Increase your PR prospects by taking advantage of Canada’s various Expression of Interest systems

Many Canadian immigration programs use an expression of interest (EOI) system to select candidates for permanent residence (PR).

Canada's immigration system allows candidates to submit EOIs across multiple immigration programs, effectively allowing those seeking PR to boost their chances by doing so.

See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams

This article delves into what you can and can’t do when it comes to submitting EOIs across multiple programs, and how to handle the invitation stage.

The three primary economic immigration pathways in Canada include Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

Express Entry

Being considered for PR through the Express Entry system requires meeting the eligibility criteria for at least one of the programs under it, and entering the candidate pool by submitting an EOI.

You can only have one EOI under Express Entry at a time but can be eligible for more than one program at once—with the immigration department inviting candidates in this order: Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program, then Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Based on the factors in your profile, you're given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and the top-ranking candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in upcoming draws.

You can have an active Express Entry profile while simultaneously having an active EOI for a different PR pathway, like a PNP.

With an ITA in hand, you can submit a PR application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

If you get an ITA through Express Entry, you can even apply to IRCC for PR using that invitation, and still remain an active candidate through other PR programs, such as through Quebec’s Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) or a PNP-run program in case you are unsuccessful with that application.

Provincial Nominee Program

Obtaining PR through the PNP requires you to first obtain a provincial nomination, and then once you have a nomination, you can then apply to IRCC for PR.

To get a nomination, you must meet the eligibility requirements for one of the PNP’s streams and demonstrate an intent to reside in the nominating province.

One PNP, multiple streams: Submitting more than one EOI to a PNP depends on whether the province in question permits it. Some provinces, like Ontario, allow you to have one EOI per stream—others, like Manitoba, state you can only have one active EOI at any given time across the whole program.

More than one PNP: At the EOI stage, you can submit your profile for consideration to as many provinces as you want, because at this stage you are not required to demonstrate an intention to reside.

Intent to reside is a core requirement of Canada’s PNPs and means you genuinely plan to live and settle in the nominating province or territory. Proof typically includes a written statement of intent to reside, and evidence such as provincial ties (e.g., job offers, family, housing plans).

It’s important to know, however, that if you receive an invitation to apply for provincial nomination through more than one province’s PNP, you must choose one. You cannot have two provincial nomination applications in progress at one time, as at this stage you are required to demonstrate a commitment to reside in the nominating province.

To have two active provincial nominations in progress at once would constitute misrepresentation, for which there are serious consequences (such as application refusals, removal from Canada, and even a five-year ban from entering Canada).

Express Entry and PNP: When it comes to Express Entry, you are lawfully permitted to have, at the same time, an active EOI in the federal Express Entry system and with a PNP—in fact, doing so increases your chance of getting PR.

Most provinces have streams that are Express Entry-aligned (enhanced), in addition to non-Express Entry-linked streams (base).

Candidates with profiles in both the Express Entry system and an enhanced PNP stream can even add their provincial nomination to their Express Entry profile, affording them 600 extra CRS points and essentially guaranteeing them an ITA in an upcoming draw.

Having an Express Entry profile also makes you visible to provinces with enhanced streams—they scan the Express Entry pool and send a notification of interest (NOI) to suitable candidates. This is an invitation to apply for provincial nomination through a PNP’s stream.

A PR hopeful can receive a NOI from more than one province at a time through their Express Entry profile but cannot proceed with more than one provincial nomination application at once. In such cases, the individual must reject the other(s).

Further, you can also generally submit an EOI for both a PNP enhanced and base stream at the same time provided you meet eligibility criteria for each, unless a province specifies you cannot have more than one EOI—oftentimes due to system limitations.

Remember, at the EOI stage, you are not required to demonstrate an intent to reside, so you can even have an EOI under Express Entry + one or more PNP programs + Quebec’s Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) + the AIP, and more.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams

Atlantic Immigration Program

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) provides a PR pathway for skilled workers and certain international graduates seeking to settle in an Atlantic province—New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, or Nova Scotia.

It’s an employer-driven program, requiring foreign nationals to obtain a job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada; the employer must also get this job offer endorsed by the province.

With an endorsement certificate in hand, you can apply for PR.

Many provinces have begun to move toward an EOI model for their immigrant selection process, including through the AIP—treating initial forms or applications completed by the candidate or employer as an EOI.

In order to submit an EOI (under AIPs that use such a model), you must have a job offer—so, you won’t be able to be considered under the AIP across multiple provinces unless you have job offers in all those provinces.

You can be considered under multiple AIPs up until the point you get an endorsement certificate from one, as possessing this shows you intend to reside in that Atlantic province.

And unless an Atlantic province explicitly states otherwise, you are generally permitted to have an active EOI and PNP application with them at the same time, meaning you can seek provincial nomination through the PNP, while your EOI for that province’s AIP is being processed.

At the same time, you can have an active Express Entry profile and select that you’re interested in the settling in one or more Atlantic or non-Atlantic provinces, allowing them to reach out to you with an NOI as they search for desirable candidates.

Fictional example

Rayesha has lived and worked on a Post-Graduation Work Permit in Alberta for two years as a dental assistant, and before that, she studied in Saskatchewan, where her family lives.

Rayesha wants to obtain Canadian PR; she would prefer to settle in Alberta but also has ties to Saskatchewan.

She qualifies under CEC, and creates an Express Entry profile, indicating she is interested in immigrating to Alberta and Saskatchewan. She has a CRS score of 505—which is lower than recent cut-off scores for CEC draws through Express Entry.

To increase her chances of getting PR, she submits an EOI to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) under the Alberta Opportunity Stream, after receiving a job offer.

At the same time, she submits an EOI under the International Skilled Worker: Occupations in Demand Stream of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), which does not require a job offer.

After three months, the SINP issues her an invitation to apply for provincial nomination, and she does so. While her provincial nomination application is still processing, the AAIP issues her an invitation as well.

Because she already has a provincial nomination application in process with the SINP (and has declared an intent to reside there), she cannot submit another application with the AAIP without withdrawing the other.

Since she would prefer to settle in Alberta, she withdraws her nomination application with Saskatchewan and then submits one with Alberta—and is successful.

With her provincial nomination in hand, she applies to IRCC for PR.

A note on Quebec

Candidates can have an EOI in the Quebec Arrima pool and elsewhere simultaneously at the EOI stage, but if they get an invitation from Quebec and choose to pursue it (which requires showing an intent to reside in Quebec), they cannot also pursue an ITA through any other program that involves immigration outside Quebec (e.g., Express Entry or PNP).

This is because Express Entry is for settling specifically outside Quebec, and pursuing nomination through the PNP requires an intent to reside in that province—i.e., not Quebec.

This would create a conflict and is classified as misrepresentation.

See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams