Canadian Provinces Nominees Programme – emigrate to Canada permanently

The Provincial Nominees programme allows applicants to emigrate to Canada on a permanent basis.

The programme has been designed to fulfil the economic needs of Canadian provinces by allowing those territories to design their own selection process and criteria to attract the most suitable individuals. For prospective candidates with the right skills and experience it provides another opportunity to migrate to Canada, in addition to the federal Skilled Workers and Professionals scheme. Once the process is completed successfully, a permanent residence visa is issued. Only provinces participating in the scheme are able to nominate migrants for permanent residence visas. Currently the following provinces signed up for the Provincial Nominees Programme.

Candidates’ first step is to apply for a certificate of provincial nomination through their chosen province. Each province has slightly different processes and requirements in place. All of them however will require candidates to prove their desire and commitment to settle in that particular province. Additionally, the selection criteria concentrates on the skills and experience of candidates and therefore on their potential to contribute to the society and economy of that region. Some regions, for example Ontario, favour employers initiating the selection and application process. In this case candidates must first obtain an offer of employment. The employer will then make an application to the government of Ontario for an approval of the offer (pre-screen application). Once this step is completed, candidates make an application for nomination.  Other governments such as in Manitoba will assess your skills and potential of finding employment in the region and as such an offer of full-time permanent employment will be required. Some regions also provide nominations to people with close links to the province, such as family members. It is therefore important to carefully assess each of the eligibility criterions for nomination in a chosen province.

The final stage in the Provincial Nominees Programme is an application for a visa which is made directly to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), a federal body responsible for immigration. Having a certificate of provincial nomination is a necessary prerequisite and a copy of this certificate will be sent directly to CIC by the local government of the province. Applicants are then required to complete a set of application forms and submit them to an appropriate visa office where application fees will be charged. CIC will assess the applicant’s financial situation to establish there are enough funds to allow settlement in Canada, as well as checking medical history and police records. Applicant’s and any members of their family included in the application will thereafter be required to undergo a medical examination at a designated medical practitioner. All adult applicants will also need to obtain police reports or certificates.

The last word in a visa application will belong to the CIC. They will assess eligibility to migrate to Canada and if the assessment is positive you will grant permanent residence visa.