Provincial Nominee Programs
The Provincial Nominee Program allows each province to nominate or select immigrants who will contribute to the particular labour and economic needs of that province. Each province is allowed to establish its own selection criterions and procedures to choose immigrants according to their ability to integrate and successfully settle in that province.
Similar to the Skilled Worker Immigration Program, applicants are selected on the basis of a point system designed to target individuals who will fill the labour and economic needs of that province. Points are attributed on various grounds, such as education, work experience, age, etc. Each province sets the number of points to be attributed to each category.
Applicants must intend to reside in the province in which they apply. Once an applicant has been nominated under the program, the province of choice will issue the applicant a Provincial Nominee Certificate.
The applicant is then required to apply for Canadian Permanent Residency at the nearest Canadian Embassy, High Commission, or Case Processing Centre.
One must keep in mind that Citizenship and Immigration Canada has the final decision making authority on admissibility. The applicant must be admissible on the basis of security, criminal, and medical grounds
At present the following provinces are participating in this program:
Alberta
British Columbia
Newfoundland and Labrador
New Brunswick
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Yukon
The Province of Quebec selects its own Skilled Worker Immigrants. Similar to the Provincial Nominee Program, if you wish to live in Quebec, you are required to obtain a Certificat de selection du Quebec (CSQ). Applications must be submitted to the nearest Quebec Immigration Office in which you currently reside.