Canada’s four provinces issued provincial nominations results and issued invitations to apply for permanent residency.

British Columbia

About 125 individuals were invited to participate in targeted category-based draws held by the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) on October 22 under its International Graduate and Skilled Worker Streams. These draws targeted candidates with highly sought-after education and talents, giving them the option to apply for provincial nomination, which can improve their prospects of obtaining permanent residence in Canada.

  • Childcare: 41 invitations issued, with a minimum score of 83
  • Construction: 10 invitations issued, with a minimum score of 89
  • Healthcare: 11 invitations issued, with a minimum score of 99
  • Tech: 60 invitations issued, with a minimum score of 117
  • Veterinary Care: Fewer than 5 invitations issued, with a minimum score of 80

Each draw was category-specific, targeting workers in designated occupations, and required candidates to have job offers from employers in British Columbia to qualify. The minimum score requirement varied according to each occupational category.

Manitoba

On October 24, Manitoba held its 231st Expression of Interest (EOI) draw for its Provincial Nominee Program, issuing a total of 253 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs).

  • Skilled Worker in Manitoba: 50 Letters of Advice issued, minimum score of 872
  • International Education: 156 Letters of Advice issued, no minimum score required
  • Skilled Worker Overseas: 47 Letters of Advice issued, minimum score of 703

Out of these invitations, 210 were issued under the base PNP, while 43 were issued under the enhanced PNP. For candidates in the Skilled Worker Overseas stream to be considered, they needed to receive an invitation through a strategic recruitment initiative.

Prince Edward Island

On September 20, Prince Edward Island (PEI) conducted a PNP draw, issuing a total of 48 invitations. In this draw, Business category candidates faced a minimum points threshold of 97.

Invitations were extended to candidates in the following categories:

  • Healthcare sector
  • Construction sector
  • Trucking and Transportation, specifically for those with work permits expiring this year
  • International Graduate stream, also for those with work permits expiring this year

Business candidates received only two invitations, while Labor and Express Entry candidates received the remaining 46.

Quebec

On September 19, Quebec invited 1,650 candidates under its Regular Skilled Worker Program.

To qualify, candidates needed an oral French proficiency level of 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français (NCLC). They also had to meet one of the following criteria:

  • A minimum score of 573, or
  • A valid job offer outside the Montreal region.

Quebec typically releases information on its issued invitations retroactively.

Regarding the Provincial Nominee Programs

There are two main types of Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs): base PNPs and enhanced PNPs.

In a base PNP, foreign nationals apply directly to a specific province or territory, and if successful, they receive a provincial nomination. With this nomination, they are generally invited by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to apply for permanent residency, as the provincial nomination strengthens their application.

Enhanced PNPs, however, are aligned with Canada’s Express Entry system. To qualify for an enhanced PNP, an individual must be an active Express Entry candidate with a valid profile. If an Express Entry candidate receives a nomination through an enhanced PNP, they are awarded an additional 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), significantly boosting their overall score. This nearly guarantees that they will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency in the next eligible IRCC draw.

Applications for permanent residency submitted through enhanced PNPs tend to have faster processing times compared to those under base PNPs. Currently, IRCC processes applications through enhanced PNPs in about six months, while it takes around twelve months to process those under base PNPs.

An Overview of Quebec’s immigration program

Quebec’s invitation process operates independently, as the province sets its own immigration targets and does not rely on allocations from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The provincial immigration ministry, known as the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, oversees the selection of candidates for immigration to Quebec.

Foreign nationals interested in moving to Quebec must apply through one of the province’s designated immigration programs. If their application is successful, candidates receive a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) from the Quebec immigration ministry. This certificate is crucial because it proves that Quebec has selected the candidate for immigration.

Once a candidate obtains the CSQ, they can then submit an application for permanent residency to IRCC, initiating the final steps of the immigration process to Canada.