Individual provinces and territories have become closely involved in Canadian immigration policy and practice. This is a result of the lack of local skilled workers available to fill gaps in Canada’s labour force. Through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), skilled immigrants are able to apply and qualify for Canadian work visas and eventually obtain permanent residence as well. In such cases, qualified foreigners are often met with much quicker immigration and visa application processes.

Immigration to Canada through a PNP is a two-step process.

1. First, eligible candidates may apply online through the PNP website of the province they are seeking employment in.
2. Then, once nominated by a Canadian employer and approved by the province, they will be invited to apply for Canadian permanent residence.

In the early stages of their permanent residence application, foreigners can obtain renewable, temporary work permits. This will enable them to enter and work in Canada during the processing period.

Most PNPs require that the foreigner secure a job offer from a Canadian employer prior to immigration. Without support from their prospective employer, the candidate’s application will likely be unsuccessful. Each PNP has different requirements and qualifications that satisfy eligibility for both parties.

For Candidates:

In a broad sense, eligible foreigners should:

• be skilled, educated, and experienced;
• possess strong linguistic and communicative abilities; and
• intend to establish themselves within the Canadian province or territory by which they were nominated.

For Employers:

In order to receive provincial approval, the supportive employer must first satisfy certain terms and conditions. Above all, the employer must demonstrate that they have made adequate efforts to fill the position with a qualified Canadian individual. Such efforts must prove to have been unsuccessful, hence confirming the need to fill gaps in the workforce. They must also provide working conditions and remuneration that are competitive and relevant to the job. In other words, employers looking to recruit immigrants through a PNP must affirm that:

• they are unable to meet their labour demands through local hiring;
• their business practices meet industry standards; and
• they will provide compensation that is equal to or higher than the median wage applicable to the specific occupation.

Canada’s favourable political, economic and social conditions attract foreigners from all over the world. Thousands of skilled workers will immigrate to Canada through PNPs, which can result in significant delays with application processing. In order to counter this problem and avoid backlogs, many provinces only open PNPs for a short period during the year. Another measure taken to mitigate delays has been the introduction of Canada’s Express Entry immigration system.

Additional Information:

If you are an employer interested in hiring through a Provincial Nominee Program, please contact us for more information.

If you are a candidate who would like to confirm whether you qualify for immigration to Canada through a Provincial Nominee Program, please complete our free online evaluation form here.