Canada offers various immigration programs to get Canadian permanent residency. If you’re considering immigrating to Canada and still confused about which immigration program that may give you more convenience, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) might be more conducive for you! This article will show you how to apply for Provincial Nominee Programs in simple 6 Steps.
In line with its advocacy of opening its doors to immigrants, the Canadian government allows territories and provinces within its jurisdiction to nominate an individual who wishes to settle for good in Canada, in accordance with their own immigration criteria, qualifications and parameters appropriate for the territory or province’s labour market and economy. In short, the territory or province will base the selection process on its economic needs, including the genuine interest of the applicant to settle within its area.
Under the PNP, a candidate has given more liberty to choose a specific province or territory in Canada he/she desires to immigrate, provided that the said applicant has met all the eligibility requirements of the selected province or territory.
To apply as a provincial nominee to a Canadian territory or province, it is important that you must:
- meet the minimum requirements of one of the territory or province’s non-Express Entry streams;
This means that the applicant must possess the skills, education, and work experience necessary to make a contribution to the local economy of the province or territory.
- be nominated under that stream.
If you do not have a nomination, following each territory or province’s step-by-step PNP process is a must. To know more of these instructions, click here.
BENEFITS OF APPLYING FOR PNP PROGRAM
As you may know by now, PNP programs are different from the main stream federal immigration programs which the Canadian government offers. Just like the latter, PNP programs entails myriad of key benefits that applicants may take advantage of provided that they qualify on any of these PNP programs within the country. Of course, benefits vary depending on which PNP program you will apply. As an applicant, you may get relaxations, such as:
- Job offer requirement is not mandatory.
- CRS points are awarded for the area of training.
- Relieves you from the hassle of pool selections, etc.
- Freedom to select a province or territory to settle.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTION IN APPLYING FOR YOUR PNP OF CHOICE
Applying for a PNP is easy if you are equipped with all the information you need to know. Learning these pieces of material information is an important part of the process in order to make sure that your time and effort won’t just go to waste.
In applying for a PNP of a specific province or territory in Canada, two approaches are available to the applicant — (A) Provincial Nominee Program Direct Application and (B) Provincial Nominee Program Application Via Express Entry Program.
(A) PNP DIRECT APPLICATION
The following steps are your guide in applying directly for your Provincial Nominee Program of choice:
Step #1: Find out your eligibility
Check out the PNP eligibility tool to see available PNPs and ascertain your eligibility for the many options available.
Step #2: Choose a territory or province in Canada to settle
Once you have checked your eligibility via the PNP Live Tracker, select a province or territory in Canada to settle based on your eligibility.
Step #3: Apply in its Provincial Nominee Program
Apply in its PNP but make sure that you have submitted a duly completed Provincial Nominee Program application. It is important to double-check your application before forwarding it as this application will be their basis for assessing your qualifications.
Step #4: Assessment of your PNP Application
Once the territory or province received your PNP application, the designated officer will assess the veracity of your application. Your PNP application will be reviewed based on the selection criteria/point system of that particular territory or province.
Step #5: Receive your Provincial Nomination Certificate
After the assessment process has been completed and successful, you will receive an official Provincial Nomination Certification from the province or territory– a signal that allows you to proceed to the next step.
Step #6: Submit your Permanent Residence Application
Apply for a permanent residency in Canada before the Immigration, Refugee, Citizenship Canada (IRCC). On the receipt of the Permanent Residency application, IRCC will make sure that your medical and character certifications are assessed properly. For applicants who were nominated through the Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program, the application is through the Express Entry. Otherwise, a paper-based application must be submitted by an applicant.
B) PNP APPLICATION VIA EXPRESS ENTRY SYSTEM
If you register on the Express Entry Program and has been successfully selected to the Express Entry pool, your Express Entry profile can be viewed and chosen by different territories and/or provinces of Canada. If your Express Entry profile is chosen by any of the territory or province in Canada, you will receive an invitation to report to the province or territory to be qualified for their PNP. If you are invited, you will be eligible to receive an online Invitation to Apply (ITA) for a permanent residency visa, based on the invitation/nomination from that province or territory.
Note: Each territory and province has different PNP mechanics. Some PNP mechanics requires candidates to first register an Expression of Interest, while other PNP stream runs on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, some PNP stream conducts their program outside the federal Express Entry immigration system — a system commonly referred to as “base” streams — while other PNP streams are aligned with Express Entry.
Takeaways
Current events provide that various provinces across Canada have continued to improve their immigrant nominee programs this past quarter, opening up new opportunities for both foreign workers who may not be eligible under the Federal Express Entry System or to those who are qualified but has lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores.
Indeed, looking for the Canadian immigration program that best suits you may be complicated at first. Hence, it is always recommended that you consult someone professional in this field so they can guide you properly which pathway is feasible for your circumstances.
Contact our friendly legal team at Konan Law today so we can help you find out about how you can start your life in Canada.
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