A Canada PNP can be applied to by a foreign national if they want to live permanently in a specific province. They can be a useful tool because each program has different requirements. This gives foreign nationals more options to become a permanent resident.

In this page, we will explain what PNPs are and why they are important to foreign nationals who wish to immigrate to Canada.

Provinces have a federal-provincial agreement that allows them to select candidates for permanent residence based on their own needs.

As a result, a province could set up their own immigration programs in order for foreign nationals to apply to them. If the foreign national meets the requirements of the provinces, they can be issued a nomination certificate which lets the federal government know that this applicant has been selected to immigrate as a permanent resident to this province.

Each province and territory has their own Provincial Nominee Program which can nominate certain eligible foreign nationals such as, but not limited to:

One of the conditions of all the PNPs is that the foreign national must intend to live in the province they were nominated in. If an officer thinks that the foreign national has plans to live elsewhere, they can deny them entry into Canada at the border.

Provincial Nominee Programs are popular ways for foreign nationals to become permanent residents of Canada. The reason is that applying to become a permanent resident at the federal level can be challenging for some if they do not have enough education and experience. A Canada PNP can be a faster and easier way to immigrate to Canada.

Many PNPs can be applied to using Express Entry. Express Entry is a points based system for selecting economic immigrants for permanent residence. The total number of points one can earn in Express Entry is 1200 points. If a foreign national receives a nomination certificate from a province or territory, they can earn 600 points! Thus, receiving a nomination certificate is worth half of the total points you can possibly earn. Such a large increase in points makes you far more likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

During an Express Entry draw, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration determines what the lowest cut-off score is for that draw. If your score is above that number, you are likely to receive an ITA.

For more information on Express Entry and the latest Express Entry draw results, feel free to check out the links below.

Every province's PNP has different eligibility criteria. Many of them require a job offer while others do not. Some PNPs are given to international graduates who studied at one of the province or territories education institution.

The best advice would be to check the website for each province to find out what PNPs they offer and how to apply to them. A list of websites for each province and territory is listed below.

If the foreign national applies via Express Entry, they can indicate which province or territory they are interested in living in. A province or territory can issue a Notification of Interest which allows the foreign national to apply to that province or territories' PNP. If a province or territory nominates them, they can accept it and add an additional 600 points to their Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

Foreign nationals can apply for some PNPs in advance, prior to making an Express Entry profile. If a province nominates them, the foreign national can indicate that they have already received a nomination certificate when they create their Express Entry profile. However, some PNP programs are not eligible for Express Entry. In this case, the applicant must apply for permanent residence through the PNP-PR pathway which takes longer to process.

For non-Express Entry PNPs, the applicant submits an online application for permanent residence. The first step is to apply to a PNP by submitting an application in the way the province requests and paying a processing fee.  The processing fee varies by province or territory. These applications contain forms and other documents that you need to process your application.

If a province or territory successfully nominates you, you will submit an application for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The application will include a copy of your nomination certificate. Other fees will have to be paid such as your permanent residence processing fee, Right of Permanent Residence fee, biometrics and any other third-party fees.

Once the applicant as submitted their application for permanent residence under the PNP, an officer will ensure the foreign national meets the requirements for permanent residence in Canada under section 70 of the Regulations. The officer may request other information, if needed. If the applicant satisfies the officer that they meet all the requirements for permanent residence, they will issue a Permanent Residence Visa. The foreign national will then present this visa to an officer when they attempt to enter Canada and undergo an examination. If the foreign national's examination by an officer is successful, they shall enter Canada and become a permanent resident.

For more information on Provincial Nominee Program applications, visit the Government of Canada website or book a consultation.

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