Provincial Nominee Programs
If you are a British citizen looking to settle in Canada from the UK, you may be eligible for permanent resident status through the Provincial nominee program (PNP).
If you need assistance with your application to a Canadian Provincial nominee program, give us a call at 0333 305 9375. We are here to help you online, over the phone, or in person.
Page Content:
- What is a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)?
- What Provincial Nominee Programs are available in Canada?
- What are the requirements for the PNP?
- How do you apply to a PNP?
- What is Express Entry (EE)?
- What documents are needed for Express Entry?
- What documents are needed for Permanent Residence?
- How do you apply for permanent residency via a paper-based application?
- What are the language requirements for a PNP?
- What are the PNP and Permanent Residence fees?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)?
Provincial Nominee Programs were created in 1998 for the purpose of helping spread immigration evenly across Canada. These Canadian immigration programs allow Canadian provinces and territories (with the exception of the Province of Quebec which uses a different system) to nominate skilled individuals for permanent resident status in Canada.
Although an individual is nominated for permanent residence, it is not guaranteed unless the Canadian government grants it at the federal level. Therefore, Provincial Nominee Programs are often considered as a two-part immigration process for acquiring Canadian permanent residence.
Each Canadian province or territory creates its own eligibility criteria for each specific PNP. In order to be eligible for a PNP, applicants must demonstrate that they have the necessary skills, education, and work experience required for the program. Furthermore, they must show interest in settling in Canada as well as show that they have the potential to make a positive contribution to the local economy and community.
If the applicant is found to be a suitable candidate, they will receive and certificate of nomination which they can use to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
What Provincial Nominee Programs are available in Canada?
Every Provincial Nominee Program consists of multiple sub-programs and categories known as streams. Streams are immigration programs that target certain groups of people such as students, entrepreneurs or business people, skilled workers, semi-skilled workers, etc to a specific province or territory.
Every Canadian province and territory has its own PNP with its own streams specific to the needs of the region. Altogether there are over 80 different provincial nominee programs with each its own set of specified criteria. Some PNP streams come on a first-come, first-serve basis where applications are accepted in the order they are processed before reaching their quota.
Below is a list of some of the Provincial Nominee Programs and their streams or pathways.
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)
Streams available include:
- French-Speaking Skilled Workers stream
- Human Capital Priorities stream
- Skilled Trades stream
- Entrepreneur stream
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream (operates on an expression of interest system).
- Employer Job Offer: International Students stream (operates on an expression of interest system).
- Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream (operates on an expression of interest system).
- Masters Graduate stream (operates on an expression of interest system).
- Ph.D. Graduate streams (operates on an expression of interest system)
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
Pathways include:
- Skills Immigration (for skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations).
- Express Entry BC (for skilled workers)
- Entrepreneur Immigration stream
Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
Streams include:
- Alberta Opportunity Stream (for foreign workers)
- Alberta Express Entry Stream (for foreign workers)
- International Graduate Entrepreneur Immigration Stream
- Self-Employed Farmer Stream
- Foreign Graduate Start-up Visa Stream
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
Streams include:
- Skilled Workers Stream
- International Education Stream
- Business Investor Stream
Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
Streams include:
- International Skilled Worker Stream
- Saskatchewan Experience Stream
- Entrepreneur and Farm Stream
Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
Streams include:
- Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities
- Labour Market Priorities for Physicians
- Physician
- Entrepreneur
- International Graduate Entrepreneur
- International Graduates In Demand
- Skilled Worker
- Occupations in Demand
- Nova Scotia Experience: Express Entry
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
Streams include:
- NB Skilled Worker Stream
- NB Express Entry Stream
- NB Business Immigration stream
Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
Streams include:
- Prince Edward Island Express Entry Stream
- Prince Edward Island Critical Workers Stream
- Skilled Worker in Prince Edward Island Stream
- Skilled Workers Outside Canada Stream
- The Atlantic Immigration Pilot
- International Graduate Stream
- Business Start-Up and Entrepreneurship
Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)
Streams include:
- Express Entry Skilled Worker
- Skilled Worker
- International Graduate
- International Entrepreneur Category
- International Graduate Entrepreneur Category
Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
Streams include:
- Business Stream
- Employer-Driven Stream
- Express Entry Stream
Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)
Streams include:
- Yukon Skilled Worker
- Yukon Express Entry
- Yukon Critical Impact Worker
- Yukon Business Nominee
- Yukon Community Pilot

