How the Provincial Nominee Program works in Canada

The Provincial Nominee Program Canada (PNP) is a group of immigration programs run by Canadian provinces and territories. Each one nominates people who have the skills, education and work experience its economy needs, and who want to live there. A nomination does not give you permanent residence by itself. You still apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the federal department that makes the final decision.

If you know Australian state nomination, the idea is similar: a province supports you, and the national government decides. This page explains how PNPs work as at November 2026.

Which provinces and territories run a PNP

Eleven provinces and territories run a PNP: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Yukon. Quebec has its own selection system, and Nunavut has no PNP.

Each province sets its own streams (categories), eligibility rules, occupation lists, yearly nomination numbers and intake dates. These change often, sometimes with little notice. Always read the province's own official PNP page before you prepare anything. You can reach every province's program from the IRCC PNP page (opens in a new tab).

Base and enhanced PNP streams

Every PNP stream belongs to one of two routes. The province decides which route a stream uses, so you do not choose it yourself.

Enhanced PNP and Express Entry

To use an enhanced PNP stream, you must qualify for one of the three federal programs managed by Express Entry: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Trades Program. For example, the Federal Skilled Worker Program needs at least 1 year (1,560 hours) of skilled paid work in the last 10 years, and level 7 in all four language skills. This is Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French. You also need at least 67 points on the program's own selection grid (as at November 2026).

Skilled work means a job in TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 of Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC). TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities.

Base PNP streams

Base streams can suit people who do not meet an Express Entry program. Their rules on occupation or language level can differ from Express Entry, depending on the province and the stream. After nomination, you apply for permanent residence directly to IRCC.

What 600 CRS points mean in practice

Express Entry ranks candidates with the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). Your core score comes from factors such as age, education, language and work experience. On top of this, you can earn up to 600 "additional" points. A provincial nomination alone gives the full 600.

Because the 600 points are added on top of your core score, a nomination usually moves you well above candidates who do not have one. IRCC holds separate PNP draws for nominees. The lowest scores invited in recent PNP draws, which include the 600 nomination points, were:

So in the 26 October 2026 draw, nominees needed about 161 points from the other CRS factors (161 + 600 = 761). IRCC changed how CRS points are calculated on 3 November 2026 and paused draws while it recalculates profiles. As at 14 November 2026, no draw had been held since 28 October 2026, so future scores may differ. Check the official rounds of invitations page (opens in a new tab) for the latest results.

How provinces choose candidates

Provinces nominate people who match their labour market needs. Each one uses its own system, but the common features are:

• Your link to the province: many streams favour people who work, studied or have a job offer there.
• Occupation: some streams target specific occupations, such as healthcare or trades, and publish lists that change.
• Expressions of interest: some provinces ask you to register interest, rank the registrations, and invite the highest-ranked people to apply.
• Express Entry streams: some streams ask you to apply to the province first, and others look for candidates already in the Express Entry pool. Each stream explains its own process.
• Limits: each province can only nominate a set number of people each year, and streams can close when they reach their cap.

Meeting a stream's minimum rules does not mean you will be invited or nominated. Treat the minimums as the starting point.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check your federal eligibility Work out whether you meet an Express Entry program. This decides whether enhanced streams are open to you.
2. Take an approved language test For Express Entry, use IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General or PTE Core for English, or TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. IELTS Academic and PTE Academic are not accepted. Results must be less than 2 years old.
3. Get your education assessed If you studied outside Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) from a designated organisation such as WES is needed for the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
4. Research the provinces Compare the current streams on each province's official site. Focus on where you have real links and where you would genuinely live.
5. Apply or register with the province Follow the province's process, pay any provincial fee and give accurate evidence.
6. Receive the nomination For an enhanced stream, the nomination is linked to your Express Entry profile, which adds the 600 points. For a base stream, you receive a nomination to include in your IRCC application.
7. Apply to IRCC for permanent residence An Express Entry ITA is valid for 60 days, so your complete application must be in by then. Most applicants also need a medical exam and police certificates.

How much it costs

IRCC fees for economic permanent residence, including PNP applications, from 30 April 2026:

• Main applicant: CAD 1,590 (CAD 990 processing fee plus CAD 600 right of permanent residence fee).
• Spouse or partner: CAD 1,590.
• Each dependent child: CAD 270.
• Biometrics: CAD 85 per person, or CAD 170 for a family applying together (as at November 2026).

Many provinces also charge their own application fee. The amounts vary by province and stream, so check the province's official page. Other costs include language tests, the ECA, medical exams, police certificates and translations.

Who can give you Canadian immigration advice

You can check a consultant on the CICC public register (opens in a new tab) and on the IRCC page about authorised representatives (opens in a new tab). Never pay anyone who promises you a nomination or offers to sell you a job offer. Buying or selling job offers is illegal and a common sign of fraud.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Relying on old stream rules from blogs or videos. Provinces change their streams often.
• Taking IELTS Academic or PTE Academic, which Express Entry does not accept.
• Letting a language test (valid 2 years) or ECA (valid 5 years) expire before the province invites you or before you submit your IRCC application.
• Applying to a province where you do not intend to live. The program is for people who want to settle in the nominating province.
• Claiming work experience or a job offer you cannot prove with clear documents.

How Immi Solution helps

From our Hobart office, we can explain how PNPs and Canadian immigration pathways work, and help you prepare through our English test coaching. If studying in Canada first suits your goals, our education counsellors help you choose a course and apply to a school; see study in Canada. For advice on, or representation in, your Canadian immigration application, you need an authorised representative, and we explain how to find and check one. If we provide a paid service, we explain our professional fees and give you a written estimate before any work starts.