Provincial nomination is an important fast-track option for Canadian permanent residence.

The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) allow Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and who are interested in settling in a particular province.

Each Canadian province (except Quebec, which has a different selection system) and two territories have their own unique Provincial Nominee Programs. Participating provinces and territories sign agreements with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that allow them to select immigrants who meet the requirements that they have set forth.

Provincial and territorial governments have been using these programs to more effectively and efficiently welcome newcomers to their region. Each PNP is tailored to the province’s/territory’s specific needs to select nominees who will be able to settle into life and work in the region and to effectively contribute to the community. As of 2015, most PNPs contain at least one immigration stream aligned with the federal Express Entry immigration selection system. These are known as ‘enhanced’ nominations; click here to learn more about how the PNPs function with respect to the Express Entry system.