Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia (BC), and Alberta have all seen significant activity in their PNPs in recent weeks, as more than 2,500 individuals have either submitted an application for a provincial nomination certificate, or have been invited to do so.
The past month has seen the following PNP events take place.
• Manitoba, after two months of inactivity in its Skilled Worker categories, recently issued more than 600 Letters of Advice to Apply to individuals who had expressed an interest in the province.
• Saskatchewan opened two of its popular immigration categories, receiving 1,200 applications from skilled workers, including 600 from Express entry pool.
• BC also conducted two draws in the past month, inviting a range of skilled and semi-skilled workers, as well as international graduates, to apply for provincial nomination.
• Alberta continues to receive and process applications, finalizing more than 2,800 applications so far in 2017.
A detailed outline of recent PNP activity among Western provinces:
Manitoba
The Skilled Worker Stream of the MPNP has seen renewed activity in the past three weeks, as two Expression of Interest (EOI) draws have occurred in quick succession.
Saskatchewan
Within the last month, two sub-categories of the Saskatchewan nominee programs (SINP) have opened to receive applications.
On May 24, 600 international skilled workers were selected through Express Entry selection pool which the intake period started on May 16th .A job offer is not required in order to be eligible to apply to this sub-category.
On June 12, the second intake period took place and consequently 600 applications whose profession was on the list of demand occupations, were selected again through Express Entry selection pool. Qualified applicants do not need Job offer to be selected.
Moreover, the Occupations In-Demand sub-category is a ‘base’ category. Consequently, a potential applicant who may not be eligible for one of the three federal programs managed through Express Entry may still be able to apply for permanent resident status through the Occupations In-Demand sub-category. As is often the case with this popular sub-category, the intake cap filled quickly — within hours — demonstrating again that individuals who had prepared in advance were in the best position to take advantage of the opening.
British Columbia
In the past month, 711 workers and graduates have been invited to apply to BC over the course of two draws, on May 25 and June 8. The province conducted draws to invite eligible individuals to apply for provincial nomination. Individuals interested in immigrating to BC may register a profile in the on line system (SIRS).
BC periodically issues Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to the top-ranking candidates in each sub-category to apply for provincial nomination.
There are five sub-categories managed through the SIRS:
Interestingly, the SIRS is used to manage both base and Express Entry-aligned sub-categories. Upon entering the SIRS pool, candidates select which sub-category under which they wish to be considered. Candidates who enter themselves for a base sub-category are not required to be in the federal Express Entry pool.
Overview of recent BC PNP draws
Alberta
Province of Alberta immigration program (AINP) has an annual intake limit of 5,500 applications for 2017, and more than 2,850 nomination certificates have been issued as of June 19. Individuals who have received a nomination certificate may apply to the Canadian government for permanent resident status.
The AINP consists of three main streams, which comprises three categories for skilled workers, international graduates, and semi-skilled workers. The Self- Employed Farmer program is a way for individuals to purchase and develop a farm in Alberta.
