Newfoundland and Labrador boosts provincial immigration by 54%

Newfoundland and Labrador has been greenlighted to put 1,000 more workers on its permanent residence track.

The boost provides “greater capacity to respond to the workforce and demographic needs of employers, particularly in rural communities throughout the province and for government itself, especially related to healthcare, education, and social support activities,” according to a statement from the Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development (JGRD), in an email CIC News received on September 11, 2026, from a provincial spokesperson.

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The Canadian federal government approved the increase to the province’s annual quota for 2026 in August, according to the statement.

Newfoundland and Labrador has earmarked the additional 1,000 spaces for the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP), bringing the annual quota for the NLPNP up to 2,379.

Foreign nationals who are nominated by the NLPNP become provincial nominees and can apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence.

After a nominee submits their permanent residence application, they can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).

As of June 9, 2026, base PNP applicants can apply for BOWPs months faster, under a federal temporary measure waiving the need to have received an Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) for their permanent residence application.

Newfoundland and Labrador did not allot any additional spaces to provincial immigration through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). The annual quota for the AIP remains at 475, according to the statement.

There is a dedicated, employer-specific work permit issued for up to two years to foreign nationals endorsed for permanent residence through the AIP.

AIP applicants are not eligible for BOWPs.

At 2,854 spaces across both provincial immigration programs, Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2026 allocation has risen by 329 spaces from 2025 levels (2,525).

Alberta, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories have also received increases to their 2026 immigration quotas.

Provincial selection of skilled workers

To be selected by the province for provincial immigration and have the opportunity to apply to the federal government for permanent residence, a foreign national must

Meet the requirements for a provincial immigration pathway;
- A job offer is required under both the NLPNP and AIP, except for NLPNP entrepreneur streams.
Create an online Expression of Interest (EOI) profile and enter the candidate pool;
Receive an invitation to apply from the province in an upcoming draw;
Respond with a complete nomination (NLPNP) or endorsement (AIP) application within 60 days; and
- For the NLPNP, the candidate submits the application; for the AIP, it is the employer’s responsibility.
Be issued a certificate of nomination or endorsement by the province, after which a permanent residence application can be filed with the federal government.

The quota allotted by the federal government is for the number of certificates the province is allowed to issue in a given year, and is distinct from the sending out of provincial invitations, which may take place months prior.

As of September 10, Newfoundland and Labrador has invited 2,198 NLPNP candidates to apply for provincial nomination and 394 AIP candidates to apply for endorsement over the course of 2026.

The province provides a comprehensive list of factors that may guide its selection priorities on its official “Expression of Interest Model (EOI) Prioritization Criteria” web page, on which it notes that priorities may be adjusted throughout the year to reflect evolving labour market needs and annual allocations.

When publishing draw results on its “Invitations to Apply (ITA) Updates” web page, the province does not release draw-specific breakdowns on which NLPNP streams candidates were selected under, or the employment sectors targeted.

Each EOI profile in the candidate pool remains active for 12 months. Candidates who are not invited within that window must enter the pool again to remain eligible for future consideration.

As of the time of this writing, the wait times for PR applicants are as follows: