Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)

Prince Edward Island is one of the three Maritime provinces, located in the eastern part of Canada. PEI is the smallest Canadian province, both in terms of land and population. It is well-known for red-sand beaches, lighthouses, and seafood. Charlottetown, the capital city of the province, is famous for the historical “Charlottetown Conference” in 1864, which led to the formation of the country.

The island is popular with a few informal names as well, such as the Garden of the Gulf, due to the agricultural and coastal beauty of the province. The economy of PEI is fundamentally based on farming; it contributes to 25% of Canada’s potatoes. A few other industries that contribute to the economy are tourism, fisheries, renewable energy, IT, aerospace, and bio-science. 

The province welcomes newcomers to apply for permanent residency in Canada, through the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP). The PEI PNP targets potential immigrants with relevant skills and experience in-demand in the province. Successful applicants obtain a PEI Provincial Nomination, and then they can apply for permanent resident status with the Canadian government.

Prince Edward Island’s PNP has multiple immigration categories to invite applications for permanent residence in the province. Make home Canada has briefed all these categories below so that you can determine if the PEI PNP is the right option for you for Canadian immigration.

• PEI PNP Express Entry Category
• Labour Impact Category
• Business Impact Category
• Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program

PEI PNP Express Entry Category

Applicants under this category include candidates who are eligible to enter the federal Express Entry pool and willing to live and work in the province. PEI selects those Express Entry candidates who have relevant skills for the in-demand occupations in the province. Successful applicants may be nominated by the PEI PNP and will receive a few extra points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Thus, nominated applicants have higher chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and obtaining Canadian permanent residency.

The PEI PNP has two pathways under the PEI Express Entry Category, these are:

• With a Job Offer
• Without a Job Offer

To qualify for this category, a candidate must:

• Be eligible for one of the below federal economic immigration classes operated by the Express Entry system:
  • Federal Skilled Trades Class
  • Federal Skilled Worker Class
  • Canadian Experience Class
• Create a profile in PEI’s Expression of Interest (EOI) system; and
• Score competitive points based on the six selection factors of the EOI system.

EOI Selection System Points Grid – PEI PNP Express Entry 

Selection Factor	Express Entry (With a Job Offer)	Express Entry (Without a Job Offer)
Age	20	20
Education	15	15
Language	20	20
Work Experience	15	20
Employment	15	10
Adaptability	15	15
Maximum Points	100	100

NOTE: Candidates who demonstrate language proficiency in both the official languages (French and English), may be awarded an additional 10 points under this category.

Labour Impact Category

Applicants under this category include candidates with relevant skills and work experience to fulfill the labour-market needs of the province. Potential candidates have to review the eligibility criteria in one of the streams in this category, and then they have to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). Applicants with the highest score receive a provincial nomination under this category. The three streams are:

Skilled Worker Stream

Applicants under this stream include foreign nationals who have received a job offer from an employer in PEI. In this stream, PEI employers can support these candidates to obtain permanent residency in Canada. Eligibility requirements vary under this stream for applicants residing inside and outside the province:

To qualify for this stream, a candidate residing in PEI must:

• Be 21 to 59 years old;
• Have a full-time job offer (permanent or at least for two years) from a PEI employer in a skilled occupation falling under the NOC code 0, A, or B;
• Have a valid work permit;
• Have a legal Canadian residency status;
• Have completed at least a two-year post-secondary degree or diploma;
• Have a minimum of two years of relevant work experience within the last five years;
• Have enough funds to settle in PEI;
• Have the intent to settle permanently in the PEI;
• Attend an interview with the staff of Office of Immigration in the province, if required; and
• Show the language proficiency to perform job duties. Language ability can be assessed through:
  • An IRCC-approved language test within the last two years with a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4; or
  • Documents accredited by an internationally-designated institution verifying that the main language of study was English or French; or
  • An employer signed PEI PNP-L06 Employer Language Declaration.

To qualify for this stream, a candidate residing outside PEI must:

• Be 21 to 59 years old;
• Have a full-time job offer (permanent or at least for two years) from a PEI employer in a skilled occupation falling under the NOC code 0, A, or B; (Employer has to first get the job offer approved at PEI’s Office of Immigration, then only the candidate can submit an EOI)
• Have a legal Canadian residency status;
• Have completed at least a two-year post-secondary degree or diploma;
• Have a minimum of two years of relevant work experience within the last five years;
• Show enough funds to settle in PEI;
• Show the intent to settle permanently in the PEI;
• Attend an interview with the staff of the Office of Immigration in the province, if required; and
• Show the language proficiency to perform job duties. Language ability can be assessed through:
  • An IRCC-approved language test within the last two years with a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4; or
  • Documents accredited by an internationally-designated institution verifying that the main language of study was English or French; or
  • An employer signed PEI PNP-L06 Employer Language Declaration.

Critical Worker Stream

This stream enables employers in PEI to target foreign nationals who can fill the job vacancies in National Occupational Classification (NOC) code C or D. In this stream, PEI employers can support these candidates for their application to obtain permanent residency in Canada. 

To qualify under this category, a candidate must:

• Be 21 to 59 years old;
• Have a full-time job offer (permanent or at least for two years) from a PEI employer in a semi-skilled or unskilled occupation classified under the NOC codes C and D;
• Have worked for a minimum of six months for the PEI employer;
• Have a valid work permit and legal residency status in Canada;
• Have completed at least high-school education or equivalent;
• Attend an interview with the staff of the Office of Immigration in the province, if required; 
• Have at least two years of relevant work experience within the last five years;
• Show enough financial resources to immigrate and settle in PEI;
• Show the intent to live and work in the province; and
• Prove language ability by taking an IRCC-approved language test within the last two years with a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in all four abilities.

International Graduate Stream

Under this category, applicants include international students who have recently graduated from an eligible post-secondary institution in PEI and hold a Post-Graduate Work Permit. Qualifying applicants will work in a skilled occupation matching their field of study.

To qualify under this stream, a candidate must:

• Be 21 to 59 years old;
• Have a full-time job offer (permanent or at least for two years) from a PEI employer in a skilled occupation classified under the NOC code 0, A, or B;
• Have worked for a minimum of six months for the PEI employer in the field matching the post-secondary education received in PEI;
• Have a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit and legal residency status in Canada;
• Have completed a post-secondary two-year diploma or degree from a publicly-funded PEI post-secondary institution;
• Attend an interview with the staff of the Office of Immigration in the province, if required; 
• Have language proficiency in English or French to fulfill job responsibilities;
• Show enough financial resources to settle in PEI; and
• Show the intent to live and work in the province.

EOI Selection System Points Grid – Labour Impact Category

Selection Factor	Skilled Worker Stream	Critical Worker Stream	International Graduate Stream
Age	15	15	25
Language	20	20	N/A
Education	15	15	35
Work Experience	20	20	N/A
Employment	15	15	20
Adaptability	15	15	20
Maximum Points	100	100	100

NOTE: Candidates who demonstrate language proficiency in both the official languages (French and English), may be awarded an additional 10 points under this category.

Business Impact Category

Applicants under this stream include individuals who are willing to either establish a new business or purchase an existing business in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The stream under this category is:

Work Permit Stream

This stream allows the PEI PNP to target candidates who want to set up or purchase a business in the province. Approved applicants can obtain a temporary work permit from the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). If they meet all the terms established in the Performance Agreement signed with the provincial government, then they may receive a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence.

To qualify under this stream, a candidate must:

• Be 21 to 59 years old;
• Have a minimum personal net worth of CAD 600,000 acquired through legal sources;
• Have completed at least secondary education or equivalent;
• Have relevant ownership or managerial experience;
• Meet minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 to prove language proficiency;
• Have the intent to reside and work in the PEI; and
• Have to operate the business in the province.

To be eligible under this stream, a business must:

• Be a for-profit corporation constituted under the Canada Business Corporations Act or the Companies Act of PEI;
• Operate for the primary purpose of earning profits;
• Be in good standing in terms of debts and liabilities;
• Maintain corporate headquarters in PEI;
• Have been an established commercial operation with validation provided as part of the Purchase and Sale Agreement, 12 months before the expected business start date;
• Maintain a ‘permanent establishment’ in the province as stated under the Income Tax Act by regulation 400 (2);
• Be liable to pay income tax;
• Agree to participate in the evaluation process of the PEI PNP; submit an annual business report to the Office of Immigration of the province for up to five years;
• Have the potential to contribute to the economic growth of PEI; and
• Fulfill all the terms as listed on the Business Performance Agreement.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program

The AIPP was introduced in collaboration with the government of Canada to meet the workforce shortages for job positions that cannot be filled by hiring residents in the province. The program enables skilled workers, intermediate level workers, and international graduates to immigrate to one of the four Atlantic provinces. 

Employers who are willing to recruit foreign nationals have to first receive an employer designation in the AIPP. Candidates must have an offer of employment from a designated employer in the province to apply under this category.

To meet the designation criteria, an employer must:

• Want to hire a full-time, non-seasonal international candidate;
• Show his ability to meet the international candidate’s and his accompanying dependants’ needs; 
• Be in good standing with both provincial and federal terms; and
• Confirm and meet the reporting needs of the program.

We hope that our guide has given you insights into the application process of PEI PNP. Still, have queries? Do not worry, MakeHomeCanada is here to resolve them all. Our expert immigration consultants will brief you about different pathways for immigrating to Canada, you can ask them about the Express Entry program, PEI PNP, or any other PNP. We will help you to identify the best pathway for Canadian immigration. Let us join you on this immigration journey to Canada.