Maple News reports that Prince Edward Island (PEI) held its largest Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw to date on August 20, marking a milestone in the province’s immigration efforts. A total of 305 invitations were issued, including candidates from the Express Entry, Labour Impact, and Business Impact streams.
This historic draw follows a much smaller one earlier in the month on August 11, where only eight candidates were invited. The dramatic increase later in the month signals PEI’s growing focus on attracting skilled workers and entrepreneurs who are already contributing to the province’s economy.
Of the 305 invitations granted on August 20, 28 were extended to Business Impact candidates. The remaining 277 were directed toward those in the Express Entry and Labour Impact categories. While a more detailed breakdown wasn’t provided for these two categories, the province confirmed that all invited candidates had declared that they were currently living and working in PEI.
In order to receive an invitation, candidates must have submitted their Expression of Interest (EOI) before June 2020. This suggests a long-standing queue of applicants hoping for nomination, especially those already integrating into the local workforce.
PEI’s Express Entry Category operates in coordination with Canada’s federal Express Entry system, which manages immigration intake for three economic programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. Express Entry candidates are scored using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which evaluates factors such as age, education, work experience, and language skills.
Candidates who secure a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 CRS points, significantly boosting their chance of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency in a future federal draw.
To be eligible for PEI’s Express Entry stream, candidates must submit an EOI profile with the PEI PNP. These profiles are assessed against a unique provincial point system, with the highest-scoring individuals invited to apply through regular monthly draws.
According to Maple News, PEI’s record-setting draw demonstrates the province’s commitment to retaining talent and supporting economic development by targeting individuals who are already contributing to local communities and industries.