The Provincial Nominee Program [PNP] allows Canadian provinces and territories to support candidates who have expressed an interest in settling in that particular province or territory. Through this program, the provinces and territories can support candidates who they believe will be able to significantly contribute to the economic and developmental growth of the province, as well as Canada.

Eligibility and Requirements for the Provincial Nominee Program [PNP]:

The number of invitations for Provincial Nominee Program candidates is increased by the Canadian federal government almost every year, since the number of candidates who want to become Canadian permanent residents is constantly increasing. This is the most popular way for people to immigrate to Canada for economic reasons. Apart from Quebec, each province has multiple Provincial Nominee Program streams. The provinces created these streams to help them fulfil their own immigration goals, hence the qualifying requirements and eligibility criteria differ.

Canada's provinces cannot grant permanent resident status on their own, since all decisions on permanent residency in Canada must be approved at the national level by the federal government. As a result, the provincial programs are referred to as "nominee" programmes. A successful applicant to a Provincial Nominee Program will be nominated by the province to apply to the federal government for permanent residency. So, obtaining a provincial nomination is always the first step in a two-step process, and an interested candidate must first be authorized at the provincial level before applying to the federal level.

Provinces and Territories that Have Provincial Nominee Programs:

Each province and territory in Canada have its own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) that is tailored to their economic and developmental needs. Since programme requirements and application procedures differ widely between provinces, interested applicants should check with each individual province to see if they are eligible. Each of Canada's provinces and territories has its own Provincial Nominee Program, including multiple streams within the program, and there are over 80 different Provincial Nominee Programs. Territories that have Provincial Nominee Programs include:

1. Alberta

2. British Columbia

3. New Brunswick

4. Manitoba

5. Yukon

6. Newfoundland and Labrador

7. Northwest Territories

8. Ontario

9. Nova Scotia

10. Saskatchewan

11. Prince Edwards Island

Since Provincial Nominee Programs are part of an economically inclined immigration policy, they are usually designed to attract people who can quickly contribute to the economy and are likely to stay in the province. As a result, some Provincial Nominee Programs favor candidates with experience in in-demand occupations in their province, while other PNPs favor candidates who have a personal link to the province, such as a relative, because they are more likely to stay in the province for extended periods of time.

Is an Express Entry Application Required to Apply for the Provincial Nominee Program?

It is mandatory for candidates to have an active profile in the Express Entry pool in order to apply for a majority of Provincial Nominee Programs. However, some provinces also nominate candidates who do not meet the Express Entry qualifications. After receiving a nomination, all Provincial Nominee Programs require the candidate to file a permanent resident application with the federal government. However, the federal permanent residency application must be submitted on paper rather than electronically if the PNP nomination is not aligned with an Express Entry application.