CLB level 5 for each English language skill.
A minimum of 34% ownership for businesses in urban areas and a minimum of 51% ownership for businesses outside Calgary and Edmonton.
A letter of recommendation.

Rural Entrepreneur Stream– This stream caters to entrepreneurs who want to start a business in rural Alberta. The requirements are:
Three years of experience as a business owner/ manager or four as a senior manager.
A high school equivalent to Canadian standards.
A CLB level 4 for each English language skill.
A minimum net worth of $300,000
A minimum of $200,000 investment from own equity.
A minimum of 51% ownership for new business.
A Community support letter from the particular Alberta community.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)

The BC PNP operates three immigration channels: Skills Immigration, Entrepreneur Immigration and Express Entry BC.

The Skills Immigration has several streams under it:

Skilled Worker category- This allows skilled, experienced workers to come and contribute to British Columbia’s (BC) growing economy. The requirements for this stream are:
A valid full-time job offer from a BC employer.
Qualifications for the job
Minimum two years of full-time work experience
Proof of sufficient funds
Eligible for legal immigration to Canada
Healthcare Professional category- The province prioritizes healthcare professionals. The criteria for this category are:
A full-time job offer from a public health authority/ a letter confirming your legitimacy as a physician or nurse in BC/ a letter from a midwife practice group in BC.
Meet the education, training and other requirements of the public health authority.
International Graduate/ International Post-graduate category- This stream is available to foreign graduates from a recognized Canadian university. To be eligible, a candidate must:
Earn a degree, diploma or masters and doctorate from a Canadian institution.
Have a full-time job offer from a BC employer.
Be qualified for the occupation.
Meet the language requirements
Be able to support themself and their dependents.
Be eligible for legal immigration to Canada.
Entry level and semi-skilled worker category- The eligibility requirements for this stream are:
A full-time job offer from a BC employer for an eligible occupation.
Nine months of experience before applying.
Qualified for the job.
Meet minimum language and educational requirements.
Must be able to support self and family.
Have legal immigration status.

BC PNP Tech draws – British Columbia has special provisions to attract skilled tech workers. The province expedites the PNP process of skilled international tech workers.

Entrepreneur Immigration– This program allows international entrepreneurs to set up businesses and contribute to the growth of British Columbia. The different streams and their requirements are listed below.

Entrepreneur Immigration- base category- To be eligible for this stream, an applicant must:
Have a minimum net worth of $600,000
Have business or management experience
CLB 4 or higher in English or French
Be eligible for legal immigration to Canada.
Entrepreneur immigration- Regional pilot- This program allows foreign entrepreneurs to immigrate and start businesses in British Columbia’s smaller communities. The requirements under this program are:
A community referral.
Have business or management experience
Have a net worth of $ 300,000
Invest at least $ 100,000.
A minimum CLB level 4 in either language.
Be eligible for legal immigration to Canada.
Strategic projects category- This stream allows foreign corporations to make strategic investments in British Columbia.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)

The OINP is Ontario’s economic immigration program. It aims to attract qualified foreign workers and students with nominations for Permanent residency. The OINP currently operates nine streams. Their eligibility requirements are listed below:

The first three streams require you to have a valid job offer in Ontario. You submit an expression of interest and only apply after you receive an Invitation from the OINP.

Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream – To qualify for this stream, an applicant must have:
An invitation to apply from the OINP
A full-time, permanent job offer from an Ontario-based employer.
Work experience and valid licence or authorization
Intention to live in Ontario
Legal status.
Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream – The criteria for this stream are as follows:
A full-time, permanent job offer from an Ontario-based employer
An invitation to apply from the OINP
A valid degree or diploma from a Canadian institution.
A valid license or authorization, if required for your profession
Intention to live in Ontario
Legal status
The application must be made within two years of receiving the degree/ diploma.
Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skill stream – This program caters to in-demand skills in agriculture, construction, trucking and other select occupations.
A full-time, permanent job offer in Ontario for an eligible profession.
An invitation to apply from the OINP
Nine months of full-time work experience in Ontario in the same profession.
A valid licence or authorization
A CLB 4 or higher in English or French
A secondary school diploma in Canada or an equivalent from another country
Intention to live in Ontario
Legal status

The following two PNP streams apply to candidates with a Masters’s or Ph.D. degree from an Ontario university.

OINP Masters graduate stream and OINP Ph.D. Graduate stream – The eligibility requirements are listed below:
Must receive an Invitation to apply
A degree from an eligible Ontario university
Masters graduates require a CLB level 7 in English or French.
Residency in Ontario before application
Ability to financially support themselves along with any dependents
Have the intention to live in Ontario
Legal status
Apply within two years of receiving a Masters’s or Ph.D. degree

The rest of the OINP’s immigration streams operate through the Express Entry System. They require an Express Entry profile and a Notification of Interest from the OINP.

Ontario’s Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream – The eligibility requirements for this stream are:
If applying under FSWP, you must have one year of full-time work experience overseas. If you apply under the Canadian Experience Class(CEC)- you need one year of full-time work experience in Canada with a permit.
A Canadian bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. degree or an equivalent degree from overseas.
A CLB level 7 in English or French.
Must be able to support themself and their dependents financially.
Intention to live in Ontario
Legal status

Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades stream –
One year of full-time work experience in a skilled trade in Ontario
A valid license or authorization for your trade
Must reside in Ontario and have legal status
A Canadian CLB level 5 in English or French
Ability to financially support oneself and dependents.
Have the intention to live in Ontario
Ontario’s Express Entry French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream – The requirements are the same as the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream, with the only exception being that candidates are required to understand, read, write and speak French at a CLB level 7.

The examples of these three provinces should give you an idea of how other Canadian Provincial Nominee Programs operate.

How can you apply to a Canadian Provincial Nominee Program?

There are usually two ways to go about this. You can apply directly to the specific PNP stream through paper-based “base nominations,” or you can apply online by linking your nomination to your Express Entry profile.

The process for paper-based applications is as follows:

Identify the PNP program you’re eligible for and apply to the province for nomination.
The province will nominate you if you meet all the nomination criteria.
Submit your application for permanent residency to the IRCC.
You will have to undergo a medical exam and police check before being approved as a Permanent Resident.

You can apply through the online Express Entry method in one of two ways:

You reach out to a province and apply for nomination under an Express Entry stream
If the province nominates you, your Express Entry profile will show your nomination.
Submit your application for permanent residency to the IRCC when you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Alternatively,

Create an Express Entry profile from the IRCC portal and select the provinces you’re interested in.
The province sends you a Notification of Interest (NOI) if you meet their requirements.
You can then apply to their Express Entry stream. The province will send you a nomination certificate if you’re nominated.
Submit your application for permanent residency to the IRCC when you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

How much does PNP cost

The fees listed on the IRCC portal are as follows:

Application fee (Processing fee $850 and right to permanent residence fee $515) – $1365
Including a spouse or partner – $1365
Including a dependent child – $230 per child
Biometrics – $85 per person
Biometrics per family (2 or more) – $170

How long are the PNP processing times?

According to the IRCC portal, the processing time for an online PNP application via Express Entry is 16 months.

A non–Express Entry PNP application has a longer processing time of approximately 24 months.

To summarize, The Provincial Nominee Program is an effective immigration tool for skilled immigrants willing to reside in the same province that nominated them. Its popularity will increase with the recent Immigration Levels Plan 2022-24, targeting 83,500 new immigrants through this stream alone.

We encourage you to share your experience and opinions on the Provincial Nominee Program. Our community is always on the lookout for tips and insights on the Canadian Immigration process.

Janggoulal Sitlhou

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