Immigration Pathway
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Tailored immigration pathways through Canada's provinces and territories — each with its own unique streams.
What is the Provincial Nominee Program?
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) lets participating provinces and territories nominate immigrants who meet their local labour-market and demographic needs. Each participating province runs its own streams — Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and others each operate their own programs with distinct rules.
Streams generally fall into two types. Base streams are stand-alone provincial nominations that lead to PR through a paper-based application. Enhanced streams are aligned with Express Entry — a provincial nomination through an enhanced stream adds a substantial number of CRS points, in practice enough to sit well above recent Express Entry cut-offs.
Each stream has its own eligibility criteria — some target specific occupations, some require a job offer, some prioritize ties to the province through study or family. Picking the right province and stream is the single most important decision in the PNP process. Because streams, occupation lists, and point thresholds change often, we help match your profile to the options with the best chance of success at the time you apply.
Eligibility
Do you qualify?
PNP eligibility varies dramatically by province and stream. These are the most common building blocks, but exact criteria are set by each province and change regularly, so treat this as a starting point rather than a final checklist.
- A job offer from a provincial employer, or a strong connection to the province (study, work, or family)
- Language scores at the level required by your target stream
- Relevant work or study experience — most streams require either skilled work history or Canadian education
- Demonstrated intent to settle and work in the nominating province
- Stream-specific criteria (occupation lists, NOC TEER level, education, age, ties)
- No criminal or medical inadmissibility to Canada
The Process
How it works
Provincial nomination first, then federal PR. Here's the path.
- 1
Identify your target province
We assess your profile — work history, language, connections, occupation — against streams across Canada's participating provinces and territories to find the strongest match.
- 2
Check stream eligibility
Each stream has unique criteria — occupation lists, language minimums, points grids. We confirm you meet your target stream's requirements before applying.
- 3
Submit Expression of Interest (EOI)
Most provinces use an EOI system. We submit your profile to the province's pool, where it's ranked against other candidates.
- 4
Receive provincial nomination
If selected, you receive a Letter of Nomination from the province. For enhanced streams, this also adds a substantial number of points to your Express Entry CRS.
- 5
Apply for PR (or work permit)
With your nomination, you apply to IRCC for permanent residence, through Express Entry (enhanced streams) or a paper-based application (base streams). Some streams allow a temporary work permit while your PR is processed.
Ready to apply for PNP?
Start with a free 15-minute consultation. We'll review your profile and identify the provinces and streams with the strongest fit.
Book a Free ConsultationDisclaimer
The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal or immigration advice. Provincial Nominee Program streams, eligibility criteria, occupation lists, language requirements, CRS points, processing times, and government fees vary by province and change frequently and without notice. Details described here may be out of date by the time you read them. Always confirm current requirements on the official Government of Canada website (canada.ca) and the relevant provincial immigration website, and book a consultation for advice specific to your situation. Nothing here guarantees a nomination, an invitation, approval, or any particular outcome.