Prince Edward Island has filled its 2016 quota for new immigrants under the Express Entry System.
The province has issued a statement saying outstanding applications will still be reviewed, but any action will not be taken until 2017.
“Please be advised that the province of PEI has filled its 2016 Express Entry allocation this calendar year,” the statement says.
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Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program
“Our office will continue to review applications that may potentially be considered in the new year, based on program criteria.
“We thank you for your patience in relation to this matter and would be happy to discuss Provincial Nominee Program criteria that you may also consider.”
PEI’s Express Entry category operates by considering candidates already in the pool for a provincial nomination.
Such a nomination adds 600 points to a candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and effectively guarantees an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian immigration.
To apply for a provincial nomination from PEI, candidates already in the Express Entry Pool should complete a simple form posted on the provincial government’s website. You can access it here.
There is no application fee and a candidate’s completion of the form is viewed as an expression of interest in immigrating to PEI.
Provincial officials say they will only contact candidates deemed worth pursuing.
Prince Edward Island has provided a shining example to the rest of Atlantic Canada that it is possible to turn around an aging population through immigration.
Canada’s smallest province has boosted its population of under 45-year-olds to 76,516 in 2016, greater than 2013 levels and significantly more than 2015 numbers.
Source: Statistics Canada
It is one of only two Atlantic provinces (the other being Nova Scotia), to have a greater 2016 population of under-45s than 2015, as immigration policies aimed at countering its aging population and shrinking labour force start to take hold.
The University of Prince Edward Island announced recently it is increasing its international student recruitment efforts following significant success in growing its cohort from overseas.
With numbers of Canadian-born undergraduates dropping off in recent years, the school now relies on students from abroad to drive growth in enrollment numbers.
The latest figures from 2015 show 17 per cent of the overall student population is from overseas – or 748 out of total enrollment of 4,317.
Atlantic Canada’s provincial premiers and the federal government jointly announced recently an initiative to welcome 2,000 more skilled immigrants under their Provincial Nominee Programs from 2017.
The move will see an almost 50 per cent rise in the number of candidates welcomed to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland & Labrador.
Those numbers could increase in 2018 and 2019 if the expansion is viewed as a success.
The new immigrants are expected to be chosen based on the skills required by the respective provinces.
It is part of a new Atlantic Growth Strategy, aimed at boosting the economy in eastern Canada in five priority areas:
- Skilled workforce and immigration
- Innovation
- Clean growth and climate change
- Trade and investment
- Infrastructure
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.
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