PNP
Provincial Nominee Program to Facilitate Increased Immigration to Canada
Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) have become the top way for economic-class candidates to gain Canadian permanent residence (PR), surpassing the federal Express Entry system. The PNP is a program that allows each participating province or territory to offer PR to immigration candidates who are interested in living in their region.
The recent and upcoming boom in PNP immigrants is a product of provincial and territorial governments needing and requesting more skilled immigrants to fill specific labour gaps in their region. In light of this, Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial immigration ministers created a new multi-year immigration plan specific to the PNP to attract more skilled immigrants to each province/territory across Canada.
The recent multi-year PNP plan was re-endorsed during the bi-annual Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) held last March 10th. Since the meeting, provinces have started to unveil their new PNP allocations. Ontario’s PNP allocation, for instance, will rise to 18,000 per year by 2025, while Alberta’s allocation will rise to 10,849 in 2025, Saskatchewan’s allocation will rise to 8,500 by 2025, Manitoba’s allocation will grow to 9,500 this year, and Yukon’s allocation has increased to 430 PNP spots for 2023, up from 300 last year.
Base PNP Nominations Vs Enhanced PNP Nominations
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) offer skilled immigrants the opportunity to immigrate to Canada through base nominations as well as enhanced nominations. The key difference between base and enhanced PNP nominations is that enhanced PNP nominations are processed quicker than base nominations.
Candidates in the Express Entry pool who obtain a PNP nomination are awarded an additional 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), out of a maximum possible total of 1,200, increasing the likelihood that they achieve their immigration goals.
To apply and successfully immigrate to Canada via a base PNP nomination, candidates will need to first meet the eligibility criteria for a base PNP stream offered by a province or territory. If a candidate meets the expressed criteria, applies for a nomination, and is approved, they will receive a nomination certificate. After obtaining this certificate, recipients will be able to apply for PR with Canada’s federal government.
In conclusion, PNPs are becoming an increasingly attractive way for immigrants to gain Canadian PR, as it allows them to settle in the region they desire.
