The Provincial Nominee Program
How the Provincial Nominee Program works
Provinces and territories nominate eligible applicants through specific streams, built around their own labour market needs. IRCC assesses the permanent residence application that follows, including medical, security and criminal checks. Every case therefore involves two decisions: the nomination and the final PR decision.
Canada's 2026 to 2028 Immigration Levels Plan sets the 2026 PNP target at 91,500 permanent resident admissions. Most streams also require settlement intention: a genuine plan to live and work in the nominating province.
The PNP may be worth exploring if you
- have a CRS score below recent Express Entry (FSW) cut-offs
- work in an occupation that a provincial stream is targeting
- have Canadian work or study experience
- hold a valid job offer from an employer in a province
- have family or other qualifying connections to a province
Where you can apply
11 provinces and territories with PNP pathways
IRCC confirms that 11 provinces and territories run nominee programmes. Quebec and Nunavut do not, although Quebec selects skilled workers through its own system.
Routes
Enhanced or base: types of PNP nomination
Enhanced Nomination
You must qualify for the provincial stream and for one of the three Express Entry programmes. A nomination adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. The Invitation to Apply (ITA) still comes through an Express Entry round.
Base Nomination
You apply to the province or territory under a non-Express Entry stream. After a nomination, you submit your permanent residence application to IRCC. No CRS points are involved.
Category-Based Draws and the PNP
A nomination is not the only route to an invitation from the Express Entry pool. IRCC also holds category-based rounds for groups such as healthcare, STEM, trades, education, transport and French speakers. In these rounds, IRCC ranks candidates who meet the category criteria by CRS and invites the highest-ranked. Cut-offs vary by round. We assess both options together, because some profiles have a clearer path through a category than through a province.
The process
Canada PNP application process
Steps vary by province and stream. Most applications follow these stages.
- Stream eligibility. Your occupation, NOC duties, experience, language results and any job offer are checked against the stream's criteria.
- Expression of interest or invitation. Many streams require you to register an expression of interest and wait for an invitation, which is usually based on a provincial points score or a targeted draw. Others accept direct applications, and some invite candidates straight from the Express Entry pool.
- Provincial application and nomination. You submit your documents and the provincial fee within the deadline the province sets. The province reviews your eligibility, NOC duties and settlement intention, and issues a nomination if it approves.
- Federal PR application. Enhanced nominees accept the nomination in their Express Entry profile and apply after receiving an ITA. Base nominees apply to IRCC outside Express Entry, using the nomination certificate.
- IRCC decision. IRCC completes biometrics, medicals and background checks, then makes the final decision on permanent residence.
Eligibility
Canada PNP eligibility and requirements
There is no single PNP checklist. Each stream sets its own criteria, whether a provincial job offer, a target occupation, Canadian study, language scores or Express Entry eligibility. Some provinces invite candidates from the Express Entry pool by occupation or local priority, and a few offer a PNP without a job offer.
How our PNP assessment works
- Occupation review. We confirm your NOC code from your actual duties.
- Express Entry check. We confirm whether enhanced streams are open to you.
- Profile factors. We review your education, ECA, language results and Canadian connections.
- Live stream check. We confirm stream status on official provincial websites.
- Your shortlist. You receive the provinces and streams that suit your profile, with the reason each one fits, the criteria you already meet and any gap you would need to close.
- Next steps. We set out what to do first, such as a language retake, an ECA or an expression of interest, and which documents to start gathering.
Do not pay for a PNP pathway before confirming it is open to your profile.
Documents and costs
Canada PNP documents and application costs
Documents
Each stream sets its own list. Common items include passports, civil documents, language results, education documents with an ECA where required, and NOC-matched reference letters. Job-offer streams also need employer documents, such as the signed job offer and business details. Many streams ask for proof of settlement funds as well.
Provincial fees
Application fees vary by province and stream; check the current official requirements before you apply.
Federal fees
IRCC currently charges CAD 1,590 per principal applicant and the same for a spouse or partner, plus CAD 270 per dependent child. Biometrics cost CAD 85 per person, capped at CAD 170 per family. Check the IRCC fee list before you submit.
Why KINBRIDGE
Why applicants choose KINBRIDGE for the PNP
With 11 programmes and streams that change through the year, choosing the right province matters as much as the profile itself.
A Written Shortlist
No province is suggested until your occupation, experience, scores and Canadian connections have been weighed against what its streams require.
Live Stream Checks
Stream status is confirmed on official provincial websites, so you do not pay for a closed pathway.
Enhanced or Base, Explained
You will know whether an Express Entry linked stream or a base stream suits you better, and what each means for your timeline and costs.
NOC-Matched Documents
Reference letter duties are checked against your claimed occupation, which provinces and IRCC both scrutinise.
Separate Fee Breakdown
Our professional fees come to you in writing after your assessment, separate from provincial and IRCC fees.
Clear Limits
If a province is not realistic for your profile, we say so and explain what could change that.
Immigration guidance built around your profile, not promises.
FAQs
Your Canada PNP questions, answered
Can I apply for the Canada PNP from India?
Yes, through certain streams. Some provinces invite candidates from the Express Entry pool, and some employer streams accept overseas workers with a job offer. Many streams, however, target people already working or studying in the province.
Can I get a PNP without a job offer?
In some streams. A few Express Entry linked streams invite candidates by occupation or priority without a job offer. These change often, so check the stream when you apply.
Can I apply to more than one province?
Where programmes allow it, yes. The nomination you accept should come from a province where you intend to settle.