PEI invites 211 immigration candidates in first PNP draw of 2021

Prince Edward Island held its first scheduled draw of the year on January 21.

The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) issued a total of 211 invitations. A total of 196 of the invitations went to Express Entry and Labour Impact candidates.

Business Impact candidates received the remaining 15 invitations. The PEI PNP publishes the minimum point threshold for business candidates and in this draw they needed a score of 80 to be invited to apply for provincial nomination.

Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) allow Canada’s provinces and territories to select immigration candidates who meet their labour market needs. They sometimes align with Canada’s federal Express Entry system.

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PEI Express Entry Category

The PEI PNP’s Express Entry Category is an enhanced PNP, which means it works within the Canadian government’s Express Entry system.

Express Entry manages the applications for three economic-class immigration categories: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class.

Eligible candidates are given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for their age, work experience, education, and language proficiency in English and French.

Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are given an additional 600 points toward their CRS score and are effectively guaranteed an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

In order to be considered for a provincial nomination from PEI, Express Entry candidates need to create an EOI profile with the PEI PNP.

EOI profiles are given points based on the province’s unique points grid. The highest-scoring candidates are then invited to apply through monthly draws.

The PEI PNP did not provide a breakdown of how many Express Entry and Labour Impact candidates were invited, nor the minimum EOI score required for each category.

Labour Impact Category

The Labour Impact Category is for foreign nationals who have a valid job offer in PEI, and have support from their employer. It is divided into three streams: Skilled Worker, Critical Worker, and International Graduate.

Candidates in this category must also submit an EOI profile in order to be considered for a provincial nomination through the Labour Impact Category.

Business Impact Category

The 21 candidates who were invited through the Business Impact Category were issued invitations under the Work Permit Stream, which is for foreign entrepreneurs who want to own and operate a business in PEI.