The outcomes of the PNP draws in BC and Manitoba, and why Saskatchewan’s draws are lower this year.

Except for Quebec and Nunavut, most Canadian provinces and territories have their own Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). Interested applicants are encouraged to seek a provincial nomination through these initiatives. If the invited applicants obtain the nomination, they can use it to support their permanent residency application.

Three Canadian provinces held lotteries this week to invite immigrants to take the next step on their route to permanent residence.

Saskatchewan

On March 8, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) invited 85 potential immigrants to apply for a provincial nomination.

Saskatchewan’s draws have all been smaller this year than in previous years. Saskatchewan has asked 225 applicants to apply so far in 2022, compared to 1,975 candidates invited by March 11, 2021.

A Saskatchewan government media spokesman noted, “EOI draws invite applicants with expertise and education in in-demand occupations who do not have employment offers.”

“In order to solve critical labour shortages, the SINP prioritises applications from those who have job offers from Saskatchewan firms.” The EOI draws have been changed to reflect the fact that we have received a higher number of applications from people with job offers in recent months.”

In the March 8 invitation round, Express Entry candidates received 39 invites, while Occupations In-Demand candidates received 43. For both categories of candidates, a minimum Expression of Interest (EOI) score of 87 was required, as well as work experience in one of 31 occupations.

Saskatchewan also extended three invites to Express Entry candidates living in Ukraine in reaction to the events in Ukraine. On March 4, Saskatchewan did the same thing, allowing 36 Ukrainians to file for a provincial nomination.

Manitoba

On March 10, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) issued an invitation to 120 individuals to apply.

Only 33 people were invited to apply, and only 33 of them have Express Entry profiles.

Manitoba sponsored a special draw for Ukrainians on March 9th. Ukraine individuals with an Expression of Interest profile in Manitoba’s pool of candidates received 71 invites from Canada. Invitations were sent to people who scored at least a 4 on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) in all skill sets on a legitimate language test. Candidates must also have a Manitoba connection, such as a close relative, a family member, a community, a previous job, or education in Manitoba. According to the MPNP’s assessment requirements, they must also score at least 60 points.

British Columbia

On March 8, the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued its weekly round of invites. 204 BC immigration applicants have been invited to file for a provincial nomination.

The province held two draws, one for Skills Immigration (SI) and the other for Express Entry BC (EEBC). Those from the Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entry Level, and Semi-Skilled sub-categories of the SI and EEBC streams received invitations.

A universal draw was used to distribute the majority of the invites, which totalled 191. These candidates received invitations if they met the minimum score requirements, which ranged from 77 to 128 depending on the programme.

Another draw targeted applicants with NOC 0621 (retail and wholesale trade managers) or NOC 0631 (restaurant and foodservice managers)) as their occupation. That draw yielded 13 invitations, all of which had minimum scores of 128.

British Columbia has conducted a separate round of invites twice a month for these two occupations during the pandemic. Because of the large number of candidates from specific labour market sectors who have registered in the province’s Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS), these separate drawings are being held.

PNPs with Express Entry and without Express Entry

There are two sorts of PNPs: enhanced PNPs, which use the Express Entry system to invite candidates, and basic PNPs, which use the province’s own application management system. Nominated candidates’ Comprehensive Ranking System scores are automatically increased by 600 points through enhanced PNPs. They will be eligible for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry round if they get this award.

The digitalization of base PNP applications is underway. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has soft-launched an online permanent residence application gateway for some basic PNP applicants.