What are the requirements for the PNP?
UK nationals looking to resettle in Canada from the UK via a PNP will have to meet the following basic requirements in order to be considered for nomination:
- Candidates must possess the skills, education, and work experience to contribute to the local economy of the province or territory to which they are applying
- Candidates must be seeking to live in the Canadian province or territory where they are applying
- Candidates are seeking permanent residency in Canada
In addition, the candidates must also meet the specific requirements for the stream or pathway to which they are applying to. Those whose PNP application is approved will need to apply for permanent residency within the time frame set forth in their approval notice. Instructions on how to apply for residency, for example, either through the Express Entry System or via a paper-based application system, will be detailed to the nominee after they receive their certificate of nomination. In general, those who applied to a PNP through Express Entry will need to also apply for permanent residence via the Express Entry system.
How do you apply to a PNP?
The first step when applying to a PNP is researching and finding the right program for you. Of course, this will all depend on what province or territory you are looking to move to from the UK and which ones are currently open and available.
After you have found a suitable PNP stream to apply to, you will then need to submit your application along with all the necessary relevant documents to the PNP stream either through the Express Entry system or another submission system.
If you are successful and your application is chosen, the province or territory where you applying will then nominate you for Canadian permanent residency by sending you a Provincial nomination certificate. You will need this certification when applying for permanent residence in Canada. Those who applied for a PNP through Express Entry will need to submit their application online whereas those who did not apply via an express entry stream will need to apply through a paper-based application.
What is Express Entry (EE)?
In January 2015, Canada introduced the Express Entry system as a better way to help manage permanent resident applications. Currently, many PNP streams use Express Entry as their nomination programs, particularly for streams targeted at skilled workers with university or college degrees who are also moderately proficient in English and/or French languages. Some of these Express Entry programs include the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class, or the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Those who are applying a PNP stream aligned with the Express Entry system will need to do the following in order to begin their application:
- Research available PNP express entry streams in which the applicant meets the eligibility requirements
- Gather the required documents
- Create an EE profile online
- Receive a nomination to apply for Canadian permanent residence (if approved).
When creating an online profile, the applicant will need to submit the necessary information about themselves, their skills, background, education, and work experience. This information will be used to assign the applicant points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The CRS is a point-based system used to help assign value to applicants. Candidates with the highest scores in their EE profile in the candidate pool will most likely be chosen to receive PNP nominations for Canadian permanent residency.
Those who are invited to apply have 60 days to submit their application to the federal government along with the necessary supporting documents. Permanent residence applications are usually processed by the Canadian government within 6 months or less.
What documents are needed for Express Entry?
British citizens applying for a PNP stream aligned with Express Entry will need to gather the following 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. Some documents will not need to be immediately uploaded to the online profile until much later but the applicant will still need the information contained in these documents.

What documents are needed for Permanent Residence?
If an Express Entry candidate is successful and receives a permanent residency nomination from a PNP program, the nominee 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 settlement 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)
To help strengthen the permanent residency application, the applicant may 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
How do you apply for permanent residency via a paper-based application?
Individuals who received a nomination but did not apply through an Express Entry aligned PNP stream will have to apply for permanent residency via a paper-based application process. Instead of applying online for permanent resident status, nominees will instead send off their paper-based application by mail to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Further instructions on how to do this along with the necessary forms and documents to be included in the application will be communicated to the applicant in the application package that they receive when they are given their certificate of nomination.
Although the paper application must be submitted by mail to the IRCC, any fees associated with the application will need to be paid online. In addition to the payment of fees, the applicant will also need to schedule an appointment for the collection of biometric information such as fingerprints and a photo. After the fees are paid and biometrics are submitted, the application will then be transferred to the Centralized Intake Office in Canada where they will process the application. If the nominee is approved for Canadian permanent residency, their case will then be transferred to the nominee’s local visa office abroad.

What are the language requirements for a PNP?
Foreign nationals looking to immigrate to Canada as permanent residents will need to meet certain language proficiency requirements in English, French, or both.
The exact requirements regarding what language and what degrees of proficiency must be achieved will be specific to each Provincial Nominee Program. For example, PNPs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program or National Occupation Classification (NOC) require the applicant to undergo mandatory testing and achieve a certain score in the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) system.
Language abilities such as reading, writing, speaking ability, and listening comprehension will be tested in both English and French.
It should be noted that all applicants applying for permanent residence will need to include a copy of their language results in their application submission to the IRCC (if applying by a paper-based application) or include their language test results in their online Express Entry profile.
What are the PNP and Permanent Residence fees?
The fees for applying to both a Provincial Nominee Program and Canadian permanent residence are as follows:
- Provincial nominee processing fee: $825
- Right of permanent residence fee: $500
- Provincial nominee processing fee for your spouse or partner (if applicable): $825
- Right of permanent residence fee for your dependent child (if applicable): $500
- Biometrics: $85
- Biometrics (for a family of 2 or more): $170
- Educational Credential Assessments: $300
- Language Tests: costs will vary but expect to pay around $300 per test
- Medical exams: costs will vary
- Miscellaneous costs for certified translation, notaries, and any other necessary documents: costs will vary
All fees will need to be paid in Canadian dollars. It should also be noted, that the applicant is also responsible for the payment of applications fees to each specific PNP stream they are applying to, the cost of which will vary depending on the province or territory.

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Frequently Asked Questions
Applicants applying to a PNP application will often receive a decision on their candidacy within 6 months if applying through Express Entry and within 1-2 years if applying through a non-Express Entry PNP program. Normally, processing times will largely depend on the program and region where a candidate is applying.
In general, most people wait between 15-19 months for both their PNP application and permanent residence application to be processed. For more information on the expected waiting time for this Canadian immigration process, seek the counsel of a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant who can provide you with the latest up-to-date information.
Some PNP streams are very popular and are barraged with a great number of applications. To help manage the applications and make sure that the PNP is attracting the right candidate, some PNPs use an expression of interest system. This means that the PNP will screen candidates by asking them first to submit information to an online profile such as their educational background, work experience, language skills, etc.
The program will then use this information to pick and choose candidates who they believe will make a suitable candidate for their program. If chosen, the applicant will then be invited to apply for that specific PNP stream.
UK citizens who wish to retire in Canada will need to secure a long-term resident permit. Since Canada prioritizes the immigration of individuals who can help grow and contribute to the Canadian economy, it is best to obtain permanent resident status in Canada before you retire.
Some UK citizens may be eligible to apply for family sponsorship as a means to obtain a long-term residence permit in Canada. For instance, British nationals who are related to Canadian citizens, Canadian permanent residents, or a person registered as an Indian under the Canadian Indian Act can sponsor a UK citizen for permanent residence in Canada under various immigration programs. For more information, consult with an immigration lawyer who can help assess your eligibility and guide you through the sponsorship process.
Individuals between the ages of 18-30 years of age may be eligible for the International Experience Canada Program. This program provides temporary work permits for up to 2 years to individuals from eligible countries (including the UK) who would like to work and live in Canada.