Express Entry: Express Entry Via the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Appendix B – Express Entry: Express Entry Via the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Provinces and territories (PTs) that operate a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can:

• Nominate candidates through the Express Entry Pool and,
• Nominate foreign nationals to the existing paper-based process

Candidates having a Provinces and territories (PT) nomination will receive an additional 600 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). These additional points are usually ample enough for triggering an Invitation to Apply (ITA) at the next round of invitations. However, this activity would take place based on:

• The overall nomination space of that particular Province and territory (PT) and,
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC’s) ministerial instructions for each particular round of invitations criteria

It is worth noting that Provinces and territories (PT) have direct access to the Express Entry pool. A dedicated portal enables them to view and nominate candidates in the pool. Each Province and territory (PT) has a designated administrator too. This individual manages access to the portal for their jurisdiction. Similarly, the Operational Management and Coordination’s (OMC’s) Permanent Resident Program Delivery Division (PRPD) manages the Provinces and territories (PT’s) administrators’ access to the portal.

Note:

• It is worth noting that Nunavut does not have a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• The authorities do not manage Quebec’s economic immigration programs through Express Entry

The Base vs. Enhanced Provincial and Territorial Nominations

Provincial and territorial (PT) nominations take place by utilising the existing paper-based process outside of Express Entry. Called “base nominations”, these nominations remain subject to existing Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams and processing standards. In addition, the role of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) does not change for these applications. Officers would need to refer to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Program Delivery Instructions for detailed instructions concerning the manner of processing base nominations.

Provincial and territorial (PT) nominations made via Express Entry constitute “enhanced nominations”. These nominations enable each province and territory (PT) to increase its annual nomination space. The authorities process enhanced nominations online. In addition, these nominations remain subject to the six-month or less process standard in 80 percent of cases.

Provinces and territories (PT) could switch their base nominations for enhanced nominations. However, they will only be able to do this once a year. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) National Headquarters’ Strategic Policy Branch manages this process.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Express Entry Streams

Ministerial Instructions determine which Provinces and territories (PTs) could use Express Entry for nominating candidates for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Provinces and territories (PTs) bear the responsibility for the design, management and evaluation of their respective Express Entry streams. These Express Entry streams would need to be in accordance with the provisions specified in:

• The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)
• The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) and,
• The bilateral agreements between the Province and territory (PT) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)

Provinces and territories (PTs) typically develop their nomination criteria with the aim of assessing the applicant’s:

• Ability to become economically established and,
• Intention of residing in the nominating Province and territory (PT)

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) retains the final decision. It also ensures that the nominees meet the statutory requirements concerning admissibility.

The Global Case Management System (GCMS) Instructions

Processing offices typically remain responsible for processing Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications. These offices need to verify or enter that the appropriate Province and territory (PT) stream for the nomination appears in the Global Case Management System (GCMS). This is especially so if the default choice of “other – employer driven stream” is not the appropriate selection.

Minimum Requirements for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Candidates in Express Entry

Foreign nationals have the ability to enter and remain in the Express Entry pool as Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. For this, they would need to show that:

• They have a Provincial and territorial (PT) nomination that the nominating jurisdiction has validated and,
• They comply with the program requirements of one of the Express Entry federal immigrations programs comprising:
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) or,
• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

When these individuals submit their profile in their MyCIC account, they would be able to view the federal immigration programs for which they appear to be eligible. This information is also available for viewing in the Global Case Management System (GCMS). Officers can view this information when the applicant submits an Application for Permanent Residence (APR).

Province and Territory (PT) Nominations Via Express Entry

Provinces and territories (PTs) can typically follow two processes for nominating candidates in Express Entry.

For Candidates Found Inside the Express Entry Pool

• Provinces and territories (PTs) typically use the Province and territory (PT) portal to search for candidates already present in the Express Entry pool
• They have the ability to search the Express Entry pool by using a combination of searchable fields including:
• Language levels
• Education
• Work experience
• Province and territory (PT) certificate of qualification
• Thereafter, they can view the search results as a list of anonymous candidates
• These search results specify each candidate’s Express Entry profile number (for matching purposes) and additional details about the candidate
• Candidates, in their profiles, would need to select one, multiple or all jurisdictions when they identify provinces and territories (PTs) that are of interest to them
• The Province and territory (PT) portal will allow provinces and territories (PTs) to only view the details of those candidates that demonstrate an interest in their jurisdiction

Notification of Interest

• Provinces and territories (PTs) interested in a particular candidate will express their interest via the Province and territory (PT) portal
• When they do this, the candidates will usually receive a system-generated message in their MyCIC account, which will advise them that a Province and territory (PT) is interested in considering them for nomination
• If the candidate is desirous of being nominated by that Province and territory (PT), the system would instruct the candidate to contact the Province and territory (PT) directly i.e. outside the Express Entry environment
• To achieve this, candidates would need to visit the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to find the relevant contact information for the Province and territory (PT)
• In addition, candidates would need to ensure that they provide the following details to the Province and territory (PT) too:
• Express Entry profile number and,
• Job Seeker validation code
• This is because Provinces and territories (PTs) would need both these pieces of information to nominate candidates via the Province and territory (PT) portal

