The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can be the best option for many foreign nationals looking to secure Canadian permanent residence. It is a framework where
Get Canadian Permanent Residence Via The PNP
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can be the best option for many foreign nationals looking to secure Canadian permanent residence. It is a framework where provinces nominate individuals for PR according to their specific economic and demographic needs. Individuals might have the best chance of obtaining Canadian PR if they do not qualify for category-based draws or have a high CRS score.
How can you get PR through PNP?
The PNP requires two steps to grant Canadian permanent residency. You need to first secure a provincial nomination. You will apply for permanent residence (PR) through IRCC, the immigration department of the Canadian federal government, following a provincial nomination. Along with meeting the requirements of the specific PNP stream, you must also show that you intend to live in the province or territory that is nominating you to receive a provincial or territorial nomination.
Enhanced & Base PNP Streams
The federal Express Entry system relates to enhanced PNP streams. You must always maintain a current Express Entry profile and fulfill all other stream requirements for eligibility for an enhanced stream. On the other hand, Express Entry is not integrated with base PNPs.
There are three reasons for the difference between these matters.
1. Eligibility
Enhanced Stream Eligibility:
Federal and provincial authorities supervise enhanced streams, which are connected to the Express Entry system.
To qualify for an enhanced stream, your Express Entry profile should be active, and you should meet the requirements for one of the federal programs below.
Enhanced PNP streams are not available for you if your NOC is TEER 4 or 5 as all the programs require an occupation under the National Occupation Classification TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. Depending on the size of your family, you will also need to have the settlement funds, which are required for Express Entry unless you qualify for one of the settlement funds exemptions (e.g., for Canadian Experience Class, having a job available, and work permit).
You must also have the following on your Express Entry Profile:
- Language test approval
- Educational Credentials Assessments (ECAs) for all degrees
The main advantage of enhanced streams is that they process your PR application more quickly after receiving a nomination and applying to the federal government. Enhanced streams usually take six months to process, while base streams take twelve months.
Base Streams Eligibility:
Base streams are controlled under the province. You can be eligible for a base PNP stream without having an Express Entry profile, and after this;
- One of the three programs of Express Entry does not require you to fulfill the eligibility requirements.
- The PNP stream does not require you to have a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation.
- Settlement money is not required unless the stream specifically demands it.
ECAs and language test results are also not required for many base PNPs, though they are usually required during the application process.
2. Consideration
Depending on if you wish to be considered for an enhanced stream or a base stream, the consideration process for each type of stream is determined by the province or territory. The consideration process will be open for base PNP streams, which means that for the PNP to consider you as a candidate, you must do something.
In an enhanced stream, there is active and passive consideration.
Active
Expressing interest in joining the PNPs EOI pool or submitting a direct application to the PNP are two ways to participate in an active consideration process.
Direct: Apply directly to the PNP, complete with all required documentation and information to be considered for nomination. After processing your application, the PNP will nominate you if you are selected. Usually, you need a job offer to qualify for a direct application stream.
Expression of Interest (EOI): Expressing your interest in a stream by clicking the provinces online expression of interest form. What data and supporting documentation to include in your EOI will be determined by the province. The EOI stage usually requires less documentation than an application. After reviewing the pool of EOIs, the province will usually ask its top picks to submit complete nomination applications on a regular basis.
Passive
Based on your Express Entry profile, the PNP will automatically consider you for enhanced passive streams. You will specify which provinces or territories you would like to live in when you create your Express Entry profile.
Provinces may use the Express Entry system to send you a notification or letter of interest if you choose one with an enhanced passive stream and you meet their requirements. Following receipt of that notification or letter of interest, you can submit a full application for provincial nomination. For some passive streams, you can not ask them to consider you unless you receive a letter of interest that allows you to apply.
3. Post Nomination
Whether you were nominated provincially through a base or enhanced stream will have an impact on how you apply for PR through the PNP.
Enhanced
To be eligible for an enhanced PNP stream that is aligned with Express Entry, you must update your Express Entry profile (or create one in some cases) and state that you have been nominated by a province. It will be up to the province or territory to electronically verify their nomination. To obtain this confirmation, you need to get in touch with the province directly using the method that they prefer (this varies by province or territory) and give them your information.
- Number of Express Entry profiles.
- The validation code for job seekers.
There will be 30 calendar days for you to accept the nomination after the province confirms. Your chances of getting an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for PR in a future Express Entry draw will be greatly increased if you accept it, as you will also receive 600 extra CRS points.
Base
If a province has nominated you through a base stream, you will be granted a provincial nomination certificate. This certificate will allow you to submit a completed application for permanent residence directly to the IRCC. Unless you need special accommodations, you should use the Permanent Residence Portal to submit your PR application. Applications for provincial immigration under Non-Express Entry currently take about 21 months to process.
Immigration Cost through the PNP
Using a PNP to immigrate to Canada can have a range of costs. You should anticipate payment if you are successful in securing PR through the PNP from beginning to end. All the fees mentioned below are in Canadian dollars.
Fees of Provincial Application
A single application fee is typically assessed by PNPs upon submission of a fully completed nomination application. Compared to the entrepreneur streams, the fee range is lower for the worker and graduate streams.
| Stream type | Provincial application fee range |
|---|---|
| Worker and international graduate streams | $0 to $2,500 |
| Entrepreneur streams | $0 to $10,000 |
Fees of Federal Immigration
Multiple federal immigration fees must be paid, and if you include additional family members on your application, you may be required to pay additional fees.
| Fee type | Fee amount |
| Processing fee for applications | $950 |
| Fee for Right of Permanent Residence | $575 |
| Biometrics | $85 per person |
| Inclusion of spouse or partner (if applicable), processing charge, and the cost of the right of permanent residence | $1,525 |
| Addition of dependents (if any) | $260 (per child) |
Third-Parties Costs
To get the necessary documents or services for your immigration application, you will usually have to pay fees to third parties (rather than the government) as part of the immigration process.
| Fee type | Fee amount |
|---|---|
| Language tests | $300 to $400 |
| Educational Credential Assessments (ECAs) | $210 to $260 |
| Medical exams | Varies, typically $100 to $320 |
| Translations of the Documents (If not English or French) | Varies, typically $20 to $60 per page |
| Police certifications | Varies by country |
Conclusion
If you are wondering where to start your PNP process, choose the best immigration consultant for your Canadian PR dream. CWC has been helping people immigrate to Canada through PNP since 2005 and offers complete personalized guidance throughout the process.