Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP): How to move to Canada as a Permanent Resident (PR)

Canada offers a variety of immigration pathways tailored to individuals with diverse skills, education, and work experience, allowing them to settle and contribute to the country’s economy. While the Express Entry system is one of the most well-known routes for individuals seeking permanent residency (PR), there are several other immigration programs available. These include the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), Family Sponsorship, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP), the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), the Caregiver program, and the Start-up Visa program.

This article will focus specifically on the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), providing a detailed overview of how these programs operate and the necessary steps to apply for permanent residency through a PNP.

How do Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) operate?

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), as outlined by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), are designed for individuals who:

• Possess the skills, education, and work experience needed to contribute to the economy of a particular province or territory
• Plan to permanently settle in that province or territory
• Seek to obtain permanent residency (PR) in Canada

Each province and territory has its own set of PNP streams, which are specialized immigration programs aimed at specific groups. These can include new graduates, business owners, skilled workers in certain fields, or semi-skilled workers. Each stream has distinct eligibility criteria and application processes.

Understanding your PNP application options

There are two ways to apply for PR through the PNPs:

1. Paper-based application (involves submitting physical documents)
2. Express Entry (an online application process)

The application method you choose will depend on the specific PNP stream you’re applying through.

How to apply for PNP: Paper-based process

The paper-based application process consists of two main stages:

Stage 1: Obtaining a nomination certificate from the province or territory where you plan to settle permanently.
Stage 2: Submitting an application to IRCC for PR status after receiving the nomination.

Here’s a detailed guide on how to apply for permanent residency as a Provincial Nominee through the paper-based process:

Stage 1: Steps 1 to 4
Stage 2: Steps 5 and 6

Step 1: Choose your preferred location in Canada

Canada is made up of ten provinces and three territories. To apply for PR as a Provincial Nominee, you need to decide where you want to live, considering factors like cost of living, employment opportunities, and the lifestyle you seek.

Step 2: Review the PNP eligibility criteria

To be nominated by a province or territory, you must follow the guidelines provided on their respective websites and contact them directly for further instructions.
Here are the PNP websites for each province and territory:

• Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
• Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)
• Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
• Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
• Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)
• Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
• Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
• Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)

Note that Nunavut currently only accepts applications from entrepreneurs wishing to establish a business there.
For applicants planning to settle in Quebec, they should contact the province directly as Quebec has a separate process for PR applications.

Step 3: Submit your application to the province or territory where you wish to live

Each province has specific PNP streams aimed at addressing its unique labor market needs. Applicants must thoroughly review the streams available in their chosen province or territory, as each has distinct eligibility requirements and intake procedures. In general, applicants can:

• Apply directly to the province for a nomination, OR
• Wait for an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination.

Step 4: Await the provincial nomination

Once you have submitted your application, the next step is to wait for the provincial nomination. If you meet the eligibility requirements, including showing your intent to settle in the province, you will receive a provincial nomination certificate. For more detailed information on processing times, you can visit the specific websites of the province or territory where you applied.

Step 5: Submit your Permanent Residence (PR) application

After receiving the provincial nomination, you are eligible to apply for Permanent Residence with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The application package for Provincial Nominees will include an instruction guide, a document checklist, and all necessary forms for submission.

The next step in the application process involves paying the required fees. As of April 30, 2022, the fees have been updated to $1,350 CAD for each adult applicant and $230 CAD for each dependent child. This fee covers:

• The processing fees for both the applicant and any family members included in the application.
• The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF), which is $515 CAD and must be paid by all adult applicants. You can choose to defer this payment and pay it at a later stage in the process.

Although the application is paper-based, payments must be made online. After completing the payment, you need to print out a receipt and include it in your application package.

For biometrics, you must pay a separate fee of $85 CAD per adult applicant, with a maximum fee of $170 CAD for a family. Proof of this payment should be included in your application. Once your application is processed, you will receive a confirmation letter with instructions on how to submit your biometric data. Biometrics, which include fingerprints and a photo, must be given in person at designated collection centers around the world. You have 30 days from the date of the letter to complete the biometrics process. Be sure to book an appointment at a nearby collection center and bring the confirmation letter with you when you provide your biometrics.

In addition to the above, you may also incur third-party fees depending on your circumstances. These may include costs for medical exams, police certificates, language testing, and Educational Credential Assessments (ECA). The instruction guide for your application will provide details on which additional fees are applicable to your situation.

Once you have completed the application package and collected all the necessary supporting documents, you must mail your application, along with the online payment receipt, to the address provided in the instruction guide. It is important not to send your application to your local visa office; it should be sent to the Centralized Intake Office in Canada, where it may be redirected to your local visa office abroad for further processing.

Step 6: Receive the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and enter Canada

The time it takes to process your application depends on the specific visa office handling it. Once you’ve submitted your application, you can track the progress and check the estimated processing times online. As of April 2020, the average processing time for paper-based applications ranges between 15 to 19 months.

During this processing period, you will be notified if you need to submit additional documents, such as biometrics, medical exams or police certificates, in case they were not included initially or have expired since your application submission.

• Medical exams: You and all dependent family members (even if they are not accompanying you to Canada) must undergo a medical exam with a panel physician designated by the Canadian authorities.
• Police certificates: You may be required to provide police certificates from any country or territory where you’ve lived for six months or more since turning 18. In some cases, obtaining these certificates can take time, so it’s advisable to start the process early.

If you meet all the program requirements and pass the admissibility checks, IRCC will contact you to request the final documents needed to complete your application. This includes your passport (or copies), photos, and any other required forms. If you haven’t already paid the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF), you’ll be asked to do so at this stage. Additionally, you must notify IRCC of any significant changes in your circumstances, such as changes in family status or new medical conditions.

If no updates are necessary, IRCC will proceed with finalizing your application and will issue the following:

• A Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) document
• A Permanent Resident Visa, if required based on your country of origin
• A letter containing important details about your COPR and any additional requirements needed for the final steps.

Arrival in Canada

Once your application has been approved, the final step is to travel to Canada to complete the Permanent Resident (PR) landing process, which grants you your PR status.

Upon arrival in Canada, you will need to present your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and your PR visa (if applicable). Additionally, you will be required to show your passport, and you might also be asked to provide proof of funds to demonstrate that you can support yourself and your family.

A Canadian immigration officer will ask you a few questions to confirm that you still meet the eligibility criteria to immigrate to Canada. These questions will be similar to the ones you answered during your application. If the officer is satisfied that you continue to meet the requirements, they will grant you entry as a permanent resident. They will also verify your Canadian mailing address, and your PR card will be sent to this address.

If you are already in Canada, you can schedule an appointment at a local IRCC office to complete the landing process and obtain your permanent resident status. Alternatively, you can leave Canada and re-enter through a Canadian port of entry (such as an international airport or land border) to complete the process.

How to apply for Provincial Nominee Programs: Express Entry process

There are two methods for applying for a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) through the Express Entry system:

Option 1: Contacting the Province
In this option, you reach out to a specific province or territory and apply for a nomination under their Express Entry stream. If the province or territory decides to nominate you, you can then proceed to create or update your Express Entry profile to reflect the nomination.

Option 2: The Province Contacts You
Here, you begin by creating an Express Entry profile and specify which provinces or territories you’re interested in. If a province or territory sends you a notification of interest, you can then contact them directly and apply through their Express Entry stream. Tip: Regardless of the option, you will need to have an Express Entry profile, so it’s best to create one at the beginning of the process.

Here’s a step-by-step approach on how to apply for PNP through the Express Entry process. Each step outlines the approach for option 1 and 2. 

Step 1: Obtain Provincial Nomination

For Option 1: If you are already in the Express Entry pool and wish to be considered for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), some streams allow you to apply directly to the province or territory through their Express Entry stream.

For Option 2: If a province or territory reaches out to you with a notification of interest regarding the PNP, and you are interested in being nominated, you must contact them directly to apply through their PNP Express Entry stream. This process will be handled between you and the province or territory, and you will not use your IRCC account for this step.

The subsequent steps for both options are largely the same as Steps 2 and 3 in the paper-based process described earlier, with the key distinction being that you must select the Express Entry immigration stream when applying on the provincial/territorial PNP websites.

Once a province or territory agrees to nominate you:

• You must update your Express Entry profile to reflect the nomination and provide your Express Entry profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code to the province/territory, OR
• Wait for the province or territory to confirm your nomination with IRCC and either accept or reject it within 30 calendar days in your IRCC Express Entry account.

Step 2: Apply for Permanent Residence in Canada

After receiving your nomination, you have two options to consider:

If you accept the nomination:

• The Express Entry system will generate a confirmation letter in your account that verifies your nomination.
• You will earn 600 additional points in your Express Entry profile, significantly boosting your chances of receiving an invitation to apply.

Upon receiving the invitation, you will have 60 days to submit your online application for permanent residency (PR). The average processing time for Express Entry applications is around 6 months, and you can track your application status within your Express Entry account.

If you reject the nomination:

• Your profile will remain in the Express Entry pool, and you could still be invited to apply under any other immigration program.
• You will not be eligible for the Provincial Nominee Program unless another province decides to nominate you.

What to do if the province or territory withdraws your nomination

Before Receiving the Invitation to Apply for PR:
If your provincial or territorial nomination is withdrawn before you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency, you must remove your profile from the Express Entry pool and submit a new profile.

After Receiving the Invitation to Apply for PR:
If your nomination is withdrawn after receiving an ITA, you must decline the invitation, withdraw your current profile, and create a new one. If you choose to proceed with the application despite the withdrawal, your application will be refused, and any fees paid will not be refunded.

Important Note: Failing to follow these steps could result in being deemed inadmissible to Canada. This means you could face a ban from applying to immigrate to Canada for a period of five years.

Step 3: Receive the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and enter Canada

Refer to Step 6 of the paper-based process for more information.

Preparing to settle in Canada

Once you receive your COPR and PR visa (if applicable), there are several steps you can take to prepare for your new life in Canada.

Before you arrive:

• Take advantage of free pre-arrival services that provide valuable information about living and working in Canada.
• Begin the process of getting your education, work experience, and professional licenses or certifications recognized in Canada.
• Familiarize yourself with life in Canada, including work culture, networking practices, and updating your resume.
• Start building your personal brand to enhance your job prospects.

After you arrive:

• Seek out immigrant services to help you settle and adjust to life in Canada.
• Use the “Welcome to Canada” guide to assist with your transition.
• Utilize the “Living in Canada” tool to locate services that best suit your needs.

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