Provincial Nominee Programs

Most provinces and territories have agreements in place with the Government of Canada that allows them to nominate and select immigrants based on their own criteria. Each province and territory has their own selection criteria and programs. There are two types of Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications: Express Entry or Regular Program. 

To apply under the Regular PNP, a foreign national must:

1. First apply to one of the provinces or territories programs for a Nomination Certificate;
2. Once nominated by a province or territory, apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Immigration Canada) to become a permanent resident.
   
   

Nomination Certificates

Only once the Nomination Certificate is issued by the province or territory, a foreign national can then submit their application for permanent residence with Immigration Canada.  The foreign national will need to submit the required forms and supporting documentation to Immigration Canada, along with the Nomination Certificate. Immigration Canada will assess the foreign national against their own criteria, as well as completing the required medical and criminal inadmissibility assessments. If the application for permanent residence is successful, Immigration Canada will issue a document called a Confirmation of Permanent Residence. With this document, the foreign national may then complete the landing process in order to obtain permanent resident status. 

A Nomination Certificate is not a status document. If a foreign national is living and working in Canada, during the processing of their permanent residence application, he or she must continue to maintain valid status in Canada. The Nomination Certificate, along with a support letter from the issuing province or territory, can be used, however, to help extend one’s work permit.