Canadian provinces regularly nominate candidates under their Provincial Nominee Programs in order to give them the opportunity to become Canadian permanent residents.
Over the last week, Manitoba and BC released the results of new Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws, and Ontario provided details of draws held during the month of May.
Most Canadian provinces and territories (with the exception of Quebec and Nunavut) operate their own PNPs. Through these programs, interested candidates may be invited to apply for a provincial nomination. Although provincial nomination is not in itself the same as permanent residence, it can significantly increase the chances of obtaining permanent resident status.
For instance, PNP candidates with Express Entry profiles who receive a nomination get 600 points added to their score. They also become eligible to be invited to apply for a PNP-specific round of invitations. In the latest Express Entry draw held May 27, Canada invited 589 PNP candidates to apply with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of at least 741.
Here is a look back at the most recent PNP invitation rounds held across Canada.
British Columbia
The province of British Columbia typically holds a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) round of invitations on a weekly basis.
The most recent rounds of invitations under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) were held on May 31. More than 167 candidates received invitations to apply for a provincial nomination in these draws.
A total of 147 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 76 and 123 depending on the stream.
The province is also currently holding rounds of invitations for candidates in specific occupations to meet the increased labour needs in certain sectors of the economy. This week, the province invited the following:
- 15 early childhood educators (NOC 4214) with scores of at least 60;
- 5 healthcare workers with scores of at least 60;
- less than five healthcare assistants (NOC 3413) with scores of at least 60; and
- less than five animal health technologists and veterinarians (NOC 3114 and NOC 3213) with scores of at least 60.
Manitoba
The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) invited 146 candidates to apply on June 2. The invitations were divided across two immigration streams:
- Skilled Workers Overseas — 92 invitations with a minimum score of 714 and
- International Education Stream — 54 invitations with no score requirement.
Out of all who were invited to apply, 34 had profiles in the Express Entry system.
Those interested in a nomination from Manitoba need to register an Expression of Interest (EOI) with the MPNP. Manitoba ranks candidate profiles 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 under the Skilled Workers in Manitoba and Skilled Workers Overseas streams.
Ontario
Due to a provincial election, the Province of Ontario has temporarily stopped posting draw results under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).
CIC News contacted the OINP for details on draws that took place during the month of May. According to the data provided by the province, two rounds of invitations were held during the past month.
On May 4, 2022, the province issued 57 invitations to apply to potential candidates in the Expression of Interest system pool who may qualify for the Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream with a score of 27 and above.
On May 26, 2022, the province issued 535 notifications of interest to potential candidates who may qualify for Ontario’s Express Entry Skilled Trades stream with a comprehensive ranking system score between 295 and 461.
