PROVINCIAL NOMINATION PROGRAMS
CHOOSE YOUR PROVINCE TODAY
Provincial nomination programs are the only immigration programs in Canada that are not decided on solely by the federal government. With provincial nomination, Canadian provinces are given more freedom to select their desired profiles in response to labour market priorities. If a person is open to living anywhere in Canada, provincial nomination is a great option leading to residency.
Provincial nomination programs are numerous; however, the immigration strategies are similar from province to province, and help provinces retain people in occupations that may not have access to Express Entry. Generally, these programs are more lenient on language ability, education, and work experience.
WORK EXPERIENCE
The required amount of work experience varies by province. Some require 6 months, 9 months, or more of the same experience in the last 3 or 5 years. Some provinces may require continuous employment while others do not. To see if your work experience qualifies, look up Canada's national occupation codes.
EDUCATION
Having at least a grade 12 or equivalent level of education is usually mandatory for residency. Provinces often have their own governing bodies for trades and professionals, so to be able to work in a province for which there is a specific designation, a candidate may need proof of Canadian equivalency through educational credential assessment.
AGE
While Canada's federal express entry programs focus specifically on assigning points for a younger age, provincial nomination programs for skilled workers do not generally take away points for age. The age cut-off can be different from province to province.
RESIDENCE IN THE PROVINCE
Given that provincial nomination programs are designed to reach provincial skill objectives, all provinces expect that a candidate's ultimate intention is to reside in the place where they receive their nomination. Although obtaining a provincial nomination is almost a guaranteed way to achieve permanent residency, applicants must still be admissible to Canada and must satisfy some basic federal requirements.
SETTLEMENT FUNDS
The required settlement funds for families and individuals differ by province. Persons with limited funds may want to investigate which provinces or programs they may qualify for based on their available resources.