Maple News reports that six Canadian provinces — Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island — have issued new invitations for candidates to apply for provincial immigration, a major step toward securing permanent residency in Canada.
These invitations were made through each province’s individual streams under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), except Quebec, which operates under a separate federal agreement with full control over its economic immigration intake. While most of Canada’s provinces participate in the PNP to nominate skilled workers based on local labor needs, Quebec independently selects its permanent residents through its unique immigration policies and selection criteria.
The PNP plays a key role in Canada’s ambitious immigration strategy. According to the recently released 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to welcome 110,000 newcomers through the PNP in 2024, followed by 120,000 annually from 2025 onward. This increase aligns with IRCC’s Strategic Immigration Program, which emphasizes streamlined processes, better integration support for newcomers, and close collaboration with provinces to meet regional labor and demographic needs.
In the latest round of provincial activity from October 28 to November 3, Ontario issued invitations through its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), targeting candidates in the Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams. These draws were general, without restrictions on specific occupations, opening the door for a wide range of qualified graduates.
British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec also issued invitations to candidates through their respective immigration streams during this period. These provinces continue to tailor their selection criteria to match local labor demands, economic development goals, and demographic needs — underscoring the decentralized, responsive nature of Canada’s immigration system.
Each draw represents a valuable opportunity for highly skilled individuals, international graduates, and workers with in-demand experience to pursue Canadian permanent residence. A provincial nomination not only boosts an applicant’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in the federal Express Entry system but also signals strong provincial support for their immigration journey.
As the IRCC pursues its long-term strategy to align immigration growth with infrastructure and service readiness, provincial engagement remains essential. According to Maple News, continued cooperation between federal and provincial authorities ensures newcomers are better supported as they integrate into Canadian society — and ensures that immigration continues to contribute meaningfully to Canada’s economic and social resilience.