Ontario, B.C., Quebec, and Alberta issued new invitations

Ontario, B.C., Quebec, and Alberta issued new invitations for qualified applicants through their Provincial Nominee Program.

Except for Nunavut and Quebec, every province and territory in Canada makes use of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). The goal of this program is to find and recommend qualified applicants for economic immigration who are thought to be well-suited to address the unique labor market demands and demographic difficulties of each area.

Provincial and territory governments may choose people under the PNP who have the training, education, and professional experience needed to make meaningful contributions to the community and local economy. Every province and territory customizes its program to meet its own labor market needs and economic interests. This may involve focusing on particular industries or jobs that are facing shortages.

As an example, Quebec does not take part in the PNP. Rather, it has a unique arrangement with the Canadian federal government that gives it more control over its immigration laws. With the help of this agreement, Quebec will be able to autonomously create its own standards and procedures for choosing economic immigrants, maintaining its own cultural identity while meeting its own economic and demographic requirements.

Results of Provincial Immigration from July 20 to July 26 

Ontario 

Through its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), Ontario held one Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw during the week of July 20–July 26, 2024. A total of 209 NOIs were sent out by the province to applicants in the Express Entry pool under the Human Capital Priorities stream for this draw.

On July 25, 2024, invitations were sent out, with the intention of primarily attracting family doctors and general practitioners. The NOC code 31102 applies to these candidates.

To be eligible for this draw, candidates needed to meet the following criteria:

Express Entry Profile Creation: Candidates must have created their Express Entry profiles between July 25, 2023, and July 25, 2024.

Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Score: Candidates required a CRS score ranging from 395 to 444.

This draw reflects Ontario’s ongoing efforts to select qualified workers who can support the province’s healthcare system. Consequently, it aims to address labor shortages in specific industries.

British Columbia 

Two more draws were held by British Columbia on July 23, 2024, as part of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP).

35 invitations to apply for immigration were sent out by British Columbia in the first draw, which was a general lottery. The five BCPNP streams listed below are where these candidates were chosen from:

• International Graduate – EEBC option
• Entry Level and Semi-Skilled
• Skilled Worker – Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC) option
• International Graduate
• Skilled Worker

Candidates had to fulfill certain minimum score requirements in order to be invited to participate in this general draw: 

• Candidates from the Skilled Worker, Skilled Worker – EEBC option, International Graduate, and International Graduate – EEBC option streams required a minimum score of 134.
• Candidates from the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled stream required a minimum score of 110.

This draw highlights British Columbia’s efforts to attract a diverse range of skilled immigrants. Consequently, these efforts aim to address gaps in the province’s labor market.

British Columbia held a targeted draw as part of the Provincial Nominee Program on July 23, 2024. The province sent out approximately 73 invitations to applicants in four distinct vocational categories for this draw. The following is a breakdown of the invitations:

• Childcare Occupations: 37 invitations were issued to candidates in the childcare sector, requiring a minimum score of 91 to qualify.
• Construction Occupations: 17 invitations were extended to candidates in the construction field, with a minimum score requirement of 92.
• Healthcare Occupations: 19 invitations were given to candidates in the healthcare sector, who needed a minimum score of 104 to be eligible.
• Veterinary Care Occupations: Fewer than five invitations were issued to candidates in the veterinary care field, with a minimum score of 80.

Moreover, British Columbia’s deliberate approach to addressing certain labor market shortages by choosing applicants with capabilities in in-demand industries is reflected in this targeted draw.

Quebec 

Québec has made the June 27, 2024, draw results retrospectively public. Based on information taken two days before the draw on June 25, 2024, from the Arrima bank, this draw was conducted.

Quebec invited 1,528 individuals who fulfilled certain requirements to apply for permanent selection on June 27. Among the requirements for eligibility were:

• French Language Proficiency: Candidates needed to demonstrate a level of oral proficiency in French equivalent to level 7 or higher on Québec’s French proficiency scale for adult immigrants (Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français). Moreover, they could also meet the requirement through an equivalent standard.
• Points Requirement: Candidates were required to have a score equal to or greater than 581 points in the selection system.
• Valid Job Offer: Candidates needed to possess a valid job offer located outside the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal.

Applications for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) are now open to foreign nationals who have received an invitation from Quebec.

Alberta 

One of the two Canadian jurisdictions that reveals the results of its provincial immigration draw retrospectively is Alberta; the other is Quebec.

Furthermore, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) released the draw results this week for the July 2, 2024, draws. The province of Alberta sent out 37 NOIs to applicants in the “dedicated healthcare pathway with Alberta job offer” category. Furthermore, these candidates needed to meet specific eligibility criteria to receive their invitations.

For these individuals to be taken into consideration, their CRS score had to be higher than 300. More specifically, a minimum CRS score of 301 was required for all candidates to be invited in this AAIP draw.