Canada Immigration Provincial Nominee Program

Provincial Nominee

The Provincial Nominee Program allows each provincial government to nominate or select immigrants who will contribute to the specific industrial, economic and labour market needs of that province.  Each province is allowed to establish its own selection criteria and procedures to choose immigrants according to their ability to integrate and successfully settle in that province.    

Similar to the Independent Immigration Program, applicants are selected on the basis of a point system. Points are awarded for the different Selection Criteria which include age, education, intended occupation, guaranteed employment, language ability, occupational demand and years of experience, family in Canada, adaptability. Each province sets the number of points to be attributed to each category.

Applicants must intend to reside in the province in which they apply.  Once an applicant has been nominated under the program, the province will issue the applicant a Provincial Nominee Certificate. A person who is nominated by the province can then apply for a Permanent Resident visa at a visa office abroad. Citizenship and Immigration Canada retains the authority to make the final decision applying existing federal selection and admissibility criteria, including security, criminal, and medical factors for the candidates who obtained Provincial Nominee Certificates.    

The following provinces presently established their programs.

Newfoundland 

New Brunswick

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

British Columbia

Quebec