Expression of Interest in Provincial Nominee Programs for Canada

    Ever since Canadian government launched the much talked about Express Entry program to bolster skilled migration programs in various categories, applicants have been wondering how to choose the best suitable options that guarantee them a sure shot entry into the shores of the Maple Leaf country.

    The inwards migration of immigrants – in skilled or business – is managed in multiple ways and at multiple levels; the federal and state governments, through Provincial Nominee Programs – various Canadian provinces – share the responsibility of managing schemes to short list and select people for entry into the country.

    Although, in the past, these programs have not clashed with each other – worked in close, complimenting each other, Express Entry has further bolstered the synchronized working of different schemes.  Before the initiation of the EE, people were quite apprehensive about the future of various immigration schemes, especially about the premise of the skilled immigration schemes offered under Provincial Nomination Programs and their relevance in the wake of introduction of Express Entry.

    Nevertheless, all the apprehensions have proven to be false and all the fears have now subsided and the new system has given rise to new expectations and aspirations; as most of the Canadian states have either come up with or are in process of finalizing launch of state specific, distinct and unique Provincial Nomination Programs to bolster the immigration to the Maple leaf country.

    The schemes are popularly referred to as Expression of Interest Systems (EOI) in Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). These schemes have been adopted and lauded as outstanding initiatives that have gone a long a long way in boosting the skilled and business migration of the Canadian states – except Nunavut and Quebec that have their own independent schemes.

    Currently following Canadian states are hosting Expression Of Interest based Provincial Nominee Programs:

·         British Columbia

o    Entrepreneur Stream

·         Manitoba Skilled Worker

·         New Brunswick Express Entry Labor Market Stream

·         Nova Scotia Stream

·         Prince Edward Island Stream

·         Alberta Stream

    The new scheme powered and supported by substantial changes – armed with Expression of Interest Program (EOI) designed on line of Express Entry scheme of federal government – aims to speed up immigration to the Maple leaf country. The new system is adaptive and equipped with flexibility; and is incarnated with following steps that assist in faster resolution of applications for migration.

    The phases are well defined and organized in broadly four steps. To start with the, the interested applicants need to make a submission of an electronic profile in form of an Express Of Interest in Provincial Nomination Program portal of the state, to which the applicants seem to be interested in moving to. The interested candidates must find out and lodge their EOIs in the outlined streams – if they fit in the scheme of things well.

    It is highly desired that applicants should duly evidence that they qualify all the selection parameters of the Provincial Nomination Program, for which they are submitting their EOIs. After the process has been completed by the candidates, they must wait for the approval of the profile by the state governments.

    The state governments on receipt of the EOIs carry out thorough screenings of the profiles on the basis of the preset parameters – as per the streams indicated – that include the point based assessment scrutiny. The candidates found to be passing the eligibility tests are extended an invitation to apply for Canadian immigration through the states’ Provincial Nomination Program. The candidates are given a deadline to comply with.

    After the receipt of final approval under Expression of Interest in Provincial Nominee Programs for Canada, the candidates must place applications – for permanent visa – to CIC.