Maple News reports that Ontario has secured an allocation of 21,500 nominations under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for 2024 — a significant increase of 5,000 over last year’s total of 16,500. This expanded quota reflects the growing role of provincial immigration strategies in meeting Canada’s broader immigration goals.
This increase comes in the wake of the November 2023 meeting of the Federation of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI), where provincial and territorial ministers met with Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller to advocate for greater autonomy and more allocations to address local labour market needs.
Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) assigns annual nomination quotas to every province and territory except Quebec and Nunavut, under the PNP framework. While not all provinces make these numbers public, Ontario’s transparency underscores its major role in Canadian immigration pathways.
According to Canada’s 2024–2026 Immigration Levels Plan, a record 110,000 new permanent residents are expected to arrive in 2024 through the PNP — surpassing those coming through the federal Express Entry stream. This shift highlights how provinces are being empowered to target immigration that aligns with their unique demographic and economic priorities.
The FMRI previously endorsed a multi-year allocations strategy in March 2023, designed to help provinces better forecast and prepare infrastructure, housing, and services for incoming immigrants. However, Ontario has not yet disclosed its projected allocations beyond 2024.
Meanwhile, provinces continue to press forward with their own draws. From March 29 to April 5, British Columbia invited a total of 83 candidates across four different PNP draws. The largest was a general draw inviting 30 applicants from five categories, with Skilled Workers and International Graduates (including Express Entry-linked candidates) requiring a minimum score of 130.
This surge in nomination spaces supports Canada’s larger immigration strategy, balancing federal oversight with local expertise. As allocations grow, provincial programs are increasingly becoming central to Canadian immigration planning.
For candidates considering Canada as a destination, this upward trend in PNP allocations signals new opportunities — particularly in high-demand sectors and regions experiencing labour shortages.