A Pivotal Year for Canada’s Provincial Immigration Programs

As the foremost receiver of federal immigration candidates, historically Ontario has focused less on its provincial program.

However, that approach has changed recently, with Canada’s largest province fulfilling extended federal government quotas in both 2017 and 2018.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) was prolific in conducting draws in 2018, through Human Capital Priorities, French Speaking Skilled Worker, Skilled Trades and Entrepreneur streams.

Ontario NOIs Issued in 2018

The province employed a different approach for each, with large, irregular draws preferred for HCP candidates, and weekly, small draws for FSSW invitations.

Ontario also introduced a subtle change in the requirements for HCP during the year, with the minimum CRS score needed altered from 400 to ‘as determined by director’.

This saw candidates with scores as low as 350 given Ontario provincial nominations.

Later in the year, Ontario also became the first province to begin accepting the new TCF Canada French language test, ratified by the federal government in November.

OINP: Key Articles and Pages

• Ontario Immigration
• Ontario Now Accepting New French Language Test, TCF Canada
• Ontario Immigration Granted Increased 2018 Nomination Allocations
• Ontario Immigration Reaches 2018 Nomination Allocation
• Ontario Immigration Act, 2015 Now in Force Effective January 1, 2018

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program enjoyed a milestone year in 2018.

As Canada’s first-ever PNP, the province celebrated its 20^th anniversary of directly welcoming new immigrants.

20 Years of the MPNP In Numbers

• Without the MPNP, Manitoba’s GDP growth would be up to 30% lower.
• Over 90% of Provincial Nominees are employed within their first year in Manitoba.
• Manitoba retains almost 90% of Provincial Nominees.
• More than 130,000 Provincial Nominees have landed since 1998.
• More than $308 million invested in Manitoba by MPNP Business nominees.
• Over 90% of economic immigrants to Manitoba arrive through the MPNP.

Meanwhile, the restructured MPNP announced at the back end of 2017 was fully implemented in 2018, featuring the launch of several new streams.

The province began targeting Express Entry candidates for the first time, as well as nominating skilled workers, international graduates and entrepreneurs throughout the year in regular draws.

Two new streams aimed at international graduates were launched towards the end of the year as part of the MPNP renewal, with further changes expected in 2018.

Manitoba is precisely the type of province PNP immigration benefits. 

It receives very few federal immigrants each year, but keeps up its newcomer numbers by efficiently targeting those with the specific skills it requires for economic growth.

MPNP: Key Articles and Pages

• Manitoba Immigration
• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program 2018 Draws
• Manitoba Launches Two New Streams Aimed At International Graduates
• Charting the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program Success Story
• New Mandatory Documents For Manitoba Express Entry Stream
• Restructured Manitoba Immigration Program Conducts First Draw of 2018

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) moved to Expression of Interest for its skilled worker immigration streams during 2018.

Instead of candidates rushing to get their applications submitting during narrow intake windows, expressions of interest are now submitted to a pool, with regular draws for the best-scoring profiles.

The transition happened smoothly, with several large draws taking place and the province promising to conduct at least one draw per month going forwards.

Entrepreneur draws were also a feature of the year for Saskatchewan.

Previously, the province conducted draws roughly every three months for its work permit-focused Entrepreneur Stream.

The popularity of the stream saw those draws move to every two months during 2018. The next Saskatchewan Entrepreneur draw is expected on January 3, 2019.

SINP: Key Articles and Pages

Saskatchewan Immigration
Saskatchewan Immigration 2018 Expression of Interest Draws
How to Qualify under the New Saskatchewan and Quebec Expression of Interest Immigration Systems
Saskatchewan Skilled Worker Immigration Moves To Expression of Interest
Saskatchewan Adds 7 New Jobs To Occupations In Demand

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program has endured a transition year as it tried to implement an overhaul introduced at the end of 2017.

The initial intention was to launch a simplified program centred around a new Alberta Opportunity Stream at the start of 2018, but that was delayed after complaints from stakeholders.

It seemed AINP officials may have failed to communicate the planned changes with the vast array of organizations they affected, from educational institutions, to businesses and immigration candidates.

