Canadian Immigration: Provincial Nominee Program Draws Updates
In the past fortnight, two provinces in Canada have been active in conducting draws under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). These activities unfolded at the same time as the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) instituted new categories for selecting Express Entry candidates, which could potentially extend to those in the PNP.
IRCC stipulates that not all future draws will solely focus on the new categories; Express Entry PNP draws will persist.
Assessing Your Eligibility for Immigration to Canada
Many PNP streams are aligned with the new selection category draws. Almost all provinces and territories in Canada (Quebec and Nunavut being the exceptions) run PNP draws targeting specific occupational fields, National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes, or linguistic abilities. For instance, several provinces offer specific PNP immigration streams for tech or healthcare workers, with British Columbia hosting regular targeted draws for healthcare workers.
Immigration falls under the dual responsibility of federal and provincial governments. The PNP facilitates provincial governments to endorse economic immigration candidates for permanent residence, who they believe can establish themselves economically within their province. This program also enables provinces to target candidates who can fulfill regional job openings.
Provincial Immigration Outcomes from May 23 to June 2
British Columbia
In the week of May 23 and May 30, British Columbia conducted PNP draws.
Results from May 23 indicated that over 140 candidates were invited across four draws. The principal draw attracted 103 individuals from the Skilled Worker and International Graduates streams (including those in the Express Entry pool), with a specific focus on technology-related professions. A minimum Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) score of 90 was necessary.
In addition, specialized draws extended invitations to 20 early childhood educators and assistants, 17 healthcare professionals, and less than five candidates from other high-priority occupations. Each of these three draws required at least a SIRS score of 60.
The significant draw on May 30 was a general one, which didn’t focus on any particular occupation or field, inviting 151 candidates from the Skilled Worker, International Graduate, and Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Streams. The required SIRS score ranged from 85 to 107.
The remaining three draw categories replicated those from the preceding week, with 26 early childhood educators and assistants, 14 healthcare workers, and less than five from other priority occupations. Again, a minimum SIRS score of 60 was required.
Manitoba
On June 1, Manitoba extended invitations to 589 candidates across three streams.
The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) welcomed Skilled Workers in Manitoba from two distinct categories. The initial category encompassed 262 candidates possessing work experience in the subsequent major NOC groups:
11 – Roles in finance and business professions
13 – Positions in administrative and transportation logistics fields
21 – Occupations in the sphere of natural and applied sciences
42 – Public protection front-line services and roles in paraprofessional, legal, social, community, and educational services
44 – Jobs in care provision and support for legal and public protection.
Candidates in this draw required a minimum score of 607. The remaining 240 Skilled Workers who received invitations didn’t require specific occupations, with their minimum scores reaching 669.
Moreover, the province extended invitations to 56 individuals under the International Graduate stream, and 31 Skilled Workers residing abroad, all of whom were required to have a minimum score of 801.
On May 25, Manitoba also conducted a draw, inviting 29 candidates via the Special Measures for Ukraine Act, which targets Ukrainian nationals who meet the eligibility criteria for an MPNP immigration stream.
