PNP draws are held by four provinces between March 17 and 24, one of the major pathways for skilled foreign nationals to immigrate to Canada is Provincial Nominee Program.
Specific labour and demographic challenges faced by provinces are addressed by various PNP programs. Enhanced PNP nominations are the streams of The PNP aligned with Express Entry. The streams aligned with PNP accept candidates from the federal Express Entry pool.
After applying to enhanced PNP streams of a specific province, candidates can receive a provincial nomination or Notification of Interest (NOI). An ITA is guaranteed to the specific enhanced PNP stream when candidates receive an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points.
Recently, a total of 1,366 ITAs were issued by the Fifth and Sixth Express Entry draws of 2023 which were exclusive to the candidates in enhanced PNP streams.
Results of Provincial Nomination Between March 17 and 24
Manitoba
The Manitoba PNP held a draw on March 23rd, issuing a total of 566 NOIs (Notifications of Interest). NOIs issued by different streams are mentioned below:
- All Occupations – 200 NOIs, candidates with a minimum CRS score of 672 were invited, which were not selected in the specific profession draw.
- Occupation-Specific selection – 266 NOIs, candidates with a CRS cut-off score of 612 are to be selected in the in-demand, specific professions.
- Skilled Worker Overseas stream – 48 NOIs to candidates under a Strategic Recruitment Initiative, with a CRS cut-off score of 708 were invited by the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).
- International Education Stream – 52 NOIs
Saskatchewan
Candidates were invited from both Occupations in-demand streams and Express Entry in the two draws held by the Saskatchewan PNP (SINP) on March 23rd. NOIs were issued to 184 Express Entry candidates with a minimum score of 82. In the occupations in-demand stream, comparatively, 312 NOIs were issued. The profession of a candidate must not be included on the excluded occupation list of SINP, to be eligible for the Occupations in Demand stream.
British Columbia
In the draws held by British Columbia PNP (BCPNP), at least 254 NOIs were issued to the candidates on March 21st across 6 streams. The BCPNP held three targeted draws for candidates in healthcare professions, candidates in other jobs that are deemed priority occupations, and early childhood and assistants within the Skilled Workers International Graduate stream.
Ontario
On March 23rd, 746 notifications of interests to candidates with CRS scores ranging from 250-289 were issued by the draw held by Ontario PNP (OINP). Profiles created by candidates in the Express Entry pool received an NOI, anywhere between March 23rd, 2022, and March 23rd, 2022. Draws under the economic streams of OINP targeted specific professions specified within the OINP program updates.
PNPs in the Future
Primary Canadian pathways for economic immigrants represented by the PNPs today are anticipated to play a larger in Canadian immigration in coming years, as mentioned previously.
In addition to the added consideration to the PNP, the importance of these provincial programs was further emphasized in a recent meeting between the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI). Following the meeting, provinces were allowed to understand their immigration allocation years in advance and be able to plan accordingly, after the announcement that provincial immigration would now receive its own multi-year levels plan.
Increase in future immigration allocations was seen by many provinces, following the meeting:
- An increment of 9,750 allocations was seen by Alberta this year
- An increment of 9,500 allocations was seen by Manitoba allocations this year
- An increment of 18,000 allocations is to be noted by Ontario by 2025
- An increment of 8,500 allocations will be noted by Saskatchewan in 2025
