Canada’s provincial immigration draws from March 21 to 25.
This past week, Quebec released its immigration draw results. BC held its weekly Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) round of invitations. Ontario and Manitoba also held PNP draws.
Among the many ways to immigrate to Canada, the PNP allows participating provinces to tailor their own immigration programs. Quebec has more autonomy over its immigration system than any other province, and so it does not participate in the PNP.
People who want to immigrate through a province’s immigration system typically need to submit a profile through an expression of interest system. Provincial officials then invite candidates whose profiles fit the criteria for an immigration program. Invited candidates apply for a provincial nomination or a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) in Quebec.
For Quebec, the expression of interest system is called Arrima. PNPs may have their own EOI systems or invite candidates with profiles in the federally-managed Express Entry system.
Express Entry is a points-based system, where candidates with the highest points get invited to apply for permanent residence. Having a provincial nomination from an Express Entry-aligned PNP gives candidates an automatic 600 points toward their score. This award boosts candidates to the top of the pool, and primes them to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
Here are the PNP results from this past week, along with the details of Quebec’s most recent Arrima draw.
Ontario
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) invited 471 candidates who may be eligible for the Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream. These candidates needed to have a profile in the Express Entry system with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 350. Ontario invited candidates who had created an Express Entry profile between the dates of March 24, 2021, and March 24, 2022.
Ontario’s Express Entry-linked Skilled Trades Stream offers a pathway to permanent residency for Federal Skilled Worker Program and Canadian Experience Class candidates. The OINP invites eligible candidates to apply for a provincial nomination.
To be eligible, candidates need to be living in Ontario with a valid work permit. They also need to have a minimum of one year of full-time work experience or the equivalent in part-time work. They must have completed this work experience in the province in a skilled trade listed in Minor Group 633 or Major Group 72, 73, or 82 under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC).
Manitoba
The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) invited 191 candidates to apply on March 24. The invitations were divided across three immigration streams:
- Skilled Workers in Manitoba — 102 invitations with a minimum score of 769;
- Skilled Workers Overseas — 64 invitations with a minimum score of 712; and
- International Education Stream — 25 invitations with no score requirement.
Out of all who were invited to apply, 43 had profiles in the Express Entry system.
If you want a nomination from Manitoba, you need to register an Expression of Interest with the MPNP. This puts you in a position to receive an LAA through the Skilled Workers in Manitoba and Skilled Workers Overseas streams.
Manitoba then ranks candidates out of 1,000 points for their human capital factors, as well as their connections to the province. The MPNP then issues invitations to eligible candidates who may apply for a provincial nomination.
BC
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) held its weekly round of invitations on March 22. About 204 BC immigration candidates received invitations to apply for a provincial nomination.
A total of 132 of these candidates were invited through a general draw. These candidates must meet the requirements of one of British Columbia’s Express Entry BC or Skills Immigration categories, which are managed through the Skills and Immigration Registration System (SIRS).
Candidates who received invitations in this draw were from the Skilled Worker, International Graduate, and Entry Level and Semi-Skilled subcategories and needed a minimum provincial score between 77 and 128 depending on the program.
The province also held four draws for candidates in targeted occupations:
- 47 early childhood educators with scores of at least 78;
- 11 healthcare workers with scores of at least 78;
- less than five healthcare assistants with scores of at least 63; and
- nine animal health technologists and veterinarians with scores of at least 78.
Quebec
On March 10, the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) invited 506 to apply for a permanent selection under the Quebec Regular Skilled Worker Program (QSWP).
Candidates had to have profiles in the Arrima Expression of Interest system with scores of at least 577 points and they had a valid job offer outside of the Montreal Metropolitan area.
The following table contains the list of occupations that were eligible to be invited in this draw:
