January 27, 2024

This week, three Canadian provinces nominated immigration candidates through their respective Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs). These programs, excluding Quebec and Nunavut, provide a route for economic class immigrants to settle and work in the nominating region.

Submit the Assessment Form to Discover your Eligibility

It’s important to note that each province administers its own scoring system for evaluating PNP candidates independently, leading to the observed variations in results presented below.

Provincial Nomination Results – January 19th to 26th

British Columbia

On January 23rd, British Columbia (B.C.) extended invitations to immigration candidates through six streams of the B.C Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP), totaling at least 216 Invitations to Apply (ITAs).

General draws were conducted in the Skilled Worker, Skilled Worker—Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC), International Graduate, and International Graduate EEBC streams, all requiring candidates with a minimum score of 120. Another general draw occurred in the Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled stream, inviting candidates with a minimum score of 98. These draws collectively resulted in 79 ITAs.

Furthermore, B.C. organized targeted draws under its Skilled Worker, International graduate (including EEBC option) stream, focusing on candidates with work experience in four professional categories: Childcare (66 ITAs), Construction (34 ITAs), Healthcare (36 ITAs), and Veterinary care (<5 ITAs). The minimum score for these draws was 60, with the Construction category requiring a higher score of 75.

Manitoba

On January 25th, Manitoba issued Notifications of Interest (NOIs) across three streams. In the Skilled Worker in Manitoba stream, 156 NOIs were issued to candidates with a minimum score of 772, who indicated completing post-secondary education in Manitoba. The International Education Stream invited 78 candidates without specifying a cut-off score, while the Skilled Worker Overseas stream issued 41 NOIs with a minimum score of 713.

Out of the total 275 NOIs, 29 were given to candidates with an Express Entry profile.

Ontario

This week, the Ontario PNP (OINP) conducted two draws. On January 19th, 1,654 candidates were invited through the Employer Job Offer Foreign Worker stream, requiring a minimum score of 50. On January 24th, 12 targeted invitations were issued under the same stream for candidates eligible for the federal Economic Mobility Pathways Project.

On the same day, Ontario invited candidates through two additional draws in the Masters Graduate and PhD Graduate streams, without specifying the number of ITAs. The Master’s Graduate stream required a score of 50 or above, while the PhD Graduate stream required a minimum score of 45.

On January 19th, OINP announced reaching its nomination allocation for 2023, having issued 16,500 nominations (ITAs) across all streams.

Growing Importance of the PNP

While currently holding a lower allocation in the immigration levels plan (2024-2026), the PNP is poised to become Canada’s primary economic pathway for immigrants starting in 2025. With an annual allocation exceeding 110,000, PNPs collectively constitute over a fifth of all annual immigrant allocations across Canada.

These programs aim to distribute the benefits of immigration throughout Canada, focusing on areas where smaller provincial labor markets and demographics can benefit from the presence of newcomers. For more information about Canada’s PNPs, visit our dedicated webpage.

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October 18, 2023

An Access to Information Request (ATIP) made to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has uncovered a set of exciting new guiding principles that will influence how the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is allocated nationwide!

Submit the Assessment Form to Discover your Eligibility

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) are essential for provinces to select candidates who possess the necessary skills, connections, and attributes required to bolster their workforce and economic growth. The federal government annually designates a specific number of nominations for each province and territory, thus enabling them to invite skilled immigrants to contribute to their local communities.

It’s important to note that immigration in Canada is a shared responsibility between the provinces and the federal government, with each province having its own PNP except for Nunavut, which does not have a PNP, and Quebec, which operates under a separate agreement with the federal government.

Candidates who receive a provincial nomination can then submit their permanent residence application to IRCC. For example, Express Entry candidates who receive an enhanced nomination gain an additional 600 points under the Comprehensive Ranking System, almost guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply in an Express Entry draw.

Candidates can also apply directly to a provincial government for nomination, referred to as a base nomination.

These Guiding Principles for PNP allocations are based on various factors, aiming to create a more predictable, evidence-based framework for the allocation process:

  1. Establishing a systematic framework to determine PNP allocations annually.
  2. Enhancing operational predictability by considering past usage and trends.
  3. Promoting transparency by informing provinces and territories about the factors influencing allocation recommendations.

These guiding principles are further categorized into qualitative and quantitative factors, with the goal of improving predictability and processing times for base PNP applications.

By creating a more predictable system, IRCC seeks to reduce the number of requests for changes received from provinces, streamlining the allocation process. Quantitative considerations take into account factors like the share of economic immigrants in each province, retention rates, and population share. These considerations help IRCC determine the number of nominations for each province.

Qualitative considerations allow for adjustments based on feedback from provinces and other stakeholders through consultations. These adjustments may account for allocations supporting regional needs, such as the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) or the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot.

The ATIP report also highlights the Atlantic Immigration Program, which initially used a population-based model for its first year. This model is still applied for the first 2,000 allocations, after which allocations are determined based on factors like past usage, provincial immigration growth strategies, and the share of economic immigration spaces.

The newly endorsed multi-year plan for the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program incorporates these guiding principles. This multi-year plan provides allocations for three years in advance, offering greater stability and facilitating long-term planning for provinces.

Previously, allocations were assigned on an annual basis, posing challenges for provinces in terms of infrastructure planning, healthcare, and settlement services. Furthermore, it was announced that PNP allocations were increased by 44% for the year 2023.

