Canada’s Provincial Nomination Program Draw Announced  This Week

In the past week three provinces of Canada saw the Express Entry Draws - British Columbia (BC), Manitoba and Prince Edward Island's (PEI) PNP

British Columbia (BC) Draw

British Columbia (BC) issued over 125 invitations on October 22 through its Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) in a category-based draw aimed mainly at the International Graduate and Skilled Worker streams. Invitations were sent out in five major categories, each with a minimum score criterion. 41 invitations were sent out for the childcare area with a minimum score of 83. Construction workers received ten invites with a score of 89, while the healthcare industry received eleven invitations with a score of 99. The Tech category gave out the most invites, with 60 invited candidates and a high minimum score of 117. Additionally, less than five applicants were invited by Veterinary Care, which requires a score of 80. Each applicant has to have a BC job offer in order to be eligible.

Manitoba Draw

In its 231st draw on October 24, Manitoba issued 253 Letters of Advice to Apply through its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The Skilled Worker in Manitoba category, which was divided among several streams and required a minimum score of 872, received fifty invitations. While 156 invitations were sent to the International Education stream, which had no minimum score requirement, 47 invitations were sent to the Skilled Worker Overseas category, which needed a minimum score of 703. While 210 invites were sent using the regular PNP, 43 invitations were sent using the improved PNP. Notably, inviting people in the Skilled Worker Overseas stream needed a concerted recruitment effort.

Prince Edward Island's (PEI) PNP draw

48 invitations were sent out for Prince Edward Island's (PEI) PNP draw on September 20. The province specifically targeted businesses including as construction, healthcare, and haulage, particularly for candidates whose work permits were set to expire. Just two invites were handed out under the Business category, which required a minimum score of 97. The remaining 46 invites focused on Labour and Express Entry candidates.

In a major draw, 1,650 applications were invited on September 19 through Quebec's Regular Skilled Worker Program. To be qualified, candidates had to receive at least a 7 on the NCLC oral French proficiency scale. They also need a minimum score of 573 or a valid work offer from outside the Montreal area. Immigration drawings in Quebec are typically made public after the event.

The PNP is a collaborative effort between the federal government of Canada and the provincial and territorial governments that allows provinces to designate foreign nationals for permanent residence. This flexibility allows provinces to satisfy their own labor market needs by selecting immigrants who are likely to strengthen their economies. PNPs come in two varieties: enhanced and base. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) may invite successful individuals to apply for permanent residency if they acquire a provincial nomination. Provinces are responsible for their own administration of base PNPs. Enhanced PNPs are connected with the federal Express Entry system. Candidates who receive a province nomination under an expanded PNP are given 600 extra points by the Comprehensive Ranking method (CRS), increasing their chances of receiving an invitation to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry method. Compared to base PNP applications, which normally take about 12 months to process, enhanced PNP applications usually have faster processing schedules, averaging about six months.

Quebec's immigration policies are administered independently of Canada's federal immigration budget. The province sets its immigration objectives and extends direct invitations to foreigners through its own programs. Selected candidates apply to the IRCC for permanent residency after receiving a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ).