Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) in Canada
Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allows participating provinces and territories to nominate eligible applicants for permanent residence based on regional labour market, economic and demographic priorities. Each jurisdiction operates its own immigration streams and may target skilled workers, international graduates, entrepreneurs, workers with local employment or candidates in priority occupations and sectors. Applicants may qualify through either an Express Entry-aligned PNP stream or a non-Express Entry stream, depending on the province or territory and the program. Quebec operates separate immigration programs, while Nunavut does not have a Provincial Nominee Program.
How Provincial Nominee Programs Work
Each participating province and territory operates its own Provincial Nominee Program streams, with separate eligibility requirements, selection criteria and application procedures.
Applicants generally need to:
- choose the province or territory where they intend to live
- qualify under an eligible provincial or territorial stream
- follow the stream’s selection or application process and, if approved, receive a provincial or territorial nomination
- apply to IRCC for permanent residence through the applicable federal process
- meet federal medical, security and other admissibility requirements
A provincial nomination does not itself grant permanent residence. The province or territory decides whether to nominate an applicant, while IRCC makes the final decision on the permanent residence application.
Eligibility requirements vary by stream and may include work experience, education, language ability, occupation, employer support, previous study or work in the province, or other connections to the jurisdiction. A job offer is required for some streams but not all. Applicants must meet the requirements of a specific provincial or territorial stream, and Express Entry-aligned applicants must also qualify for at least one federal Express Entry program.
Applicants must also demonstrate a genuine intention to live in the province or territory that nominates them.
Nomination Through Express Entry
Some Provincial Nominee Program streams are aligned with the federal Express Entry system.
To qualify through an Express Entry PNP stream, applicants generally need to:
- meet the requirements of the applicable provincial or territorial stream
- qualify for at least one federal Express Entry program
- qualify for at least one federal Express Entry program: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program or Canadian Experience Class
- receive and accept a provincial or territorial nomination
Provinces and territories may nominate candidates who apply directly to an eligible stream, or they may identify candidates in the Express Entry pool who meet specific provincial priorities.
Receiving a provincial Notification of Interest or similar invitation is not the same as receiving a nomination. Candidates must still complete the provincial application process and receive confirmation of the nomination.
Once a nomination is accepted through Express Entry, the candidate receives 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, which are added to the Express Entry profile.
If the candidate later receives an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence, they must submit the federal permanent residence application through Express Entry within the applicable deadline.
Provincial Nomination Outside Express Entry
Applicants nominated through a non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program stream apply for permanent residence outside the Express Entry system and do not rely on an Express Entry CRS score for that application.
The general process is to:
- choose an eligible provincial or territorial stream
- apply to the province or territory for nomination
- receive a provincial or territorial nomination
- prepare the required federal application and supporting documents
- apply online to IRCC for permanent residence through the Permanent Residence Portal
The province or territory assesses whether the applicant meets the requirements of its stream, fits its immigration priorities and genuinely intends to live in that jurisdiction.
After nomination, IRCC assesses the permanent residence application and determines whether the applicant and accompanying family members meet federal admissibility requirements.
A provincial nomination does not itself give an applicant authorization to work in Canada. Applicants who need to work while their permanent residence application is being processed must separately qualify for an appropriate work permit.
Depending on their circumstances, some applicants may later qualify for a bridging open work permit or another work-permit option.
PNPs Across Canada
Provincial Nominee Programs are available through the following provinces and territories:
- Alberta — Alberta Advantage Immigration Program
- British Columbia — British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program
- Manitoba — Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program
- New Brunswick — New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program
- Newfoundland and Labrador — Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program
- Northwest Territories — Northwest Territories Nominee Program
- Nova Scotia — Nova Scotia Nominee Program
- Ontario — Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
- Prince Edward Island — Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program
- Saskatchewan — Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program
- Yukon — Yukon Nominee Program
Common PNP stream types include:
- skilled worker streams
- employer or job-offer streams
- Express Entry-aligned streams
- international graduate streams
- occupation- or sector-targeted streams
- entrepreneur and business streams
- streams for candidates with previous work, study or other connections to the province
The specific streams, eligibility requirements and availability vary by province or territory and may change over time.
Each jurisdiction operates its own streams and may change eligibility requirements, occupation or sector priorities, intake procedures and application availability based on its immigration needs and annual nomination allocation.
Some provinces offer both Express Entry-aligned and non-Express Entry streams, while others organize their programs differently depending on the type of applicant they are seeking.
Quebec does not participate in the Provincial Nominee Program and operates its own immigration programs. Nunavut does not have a Provincial Nominee Program.
How Provinces Select Candidates
There is no single Canada-wide selection system for Provincial Nominee Programs. Each province and territory decides how candidates are identified, invited and assessed under its individual streams.
Depending on the program, selection may involve:
- an Expression of Interest system
- direct application to an open stream
- employer-supported or employer-driven pathways
- targeted invitations for specific occupations, sectors or labour market needs
- streams for international graduates
- pathways for applicants with previous work, study or other connections to the province
- searches of the Express Entry pool for candidates who meet provincial priorities
Meeting a stream’s minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee an invitation or provincial nomination, particularly where the province uses an Expression of Interest system, targeted invitations or limited intake.
Some streams remain continuously open, while others accept applications only during specific intake periods or after an invitation has been issued.
Selection criteria, occupation priorities, invitation thresholds and application availability can change over time. Applicants should therefore check the current requirements and status of the specific provincial or territorial stream before applying.
