Provincial Nominee Program - Frequently Asked Questions

Most provinces in Canada have an agreement with the Government of Canada that allows them to nominate immigrants who wish to settle in that province. If you choose to immigrate to Canada as a provincial nominee, you must first apply to the province where you wish to settle and complete its provincial nomination process. The province will consider your application based on its immigration needs and your genuine intention to settle there.

Most provinces in Canada have an agreement with the Government of Canada that allows them to nominate immigrants who wish to settle in that province. If you choose to immigrate to Canada as a provincial nominee, you must first apply to the province where you wish to settle and complete its provincial nomination process. The province will consider your application based on its immigration needs and your genuine intention to settle there.

Here is a list of the provinces and territories currently participating in this program:

• Alberta PNP (AINP) - FAQ
• British Columbia PNP -FAQ
• Manitoba PNP - FAQ
• New Brunswick PNP - FAQ
• Newfoundland and Labrador PNP - FAQ
• Northwest Territories PNP (NTNP) - FAQ
• Nova Scotia PNP - FAQ
• Ontario PNP - - FAQ
• Prince Edward Island PNP - FAQ
• Saskatchewan PNP (SINP) - FAQ
• Yukon PNP (YNP) - FAQ

After you have been nominated by a province or territory, you have to make a separate application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for permanent residence. A CIC officer will then assess your application based on Canadian immigration regulations.

A provincial nominee is an individual whose application for permanent residence has been approved by the Government of a province (other than Quebec) and forwarded to a Citizenship and Immigration Canada visa office for final decision. A Nominee receives a confirmation letter when his/her file is sent to the visa post.

Nomination under Provincial Nominee Programs does not constitute approval of your application for immigration to Canada. Final authority to issue immigration visas rests solely with Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Processing times vary, however, successful provincial nominee applicants typically receive permanent resident status considerably faster than individuals applying through other immigration programs.

No. Applications for individuals who have an active refugee claim will not be processed under tProvincial Nominee Programs.

Yes you can still apply. You must advise the Provincial Nominee Program of the refusal and provide copies of all correspondence related to the refusal. The correspondence must include sufficient information to allow the Immigration Program officer to evaluate the reasons for your refusal.

Having friends or relatives in another province does not automatically cause an application to be refused. However, the program must be convinced that the applicant will not come to Canada and reside in the province where those friends or relatives currently live. It is up to the Applicant to convince the program of his/her sincerity to settle in the province.

A person who is nominated as a Provincial Nominee, his or her spouse/common-law partner and dependent children, will ALL be required to have a medical examination, in accordance with regulations set by Citizenship & Immigration Canada. Any related costs are the responsibility of the applicant. Successful applicants will receive further instructions from the embassy, high commission or consulate regarding how and when to complete these tasks.

All applicants over the age of 18 will require a background check which will include security, criminality and related checks. Any costs are the responsibility of the applicant.