To increase economic immigration within their provinces, the governments of British Columbia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario have extended invitations to potential applicants through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was established by the federal government and the provincial and territorial governments to meet the needs of their respective labor markets. This initiative is designed to give local authorities more authority in selecting immigrants who will settle in the nominating province.
The main economic reason behind the selection criteria of skilled candidates is to ensure that the labor market needs of the province or territory are met.
How The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Works
PNP works in conjunction with the federal Express Entry system to help provinces and territories meet their labor market needs. When a foreign national is nominated by a province or territory, they receive an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, which is enough to guarantee an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence. This means that any foreign national with 600 CRS points or higher is guaranteed to receive an ITA for permanent residence.
The addition of 600 points through the PNP program has greatly increased the chances of foreign nationals being accepted into Canada through Express Entry. This has had a major effect on the number of people who have been successful in their applications for permanent residence in Canada.
The Changes that Provinces Want
In recent months, provinces across the country have made it clear that they desire more autonomy about economic immigration. In particular, many have signaled that they would prefer arrangements similar to those in place for Quebec. The Canada-Quebec Accord grants the province complete control over selecting new immigrants of an economic nature — a status it has sole possession of within Canada’s borders.
This spring, the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration unanimously passed a renewed Provincial Immigration Levels Plan proposed by IRCC. This plan detailed provincial nomination allocations that are higher than before for the upcoming three years. With more power to plan, provinces are better equipped to accommodate new immigrants and create a desirable environment for prospective arrivals.
