Outside of Quebec, every Canadian province and territory operates its own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), allowing it to nominate a set number of candidates each year for permanent residence based on its own economic and labour market priorities. A provincial nomination does not grant permanent residence by itself — it is a recommendation that a specific candidate be prioritized, and the final decision still rests with the federal government.
Two broad routes into a PNP
Most provinces run streams in two forms. “Enhanced” or Express Entry-aligned streams are linked directly to the federal Express Entry system: a province searches the Express Entry pool (or invites candidates to apply) for people who match a specific occupation or skill it needs, and a successful nomination adds 600 points to that candidate's CRS score, which puts most candidates well above recent cutoffs — though IRCC still issues the actual invitation based on the pool at the time of the draw. “Base” or non-aligned streams operate entirely outside Express Entry — a candidate applies directly to the province, and if nominated, applies for permanent residence separately through a paper-based or provincial process, which typically takes longer.
What provinces look for
Criteria vary significantly by province and even by stream within a province, but common threads include a job offer from an employer in that province, work experience in an in-demand occupation, a connection to the province (such as having studied there), or entrepreneurial and investment criteria for business streams. Some provinces run express draws similar to federal Express Entry, ranking candidates in their own pool by points; others operate on a first-come, first-served or employer-driven basis.
What it commits you to
A provincial nomination generally comes with an expectation — sometimes a formal declaration — that you intend to live in that province once you become a permanent resident. There is no legal mechanism preventing a nominee from later moving to another province, but nomination criteria and settlement expectations should be taken seriously, since some provinces do follow up.
Choosing whether to pursue one
A PNP is often the most realistic path for candidates whose CRS score is below the general Express Entry cutoff, or who have a specific tie to a province, an in-demand occupation, or a job offer outside Canada's largest cities. It's worth reviewing each province's current streams and criteria against your own profile before applying, since requirements change frequently and are set independently by each jurisdiction.