Maple News reports that five Canadian provinces—Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island—have issued new invitations to immigration candidates over the past week, as part of their ongoing efforts to attract skilled newcomers through various provincial programs.
Each Canadian province and territory (except Nunavut and Quebec) participates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which allows local governments to nominate individuals who possess the skills and experience needed to contribute to their regional economies. Quebec, Canada’s only French-majority province, has its own immigration system governed by a distinct agreement with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), allowing it greater control over its economic immigration policies.
Between March 16 and March 22, Ontario led the activity, conducting three separate draws under its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). On March 19, Ontario issued 1,370 invitations under the Masters Graduate stream to candidates with a score of 52 or higher and an additional 104 invitations under the PhD Graduate stream for scores of 42 and above. Both were general draws that assessed applicants regardless of occupation.
In a more targeted approach, Ontario also invited 2,281 candidates on March 21 under the Express Entry Human Capital Priorities stream. This draw specifically focused on tech-sector professionals with relevant experience. Candidates selected had Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores ranging between 468 and 480, indicating high competitiveness within the Express Entry system.
British Columbia is also expected to have conducted one of its regular weekly draws, usually held on Tuesdays, although specific details for this week were not officially disclosed at the time of reporting.
In Alberta, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) continues to assess Express Entry profiles through pathway-specific draws, particularly for candidates working in high-demand occupations such as healthcare, construction, and tech. While exact numbers for Alberta, Quebec, and PEI draws are limited this week, Maple News notes a continued trend of provinces making strategic selections to address critical labor shortages.
These provincial draws highlight Canada’s broader immigration strategy: to complement federal immigration programs by empowering provinces to address their unique economic and demographic needs.