Looking ahead, a new Immigration Levels Plan for 2024-2026 is set to be released by November 1st this year. This plan will outline permanent resident admission targets for the next three years, shaping Canada’s immigration strategy. In the 2023-2025 Plan, the PNP accounted for the highest number of planned permanent resident admissions, starting at 105,500 in 2023 and increasing to 117,500 PNP admissions annually by 2025.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller has indicated that targets are not expected to decrease in the upcoming plan. Given the current high targets and the pressure from provincial governments to increase allocations, it is likely that any revisions to the existing PNP admissions targets will involve an increase.

Book an Appointment with Sahil for any Immigration related Queries

May 25, 2023

The Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has invited candidates for the 13th Express Entry draw of 2023.

The draw is open to all three programs managed by the Express Entry application management system: The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

Candidates must have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 488 to be considered for the draw. This is the first all-program draw since April 26.

Submit the Assessment Form to Determine your Eligibility

This draw follows the most recent draw on May 10, where 589 candidates received ITAs in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) specific draw. In a PNP only draw, candidates are only considered if they are in the Express Entry pool and have also been nominated by a Canadian province.

Express Entry Draws 2023

Throughout 2023, Express Entry has yet to establish a consistent pattern in terms of the number of candidates invited, the frequency of draws, or the specific type of draw.

In January, the draws followed the pattern seen before the pandemic, occurring every two weeks and inviting candidates from all programs. However, this changed in February when the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted four program-specific draws between February 1 and March 1. Notably, February marked the first program-specific draw for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP).

February witnessed three draws, and March saw one draw each week. Overall, more than 21,000 candidates received invitations throughout March, making it the second-highest number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued in a single month in the history of Express Entry.

In April, the draw schedule returned to the pre-pandemic pattern of one all-program draw every two weeks.

Later in the year, it is anticipated that the IRCC will start conducting draws targeting Express Entry candidates based on specific attributes rather than solely relying on high Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores. This became possible when Bill C-19 received Royal Assent in June 2022.

The passing of this bill grants the Canadian immigration minister the authority to invite candidates who can best contribute to Canada’s economic goals by addressing the chronic labor shortages in specific sectors.

It’s important to note that Express Entry draws are entirely discretionary, determined by the IRCC and the immigration minister. As per the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, there are no set rules dictating the timing of draws, the program from which candidates will be selected, the number of candidates invited, or the minimum CRS cut-off score. In other words, the IRCC is not obligated to follow a specific pattern or conduct draws at all if the minister deems it unnecessary.

Know more about Express Entry

The oversight of three Canadian economic immigration programs, namely the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class, falls under the management of the Express Entry application system.

Within these programs, candidates undergo evaluation through the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS assesses various human capital factors such as language proficiency, education, work experience, occupation, and age. Based on these criteria, candidates are assigned scores, and those with the highest scores have a greater likelihood of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residency.

As per the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, Canada aims to welcome more than 82,000 new permanent residents through the Federal High Skilled immigration program (Express Entry) by the conclusion of 2023.

Book an Appointment with Sahil for any Immigration related Queries

May 11, 2023

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently issued 589 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) specific draw. Candidates required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 691 to be considered for the draw. In a PNP specific draw, candidates are already in the Express Entry pool but have also received a nomination from a Canadian province. This is the fourth PNP specific draw of 2023, with the last one occurring on March 1 and inviting 667 candidates. All draws since then have considered candidates from all Express Entry programs.

Proof of funds

On May 2, IRCC announced that the amount of money that Express Entry applicants must have access to in Canada has changed. All Express Entry candidates must show proof of funds to demonstrate that they have enough money to settle in Canada. Proof of funds is not required for candidates in the Canadian Experience Class or for Express Entry candidates who are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. This is true even for those who apply under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Federal Skilled Trades Program. To stay eligible for Express Entry, candidates must now update their profiles to reflect that they still have the required amount of settlement funds. IRCC updates the amount yearly, based on 50% of the low-income cut-off totals, and varies depending on how many people a candidate must be able to support.

Number of family members Funds required (in Canadian dollars)
1 $13,757
2 $17,127
3 $21,055
4 $25,564
5 $28,994
6 $32,700
7 $36,407
If more than 7 people, for each additional family member $3,706

Express Entry

This draw follows the April 26 draw in which 3,500 candidates were invited with CRS scores of 483. IRCC also invited 3,500 candidates on April 12 with CRS scores of 486. This number of candidates per draw is half of what was seen over March when IRCC invited more than 21,000 candidates over four consecutive draws, three of which invited 7,000 candidates. The total number of candidates invited in March was the second highest in Express Entry history, only exceeded by a draw in February 2021 in which 27,332 CEC candidates received an ITA.

April also marks a tentative return to a normal draw schedule. Typically, until late 2022 and throughout March 2023, Express Entry draws occur every second week on Wednesdays. Draws occurred weekly throughout March. The March and April draws also showed a return to typical all-program draws. Throughout January and February this year, most draws were program specific for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). However, on February 2, IRCC held the first-ever program-specific draw for the Federal Skilled Workers Program.

The Express Entry application management system oversees three economic immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Each program has unique eligibility criteria but are all similar in that candidates require skilled work experience. After a candidate self-evaluates if they are eligible for one of the programs, they must upload a profile on the IRCC website.

Express Entry uses the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to score and rank candidates according to a score they receive based on their profile. The system takes an individual’s work experience, occupation, language ability, education, age, and other human capital factors into consideration when assigning a score. The highest-scoring candidates are the most likely to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. Once a candidate receives an ITA, they have 60 days to send in their completed application. Once IRCC receives it, an immigration officer will review the application and decide if the candidate is approved.