Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Provincial Nominee Programs
The province or territory must first enter into an agreement with the federal government to establish a PNP because the responsibilities are shared between the two levels of government. The PNP agreements allow the provinces to conduct their own recruiting and selection of foreign nationals, who are nominated and must then undergo an assessment by IRCC.
Provincial Nominee Programs
The minister of immigration, refugees, and citizenship is authorized, with the approval of the governor in council, to enter into agreements with the provinces and territories for the purposes of the IRPA (s 8). Foreign nationals who are nominated by a province “may become permanent residents on the basis of their ability to become economically established in Canada” (IRPR, ss 87(1), (2)).
The PNP 51 allows a province or territory to nominate qualified workers and experienced business professionals for permanent resident status, so long as they intend to settle and live as permanent residents in the province.
The PNP provides provinces with the benefits of targeted recruiting and the selection of foreign nationals who can help meet the local labour market and economic needs of each province, such as filling a skills shortage or attracting specialized occupational skills. Unlike the FSWP and FSTP, the PNP may include the selection of professions that do not require university or college degrees.
General Application Procedures for a Provincial Nominee Program
Every province and territory offers unique immigration categories or streams for foreign nationals to apply for permanent residency. For example, many provinces have specific categories for investors, entrepreneurs, or students, which are not available at the federal level. Hence, foreign nationals can qualify for a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) by following these specialized provincial or territorial processes.
Only select provinces have a PNP category that is processed through the EE process. For example, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has a Human Capital category that can be accessed only through the EE system.
The applicant should select the province/territory in which he\she intends to reside and review the various provincial/territorial immigration categories available. If the applicant qualifies for one of the PNPs, he\she may submit an application directly to the province or territory for determination.
