This past week, Ontario held a large new Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw and BC held its weekly PNP invitation round.

Most Canadian provinces and territories (with the exception of Quebec and Nunavut) operate their own PNPs. Through these programs, interested candidates may be invited to apply for a provincial nomination. Although provincial nomination is not in itself the same as permanent residence, it can significantly increase the chances of obtaining permanent resident status.

For instance, PNP candidates with Express Entry profiles who receive a nomination get 600 points added to their score. They also become eligible to be invited to apply for a PNP-specific round of invitations. The first all-program draw since 2020 was held on July 6, and a total of 1,500 Express Entry candidates with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 557 received invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence. The next Express Entry draw is expected to take place next Wednesday, July 20.

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In the past week, two Canadian provinces have issued invitations to prospective immigrants as part of their PNP. Here are the details of these new draws.

British Columbia

The province of British Columbia typically holds a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) round of invitations on a weekly basis.

This week, rounds of invitations were held on July 12 under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). More than 164 candidates received invitations to apply for a provincial nomination in these draws.

A total of 132 of these candidates were invited through a general draw. These candidates must meet the requirements of one of British Columbia’s Express Entry BC or Skills Immigration categories, which are managed through the Skills and Immigration Registration System (SIRS).

Candidates who received invitations in this draw were from the Skilled Worker, International Graduate, and Entry Level and Semi-Skilled subcategories and needed a minimum provincial score between 78 and 130 depending on the stream.

For several weeks now, the province has also been holding rounds of invitations for candidates in specific occupations to meet the increased labour needs in certain sectors of the economy. This week, the province invited the following:

• 22 early childhood educators (NOC 4214) with scores of at least 60;
• 10 healthcare workers with scores of at least 70;
• less than five healthcare assistants (NOC 3413) with scores of at least 60; and
• less than five animal health technologists and veterinarians (NOC 3114 and NOC 3213) with scores of at least 60.

Ontario

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) invited 755 candidates who may be eligible for the Ontario Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream. These candidates needed to have a profile in the Express Entry system with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of at least 310. Ontario invited candidates who had created an Express Entry profile between the dates of July 14, 2021, and July 14, 2022.

Ontario’s Express Entry-linked Skilled Trades Stream offers a pathway to permanent residency for Federal Skilled Worker Program and Canadian Experience Class candidates. The OINP invites eligible candidates to apply for a provincial nomination.

To be eligible, candidates need to be living in Ontario with a valid work permit. They also need to have a minimum of one year of full-time work experience or the equivalent in part-time work. They must have completed this work experience in the province in a skilled trade listed in Minor Group 633 or Major Group 72, 73, or 82 under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC).

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

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