Provincial Nominee Program’s overview is incomplete without knowing about its history. Before the Provincial Nominee Program came into existence, most immigrants preferred to settle in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. The initial part of the 1990s observed major concerns regarding Atlantic and Prairie’s provinces facing lower immigration levels. Later, the Federal government planned to execute the PNP and introduced it in 1998. Moreover, PNP’s primary objective was to tell people about the various benefits of immigration throughout all Canadian provinces or territories. In 2009, all Canadian provinces, excluding Nunavut and Quebec, made an agreement with the federal government. This agreement enabled them to introduce their separate PNPs.
Provincial Nominee Program’s overview
Ever since the introduction of PNP, the Atlantic, and Prairie Provinces started receiving the benefits due to the increased number of immigrants in these regions. Manitoba and Saskatchewan are examples of the Prairie provinces, whereas New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are the Atlantic provinces.
| Province/Territory | Signing the initial PNP agreement |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | 1998 |
| Alberta | 2002 |
| Saskatchewan | 1998 |
| Manitoba | 1998 |
| Ontario | 2005 |
| New Brunswick | 1999 |
| Nova Scotia | 2002 |
| Prince Edward Island | 2001 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 1999 |
| Yukon | 2001 |
| Northwest Territory | 2009 |
PNPs Working Process
The Provincial Nominee Program applies to foreign national workers with adequate skills, education, and work experience seeking to move to Canada. These people aim to contribute to a specific province’s or territory’s economy. Each province and territory operates through a separate stream. These streams mostly consist of separate immigration programs and criteria focusing on specific groups.
Moreover, each Provincial Nominee Program comprises at least a single immigrant working together with the Express Entry. Provincial Nominations are an option for streams connecting to Express Entry. Also, these provincial nominations are called “Enhanced Provincial Nominations”. Moreover, these Enhanced PNP streams prove advantageous for immigration candidates by adding up to extra 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System. Hence, obtaining these additional points makes it possible for individuals to receive an invitation for permanent residence via Express Entry.
One more effective way to achieve permanent residence is through the Base Provincial Nominee Program. The Base PNP demands an individual to acquire a permanent residence status directly applying to this stream. Therefore, upon receiving permanent residence, the candidate’s PR application will begin to be processed by the federal government.
PNP- historical perspective
Earlier in 1999, as few as 477 individuals gained entry into Canada through the PNP. Gradually, the number of immigrants settling in the country increased. Additionally, IRCC annually releases its immigration plan and targets to outline the number of admissions in Canada. According to their 2022 expectations, they seek to welcome at least 83,500 newcomers through PNP. However, this number is likely to rise to 93,000 by 2024.
Overall, PNP is effective for the Canadian immigration of skilled workers. It also proves the need for provinces and territories to invite skilled workers from all corners of the world to enhance their economies.
