Provincial Nominee Program
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) allow Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a particular province. They should be considered by those who do not qualify under the Express Entry system. As some PNP programs are linked with Express Entry, applicants should first create an Express Entry profile in order to be considered for Express Entry linked PNP Programs.
Each Canadian province (except Quebec) and two territories have their own unique Provincial Nominee Programs, each with their own selection criteria.
How do PNP Programs Work?
There are two types of PNP programs. Those that are linked with the federal Express Entry system, and those that are not.
In order to be considered for an Express Entry linked PNP program, applicants must first create a profile in the Express Entry system. If they are selected, they will receive an invitation to apply to the province that is interested in nominating them. If the province that nominates you approves your PNP application, you will be granted an additional 600 points to your Express Entry profile. With these additional points, you will then receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence when the next draw occurs (usually every 2 – 4 weeks).
Applications to non-Express Entry linked PNP programs must apply directly to the province or territory that they are interested in applying to.
The following are links to each of the Provincial Nominee Program websites with further details on each program and their requirements.
Provincial Nominee Program Websites
To learn more about each PNP Program, you may visit the websites of the provinces you are interested in applying to.
Check Your Eligibility
If you would like to know if you are eligible to apply for immigration to Canada through Express Entry or PNP, you may complete our free Online Eligibility Questionnaire.