The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is a federal-provincial/territorial immigration program that allows Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals for permanent residence based on local labour market needs, economic priorities, and community interests. It is one of Canada's largest permanent residence pathways by volume. A provincial or territorial nomination does not itself grant permanent residence — it is the first step of a two-stage process, with IRCC making the final federal PR decision.

The PNP operates through two federal application streams: the Express Entry-linked stream (which adds 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points and results in a near-certain invitation to apply) and the non-Express Entry stream (a paper-based PR application process). For current participating provinces and territories, nomination criteria, and processing times, refer to the IRCC PNP page.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), s 8(1) and federal-provincial agreements — the legal basis for provincial nomination
• IRCC: Provincial Nominee Program — canada.ca/provincial-nominees
• IRCC: PNP Express Entry process — canada.ca/provincial-nominees/express-entry
• IRCC: PNP Non-Express Entry process — canada.ca/provincial-nominees/non-express-entry
• IRCC: How the PNP works — canada.ca/provincial-nominees/works

The two-step process

The PNP involves two distinct steps:

1. Provincial or territorial nomination: The applicant applies directly to a participating province or territory through that jurisdiction's skilled migration program. Each province/territory has its own eligibility criteria, streams, and processes. If approved, the applicant receives a provincial nomination certificate.
2. Federal permanent residence application: The nominee applies to IRCC for federal permanent residence. IRCC assesses the nominee against federal admissibility requirements (health, character, etc.). Provincial nomination does not guarantee federal PR — IRCC makes the final decision.

Express Entry-linked stream — enhanced nomination

If the applicant already has a profile in the Express Entry pool (under FSW, FST, or CEC), and is nominated by a province or territory through an Express Entry-aligned PNP stream, they receive an enhanced nomination that adds 600 CRS points to their Express Entry score. This is sufficient to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in the next available Express Entry draw. The applicant then applies for PR through Express Entry on an accelerated timeline. The 600-point bonus effectively makes an Express Entry-linked PNP nomination a near-certain path to an ITA, regardless of the applicant's underlying CRS score.

Not all PNP streams are Express Entry-linked — provinces and territories run both Express Entry-aligned and non-Express Entry streams. For current eligible Express Entry-aligned PNP streams by province and territory, refer to the IRCC PNP Express Entry eligibility page.

Non-Express Entry stream — paper-based process

Nominees who are not in the Express Entry pool, or who are nominated through a non-Express Entry stream, apply for federal PR through the non-Express Entry (paper-based) process. This is a direct PR application to IRCC using the PR Portal (or paper application in exceptional circumstances). Processing times for the non-Express Entry PNP stream are generally longer than for Express Entry-linked nominations. For current processing times, refer to the IRCC processing times tool.

Participating provinces and territories

The following 11 provinces and territories participate in the PNP:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

Quebec does not participate in the PNP — it has its own separate immigration selection system under the Canada-Quebec Accord, including the Quebec Skilled Worker Program and Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). Nunavut does not have a PNP.

What each province/territory decides

Each participating province and territory independently determines:

• Which streams to operate and their eligibility criteria (occupation lists, experience types, employer-tied streams, entrepreneur streams, graduate streams, etc.)
• How many nominations to issue each year (subject to their annual federal allocation)
• Whether to actively search the Express Entry pool for candidates to invite (some provinces use this "Expression of Interest" approach and invite candidates to apply)
• Whether a job offer in the province/territory is required for nomination

IRCC sets the annual nomination allocation for each province and territory. Each jurisdiction may not exceed its allocation. Allocations are announced in the federal immigration levels plan. For current allocations, refer to the IRCC PNP page or each province's skilled migration website.

Federal admissibility — IRCC's role

IRCC is responsible for assessing the federal admissibility of PNP applicants — including health requirements, criminal inadmissibility, security inadmissibility, and financial requirements. A provincial nomination is strong evidence in favour of permanent residence but does not bind IRCC. In rare cases, IRCC may decline a provincial nominee if they do not meet federal admissibility requirements. IRCC can also refuse to process a nomination if the nomination was obtained improperly or if the nominee does not meet the minimum federal requirements.

PNP and the 2026 Express Entry category-based draws

In February 2026, IRCC announced updated Express Entry categories for 2026 priority draws — including researchers, senior managers with Canadian experience, and transport occupations (pilots, aircraft mechanics, inspectors). Express Entry-linked PNP nominees are typically invited through general CRS draws or dedicated PNP draws within Express Entry. For current draw history and category information, refer to the category-based draws page and the IRCC Express Entry rounds of invitations page.

The PNP is a significant pathway because it allows applicants who may not have a competitive CRS score in Express Entry to access permanent residence through provincial nomination — and once nominated through an Express Entry-linked stream, the 600-point bonus makes the ITA essentially guaranteed in the next draw. However, the PNP is not a single program — it is 11 separate provincial/territorial programs, each with different streams, occupation requirements, and intake management. Applicants must research the specific province or territory they are targeting. For current provincial and territorial PNP streams, eligibility criteria, and intake status (some streams open and close regularly), refer directly to the skilled migration page of the relevant province or territory, linked from the IRCC PNP page.