Maple News reports that Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) continues to be a powerful tool in distributing skilled immigrants more evenly across the country’s provinces and territories. Established with the goal of addressing regional labor shortages and promoting growth outside of Canada’s largest cities, the PNP gives provinces and territories the ability to nominate immigrants who intend to settle and contribute to their local economies.
Under the PNP, nominees must demonstrate a genuine intention to reside in the province or territory that selected them. However, Canadian law allows permanent residents to move freely between provinces, raising questions about whether immigrants remain in their intended location after arrival.
A recent study by Statistics Canada, analyzed by Maple News, sheds light on immigrant retention patterns under the PNP using landing data and tax filings. Encouragingly, the data shows that a strong majority of newcomers tend to stay in their province of landing, particularly in their first year.
In 2019, 89% of PNP immigrants were still living in the province or territory that nominated them by the end of the same year. However, retention rates varied significantly. At the high end, Ontario retained 97% of its 2019 nominees, followed by British Columbia at 95% and Alberta at 92%. Manitoba and Saskatchewan had lower one-year retention rates, at 88% and 78% respectively. Prince Edward Island had the lowest retention rate at 69%.
Longer-term figures remain strong but gradually decline over time. For example, of the immigrants who landed through the PNP in 2010, 95.8% remained in their nominating province after one year. After five years, that number fell to 88.7%, and after a decade, 84.4% were still residing in the same region. These figures confirm that the majority of provincial nominees continue to live and work where they originally intended, even years later.
The study also found that economic factors, population size, and urban opportunities play significant roles in retention. Provinces with larger cities and greater employment prospects—such as Ontario (Toronto) and British Columbia (Vancouver)—consistently showed higher long-term retention rates. In contrast, smaller provinces may struggle to retain immigrants if they cannot offer comparable opportunities for career growth and quality of life.
Additionally, larger provinces may offer more internal mobility options, meaning immigrants can relocate within the province itself without needing to move elsewhere. This internal flexibility helps foster higher retention without forcing immigrants to compromise on their aspirations.
Overall, the findings suggest that Canada’s PNP is largely successful in meeting its objectives: decentralizing immigrant settlement and supporting regional economic growth. While challenges remain, particularly for smaller provinces, the high rates of retention are a positive signal for provincial governments and employers alike.
Maple News will continue to monitor and report on immigration trends and policy impacts across Canada.