Nomination

• When a Province and territory (PT) wants to nominate a candidate, it would need to search the portal for a desired candidate using the candidate’s:
• Express Entry profile number and,
• Job Seeker validation code
• Thereafter, the system would prompt the Province and territory (PT) to enter details such as:
• The nomination certificate number
• The date of issue of the certificate
• The date of expiry of the certificate and,
• The date the applicant submitted a complete application for nomination (relevant to the age of dependents)
• After this, the candidate receives information via the MyCIC account that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has received information about a nomination
• From this point onwards, the candidate has 30 calendar days for accepting or rejecting the nomination in their MyCIC account
• The nominating Province and territory (PT) will use the case status for monitoring whether the candidate has accepted the nomination
• Once the candidate accepts the nomination, the candidate will receive an invitation to apply at the next eligible round of invitations, subject to:
• The overall nomination space for that specific Province and territory (PT) and,
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC’s) ministerial instructions for each specific round of invitations
• If the candidate has a pending nomination or has accepted a nomination, other Provinces and territories (PTs) would not be able to view the candidate’s details in the Province and territory (PT) portal
• It is worth noting that a nomination is pending when:
• A Province and territory (PT) indicates that it wishes to nominate a candidate in the Province and territory (PT) portal and,
• The candidate has yet to respond to the nomination offer from the Province and territory (PT)
• Situations could arise where several Provinces and territories (PTs) might want to nominate a specific candidate
• However, one candidate can only:
• Have one pending nomination in the system at the time and,
• Accept one nomination
• Candidates having a pending nomination or a nomination by a Province and territory (PT) would only become viewable to other Provinces and territories (PTs) in the Province and territory (PT) portal once:
• The nomination expires i.e. after 30 days or,
• The candidate declines the nomination

For Candidates Found Outside the Express Entry Pool

• This scenario applies in situations where the Province and territory (PT) identifies a suitable candidate for their Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream, but who is not yet within the Express Entry pool
• In this scenario, the Province and territory (PT) nominates the individual and instructs them to submit an Express Entry profile

Confirmation of Nomination

• The nominated foreign nationals would need to create an Express Entry profile in their MyCIC accounts
• They would also need to indicate that they have a Province and territory (PT) nomination, in addition to identifying the nominating jurisdiction
• The candidates would typically need to meet the Minimum Entry Criteria (MEC) of the following programs:
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) or,
• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Thereafter, the candidate would receive:
• An Express Entry profile number and,
• A Job Seeker validation code
• The candidate would need to provide these details to the Province and territory (PT)
• The Province and territory (PT) will use these details to search for the candidate in the portal for confirming the nomination
• Thereafter, the system would prompt the Province and territory (PT) to enter details such as:
• The nomination certificate number
• The date of issue of the certificate
• The date of expiry of the certificate and,
• The date the applicant submitted a complete application for nomination (relevant to the age of dependents)
• The Province and territory (PT) will have 30 calendar days from the date of submission of the candidate’s profile for confirming the nomination
• It is worth noting that the candidate does not enter the Express Entry pool until:
• The Province and territory (PT) confirms the nomination or,
• The stipulated 30 days have passed and,
• The candidate has registered with Employment and Social Development Canada’s (ESDC’s) Job Bank (refer to Job Bank Registration section given subsequently) or,
• The candidate indicates the presence of a qualifying offer of arranged employment in the candidate’s profile
• When the Province and territory (PT) confirms the nomination, the candidate receives the relevant notification via the MyCIC account
• Thereafter, the candidate gains entry into the Express Entry pool
• In addition, the candidate will also receive an invitation to apply at the next eligible round of invitations, subject to:
• The overall nomination space for that specific Province and territory (PT) and,
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC’s) ministerial instructions for each specific round of invitations
• If the candidate has a pending nomination or has accepted a nomination, other Provinces and territories (PTs) would not be able to view the candidate’s details in the Province and territory (PT) portal
• Similarly, a candidate with a pending nomination or an accepted nomination will not be able to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) based on one of the following federal programs:
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) or,
• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• In this scenario, the candidate would only receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) as a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) only for the jurisdiction whose nomination the candidate has accepted
• It is worth noting that a nomination is pending when:
• A Province and territory (PT) indicates that it wishes to nominate a candidate in the Province and territory (PT) portal and,
• The candidate has yet to respond to the nomination offer from the Province and territory (PT)