The result has been a drip feed of new requirements after a watered-down Alberta Opportunity Stream was finally launched in June 2018, six months late.

Certain requirements of the AOS are still to be implemented, and will continue to be drip-fed throughout 2019.

Perhaps the success story over the overhaul was the launch of a new Alberta Express Entry stream, through which seven draws were conducted in 2018.

The province also reached its 2018 nomination allocation of 5,600 during December.

AINP: Key Articles and Pages

• Alberta immigration
• Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program Reaches 2018 Nomination Allocation
• Alberta Immigration Delays New Rule Affecting International Students and Institutions Important Income and Language Changes For Alberta Opportunity Stream
• Two New Streams Launched In Alberta Immigration Overhaul
• Alberta Immigration Introduces Formal AINP Reconsideration Process
• Alberta Immigration LMIA Will Be Refused For These Occupations
• Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program Gets Federal Government Allocation Boost

The Nova Scotia Nominee Program’s year saw two new immigration streams launched.

Earlier in 2018, the NSNP launched the Physician Stream to specifically target doctors. Provincial officials went on regular recruitment missions to Europe throughout the year.

Meanwhile the province also launched an Express Entry Labour Market Priorities stream, for which an initial campaign targeted early childhood educators.

The province’s popular Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry Category B also opened sporadically throughout the year, while there were regular draws for the Entrepreneur and Graduate Entrepreneur streams.

NSNP: Key Articles and Pages

• Nova Scotia Immigration
• Nova Scotia Immigration Draws
• Nova Scotia Targets Early Childhood Educators With New Express Entry Stream
• Nova Scotia Immigration Targets Doctors With New Physician Stream
• Nova Scotia Looks For Quality Over Quantity Through Atlantic Immigration Pilot

The highlight of 2018 for the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program was the closure of the Skilled Worker with Family Support Stream in February.

The province’s Express Entry Stream, Skilled Worker with Employer Support and Entrepreneurial Streams remain operational.

Going into 2019, the main focus of the NBPNP is the Express Entry stream, which is open to candidates meeting a specific list of requirements.

NBPNP: Key Articles and Pages

New Brunswick immigration
New Brunswick Opens Express Entry Labour Market Stream With New Target Occupations
New Brunswick Immigration Adds 10 Jobs To List Of Target Occupations
Atlantic Immigration Pilot: Nova Scotia Lags Behind P.E.I. and New Brunswick
New Brunswick Immigration Closes NBPNP Skilled Worker With Family Support Stream

For the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nomination Program, there were two sides to the story in 2018.

On one side, the province enjoyed the successful launch of a new Expression of Interest system for its skilled worker and business immigration.

Regular draws were conducted throughout the year in a seamless transition to EOI.

The other side saw the province close its much-maligned, controversy-plagued business streams provided a direct route to permanent residence.

The 100% Ownership and Partial Ownership streams were plagued with allegations of fraud and misuse, forcing the province to conduct final draws in September.

Entrepreneur candidates can still apply to PEI through the existing Work Permit Stream. 

PEI PNP: Key Articles and Pages

• Prince Edward Island Immigration
• Prince Edward Island Immigration 2018 Expression of Interest Draws
• Prince Edward Island Reveals Plan To Boost Skilled Worker ImmigrationPEI Immigration Office Publishes Expression of Interest Guidelines
• P.E.I. Business Immigration Category Ends Direct Path To Permanent Residence
• Atlantic Immigration Pilot: Nova Scotia Lags Behind P.E.I. and New Brunswick

Attracting entrepreneurs represented a strategic shift in the Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Nominee Program for 2018.

The province added International Entrepreneur and International Graduate Entrepreneur streams in August, after previously closing its business stream in 2010.

Elsewhere, the province also moved to ramp up its use of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, by designating 173 employers under the regional program operated jointly with the federal government.

Key Articles and Pages

• Newfoundland & Labrador Immigration
• Newfoundland Immigration Designates 173 Employers Under Atlantic Immigration Pilot
• Newfoundland Targets Entrepreneurs With Two New Immigration Streams
• Attracting Foreign Entrepreneurs Vital to Resolving Newfoundland’s Demographic and Fiscal Challenges