ARCHIVED – Backgrounder — Provincial Nominee Program: Record Levels Planned for 2014

Canada plans to welcome between 44,500 and 47,000 permanent residents under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in 2014. This represents the highest-ever levels for this program, a nod to its success in attracting newcomers who contribute more fully and can provide for their families more quickly.

The PNP is an important part of the Government’s efforts to align our immigration system with labour market needs. The PNP helps to strengthen local economies by allowing provinces and territories to nominate qualified individuals to meet their unique labour market needs and promote business development.

The PNP is Canada’s second-largest economic immigration program and has helped to spread the benefits of immigration across the country. The program has grown exponentially, from around 1,250 landed immigrants in 2000 to almost 41,000 people in 2012. (These figures include principal applicants, spouses and dependants.) Thanks in large part to the PNP, 42 per cent of all economic immigrants in 2012 intended to settle outside of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, compared to only about 20 per cent in 2000.

The Government is continuing to work with provinces and territories to ensure that the PNP remains focused on meeting Canada’s economic and labour market needs.

All provinces and territories, with the exception of Quebec and Nunavut, have Provincial Nominee agreements. Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec has the sole authority for selecting immigrants to its province. However, these candidates must still meet Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s admissibility requirements.

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