Job Bank Registration

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates, who receive nominations outside of the Express Entry pool, have the option to register with the Employment and Social Development Canada’s (ESDC’s) Job Bank
• They would need to do this within the 30-calendar-day deadline, even as they wait for the Province and territory (PT) to confirm their nomination
• As a result, the candidate can enter the Express Entry pool at the 30-day mark, even if the Province and territory (PT) misses the nomination deadline
• For registering their details with the Job Bank, the candidates would need:
• An Express Entry profile number and,
• A Job Seeker validation code

The Process to Follow in Situations Where 30 Calendar Days Have Passed

• Candidates will not gain entry into the Express Entry pool and will need to submit a new profile in case:
• The Province and territory (PT) does not confirm the nomination and,
• The candidate does not:
• Register for Employment and Social Development Canada’s (ESDC’s) Job Bank or,
• Indicate the presence of a qualifying offer of arranged employment
• In this scenario, the candidate would need to:
• Indicate that the candidate has a Province and territory (PT) nomination and,
• Identify the nominating jurisdiction
• In addition, the candidate will also have the option of registering with the Job Bank within the 30-calendar-day deadline
• Candidates will gain entry into the Express Entry pool as a non- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidate in case:
• The Province and territory (PT) does not confirm the nomination and,
• The candidate:
• Registers for Employment and Social Development Canada’s (ESDC’s) Job Bank or,
• Indicates the presence of a qualifying offer of arranged employment
• In this scenario, the Province and territory (PT) retains the ability to confirm the nomination even after the 30-day mark
• However, the candidate remains visible for the consideration of other Provinces and territories (PTs) under their Express Entry streams
• Therefore, the candidate remains eligible for receiving Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the federal immigration programs whose requirements the candidate appears to meet

Cancelling a Nomination

• No one can cancel a nomination in the candidate’s Express Entry profile once:
• The Province and territory (PT) issues the nomination and ,
• The candidate accepts it
• However, situations could arise where:
• The candidates might change their minds or,
• The Provinces and territories (PTs) might want to withdraw the nominations after the acceptance of the nominations
• In this scenario, the candidates would need to:
• Cancel their Express Entry profile and,
• Submit a new profile in their MyCIC account
• Provinces and territories (PTs) would need to inform Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) immediately once they decide that they want to cancel or withdraw nominations
• For this, they would need to send an e-mail at: CIO-Sydney-PNP-QSW@cic.gc.ca
• In addition, the Provinces and territories (PTs) would also need to indicate that they have cancelled the nomination in their monthly Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) spreadsheet reporting

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Application for Permanent Residence (APR)

Express Entry candidates having a validated Provinces and territories (PTs) nomination will receive an additional 600 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). They will also receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) at the next eligible round of invitations. However, this activity would take place subject to:

• The overall nomination space of that particular Province and territory (PT) and,
• Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC’s) ministerial instructions for each particular round of invitations criteria

The Invitation to Apply (ITA) letter would explain that:

• The Province and territory (PT) is inviting the candidate to apply for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and,
• The candidate has 60 calendar days for submitting a complete Application for Permanent Residence (APR) via the MyCIC account
• At the time of the Application for Permanent Residence (APR), the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Express entry applicants would need to demonstrate that they:
• Meet the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) program requirements and,
• Meet the program requirements of one of the following federal immigration programs (for the A11.2 assessment):
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) or,
• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

The Process for Evaluating Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Applicants on A11.2

• Situations could arise where candidates might appear to meet the program requirements of more than one federal immigration programs
• When this occurs, the processing office must determine that the applicant meets only one of the federal programs tagged
• Once the processing office determines that the applicant meets one of the federal immigration programs, it does not need to carry out a further assessment of the other federal immigration programs
• Typically, processing offices would need to assess Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants for federal programs in the following priority order:
• The Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and,
• The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• The processing office would need to consider other programs tagged to the applicant if the applicant fails to meet the first program considered
• The processing office would continue to consider other programs tagged to the applicant until:
• The applicant meets one program or,
• The processing office has considered all possible tagged programs
• Situations could arise where the applicant does not meet any of the tagged federal immigration programs
• In this scenario, the processing office would need to:
• Refuse the application on A11.2 and,
• Consider misrepresentation, as it deems appropriate

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Lock-in Date for the Ages of Family Members

• When applying for a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the age of the dependent family member becomes locked on the date that a Province and territory (PT) receives an application for nomination as a member of the provincial nominee class
• It is worth noting that the authorities use the same lock-in date principle for processing base Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications
• The lock-in date for dependents typically defaults to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) application received date (according to the current functionality of the Global Case Management System (GCMS))
• Therefore, processing offices would need to update the lock-in dates for dependents of Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants in the Global Case Management System (GCMS) manually
• Doing so would trigger the appropriate dependent cost recovery fee based on the date the Province and territory (PT) originally received the application for nomination
• Thereafter, the processing office would need to:
• Refund the fees wherever applicable or,
• Request the applicant to pay the appropriate fees

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC)