Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island issue invitations for provincial immigration

Four Canadian provinces have invited candidates to apply for provincial immigration in the latest round of published draw results.

These draws are in addition to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) only Express Entry draw that occurred on May 10. In the draw, 589 PNP candidates received Invitations to Apply (ITAs). They required a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 691. This was the fourth PNP-only Express Entry draw of 2023.

The PNP was created in 1998 to help provinces attract economic immigrants who are the most likely to integrate easily and economically establish within the province. This is meant to help spread the benefits of immigration throughout Canada rather than remaining concentrated in a few urban centres. All Canadian provinces and territories, except Quebec and Nunavut, have a PNP.

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Quebec has a separate agreement with the federal government that allows it to select all economic immigrants who wish to settle in the province.

Provincial immigration results May 5-12

Ontario

Ontario invited 5,196 candidates over four draws in the past week.

On May 5, the province invited 1,863 candidates in a targeted draw for tech occupations under the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities Stream. Candidates needed a CRS score in the range of 475-482.

Ontario invited 2,349 candidates on May 8 in a draw targeting health care occupations. These candidates were also in the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream and needed a minimum CRS score of 427.

There were also two draws on May 9. The first was under Employer Job Offer: International Student stream. The province invited 584 candidates in both tech and health occupations. All candidates needed a score of 62 or higher.

The second May 9 draw invited 400 candidates from the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream with minimum scores of 43. Candidates only received an invitation if their country of residence is Canada and they had job offers in targeted skilled trades occupations.

Quebec

Quebec invited 802 candidates to apply for permanent selection under the Quebec Regular Skilled Worker program. Each candidate needed a minimum score of 571. The draw took place on May 1 and the results were posted on May 4.

The province targeted candidates with a variety of National Occupational Classification codes and job offers outside the territory of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal.

While Quebec has autonomy over the selection of all economic immigrants in the province, candidates who are successful in obtaining a Quebec Selection Certificate must still apply to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) if they wish to become permanent residents.

British Columbia

Also on May 9, British Columbia invited more than 150 candidates in four targeted draws for the Skilled Worker and International Graduate streams of the BC PNP. Draws included Express Entry candidates.

The largest draw targeted 93 candidates with tech occupations and a minimum score of 90 in the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). The SIRS acts like the CRS for the BC PNP.

The remaining three draws targeted 34 early childhood educators, 23 candidates with healthcare occupations and less than five candidates in other priority occupations. Each draw had a minimum SIRS score of 60.

Prince Edward Island

PEI held a small draw that invited 122 candidates under the Labour and Express Entry streams of the PEI PNP. The draw took place on May 4.

Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest province but has one of the highest rates of admissions for newcomers under the PNP. According to data from Census 2021, PEI has the third highest share of recent economic immigrants selected as provincial nominees.

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