Provincial Investment and Entrepreneurship
Englobe Law LLP
Complete Guide to Business Immigration
What is the Provincial Nominee Program?
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), which began in 1998, is one of the main pathways for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada. The goal of this program is to supply the workforce needed by various provinces in Canada. It is designed for workers who:
- Have the skills, education, and work experience necessary to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory;
- Wish to live in that province; and
- Want to obtain permanent residency in Canada.
Almost all Canadian provinces have their own Provincial Nominee Program to attract skilled workers from around the world to strengthen their economies. The requirements and conditions vary from province to province. For example, one province might focus on attracting young workers and thus target international students, while another might aim to attract foreign financial investment and therefore target business owners.
Further Information
An important point to note is that ultimately, all these pathways allow immigrants to apply for permanent residency in Canada through that province. However, unfortunately, most provincial pathways do not lead directly to permanent residency today. Instead, the applicant must meet the specific conditions of the province during their residence there before they can apply for permanent residency. One of the conditions common to all provinces is the requirement to live in the province. This means that until you receive your permanent residency, you must reside in that province.
Understanding The Type and Method of PNP Application
How you submit your application depends on the specific provincial program you are applying for. You may need to apply through Express Entry or directly. Part of the process includes obtaining a health certificate and a police clearance certificate. These are mandatory regardless of where you intend to live in Canada.
Application registration processes
In the online Express Entry process, there are two ways to apply:
- You contact the province or territory and apply for nomination under the Express Entry program.
- If the province or territory agrees to nominate you, you create an Express Entry profile (or update it if you already have one). The benefit of this nomination is the significantly higher score you receive in the Express Entry pool, ultimately leading to an invitation for permanent residency ahead of others.
Or
- You create an Express Entry profile and specify the provinces or territories you are interested in.
- If a province or territory sends a "notification of interest" to your account, you contact them directly.
- You apply for the Express Entry program. If nominated, the province or territory sends a "certificate of nomination" to your account, and you accept it electronically.
In both cases, you must:
- Meet the requirements of that province or territory; and
- Complete your Express Entry profile and demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for Express Entry, including being eligible for one of the immigration programs covered by Express Entry. If invited to apply, you submit your electronic application to IRCC.
In this process:
In summary, in this category, you achieve permanent residency directly through your chosen province without entering federal programs or the federal Express Entry system. One of the disadvantages of this category of programs is the longer processing time compared to Express Entry.
- You apply directly to the province or territory for nomination.
- You must meet the requirements of the province that nominates you.
- If nominated, you will apply online for permanent residency.
- You must obtain a health certificate (medical examination) and a police clearance certificate.
- The processing time for the application is longer than the Express Entry process.
In summary, in this category, you achieve permanent residency directly through your chosen province without entering federal programs or the federal Express Entry system. One of the disadvantages of this category of programs is the longer processing time compared to Express Entry.
The provinces and territories in Canada that offer Business immigration programs are as follows:
- Alberta
- Rural Entrepreneur Stream
- Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream
- Farm Stream
- British Columbia
- Entrepreneur Immigration- Base Stream
- Entrepreneur Immigration- Regional Pilot
- Entrepreneur Immigration- Strategic Projects
- Manitoba
- Business Investor Stream- Entrepreneur Pathway
- Business Investor Stream- Farm Investor Pathway
- New Brunswick
- Business Immigration Stream
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- International Entrepreneur
- Northwest Territories
- Business Stream
- Nova Scotia
- Entrepreneur Stream
- Prince Edward Island
- Work Permit Stream
- Saskatchewan
- Entrepreneur Category
- Farm Owner and Operator Category
- Yukon
- Business Nominee Program
- Québec
- Investor
- Entrepreneur – Innovative Business Stream
- Entrepreneur – Start-up Stream
- Entrepreneur – Business Takeover Stream