Maple News reports that most Canadian provinces and territories have received an increase in their permanent residence nomination allocations for 2025 under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Only Ontario and Prince Edward Island (PEI) have not received additional nomination spots so far.
Each year, the federal government assigns a fixed number of nomination slots to provinces and territories, allowing them to nominate foreign nationals for permanent residence. Once nominated, these individuals must still be approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to obtain permanent resident status.
The updated allocations reveal notable increases across the board. Alberta received the most significant boost, with 1,528 additional spots under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), bringing its total to 6,403 nominations for 2025. Manitoba and New Brunswick followed closely, receiving 1,489 and 1,500 extra spots respectively.
Provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador (97.6%), Yukon (94%), and the Northwest Territories (100%) have seen their 2025 allocations almost fully restored to 2024 levels. Conversely, Ontario and PEI remain outliers, each currently operating at about 50% of last year’s allocation with no additional nominations reported as of yet.
The Atlantic provinces’ allocations include a combination of PNP nominations and endorsements under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), designed to attract and retain immigrants in Eastern Canada.
Despite the increases, actual allocations still remain lower than 2024 levels. In total, 45,048 PNP spots have been allocated nationwide for 2025, compared to 73,300 in 2024. Initially, only 36,340 spots were issued for the year, but provinces collectively secured 8,683 more positions through federal approval.
This mid-year adjustment signals a responsive federal approach to regional labour market needs and immigration targets. While exact reasons for Ontario and PEI’s static numbers remain unclear, it may reflect ongoing policy recalibrations or capacity constraints.
As Canada continues balancing immigration distribution across its provinces, prospective immigrants are advised to monitor changes in PNP streams, as additional allocations can open up new opportunities.