Provincial Nominee Programs

Canada introduced the Express Entry system in January 2015 as a better way to help manage permanent resident applications through the use of online submissions. Many PNP streams currently use Express Entry for their programs, especially streams that are targeted at skilled workers. Some of the more well-known Express Entry programs include the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

In order to apply for a PNP stream using the Express Entry system, the applicant will need to do the following to begin their application:

1. The applicant will first need to research available PNP express entry streams in which the applicant can meet the eligibility criteria
2. The applicant gathers the necessary supporting documents
3. The applicant creates an Express Entry profile online
4. If found to be a suitable candidate, the applicant will then be approved for nomination and will then receive a certificate of nomination which they can use to apply for Canadian permanent residence status

Applicants will need to submit the necessary information about themselves, their skills, background, education, and work experience when creating their Express Entry profile. The applicant’s information will then be used to assign the applicant points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), a point-based system used to help assign value to applicants. Applicants in the candidate pool who have the highest scores in their Express Entry profile will have greater chances to receive PNP nominations for Canadian permanent residency.

If a candidate is chosen to apply for permanent residence, they will have 60 days to submit their application to the federal government along with the necessary supporting documents. Applications for permanent residency are usually processed by the Canadian government within 6 months or less.

Irish citizens applying for a PNP stream through Express Entry will need to gather information from the following supporting documents in order to set up their online profile:

• A valid passport or travel document
• Language test results
• Proof of Canadian education or an educational credential assessment report (this is needed if you are applying through the Federal Skilled Workers Program or if you would like to get points for the education you got outside Canada)
• A certificate of nomination from a PNP (if you have already received one)
• A written valid job offer from a Canadian employer (if you already have one)
• Proof of sufficient funds for travel and resettlement

Certain documents will need to be submitted at different stages of the application process. Although the applicant needs the information found in these documents, the documents will not need to be uploaded into the system to confirm until much later in the application process.

Express Entry candidates who are approved for a permanent residency nomination from a PNP will then need to upload all of the supporting documents to their Express Entry profile. In addition, they will also need to upload the following supporting documents:

• Police certificates
• Medical exams
• Proof of funds
• Birth certificate (this is required if you are declaring dependent children)
• Use of a Representative Form (this is required if you have hired a representative to help with your application)
• Common-law union form (this is required if you have declared your marital status as “common-law”
• Marriage certificate (if you are married)
• Divorce certificate and legal separation agreement (if you are divorced)
• Spouse’s death certificate (if you declared your marital status as “widowed”)
• Adoption certificate (if you have dependent children who are adopted)

If a candidate is interested in strengthening their permanent residency application, he/she can also include the following supporting documents to their Express Entry profile:

• Proof of relationship to any Canadian citizen family members (if applicable)
• Digital photos to confirm your identity
• Any other name you may have had in the past (to confirm aliases)
• Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual Form
• Any other documents that you feel are important to your application

If an applicant receives a provincial nomination from a PNP that is not aligned with the Express Entry system, the applicant will then need to apply for permanent residency via a paper-based application process. In this process, nominees will need to send off their paper-based application by mail to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) instead of applying for permanent resident status online.

Further specific instructions on how to apply by post will be communicated to the candidate in the application package that they will receive after being approved for a nomination.

All fees associated with the permanent residency application will need to be paid online regardless of whether or not the application is paper-based or online-based. After the necessary application fees are paid, the applicant will then need to schedule an appointment for the collection of biometric information such as fingerprints and a photo.

After the fees have been paid and the biometric information has been collected, the application will then be transferred to the Centralized Intake Office in Canada where it will be processed. If approved for Canadian permanent residency, the permanent residency case will then be transferred to the nominee’s local visa office abroad who will issue the necessary travel documents.

Irish nationals who would like to immigrate to Canada as permanent residents will need to meet certain language proficiency requirements in either English, French, or both. The exact language requirements regarding what specific language and what degrees of proficiency must be achieved are particular to each Provincial Nominee Program.

For example, Provincial Nominee Programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program or National Occupation Classification (NOC) require each applicant to undergo mandatory testing and achieve a certain score in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) system in order to be eligible. The applicant must have their language ability tested in either English, French, or both. Areas of language ability tested include reading, writing, speaking ability, and listening comprehension.

A copy of the applicant’s language results will need to be included in their Canadian permanent residence application submission to the IRCC (if applying by a paper-based application) or in their online Express Entry profile.