Visas & Advice Detail
Get with the programme
Besides the federal immigration system, all bar one of the Canadian provinces and territories offer a plethora of specific visa pathways. Here, Hanna Lindon provides a potted introduction to Canada's nominee programmes
Up until February 2008, Brits with skills and experience in a wide range of occupations qualified for a Canadian skilled worker visa without the need for a job offer. However, changes introduced when the skilled worker system was rebooted in November 2008 have cut the number or occupations that would help an applicant qualify for a visa without job offer to 38. All is not necessarily lost, however. An arranged employment offer or a temporary work permit might still help you secure a skilled worker visa, while all of Canada's provinces and two of its three territories also offer immigration options of their own - all grouped under the Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP) banner. Here's a brief introduction to Canada's many PNPs...
Alberta
The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Programme (AINP) has four main streams. These are:
- The Employer Driven Scheme. This is suitable for skilled migrants, graduates and / or those with job offers and is split into three categories: The Skilled Worker Category, the International Graduate Category and the Semi-Skilled Worker Category
- The Strategic Recruitment Stream. Again, this stream is divided into three categories: the Compulsory Trades Category, for those with an Alberta Qualification Certificate in a Compulsory Trade; the Engineering Occupations Category for engineers with Alberta work experience; and the US Visa Holder Category, for skilled temporary US visa holders
- The Family Stream, open to those with a relative in Alberta who is prepared to sponsor them
- The Self-Employed Farmer Stream, for those who wish to establish or purchase a farming business in Alberta
Manitoba
The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Programme (MPNP) has five streams. These are:
- The General Scheme, directed at skilled workers with a connection to Manitoba
- The Family Support priority assessment scheme, for those with family in Manitoba
- The International Student priority assessment scheme for those who have graduated as a visiting student to Manitoba
- The Employer Direct stream, which enables those already working in Manitoba to gain permanent residency
- The PNP for Business, which expedites immigration for people who want to open a business in Manitoba
In addition, the MPNP may undertake initiatives to recruit skilled workers and to help with the immigration of adult dependents of approved provincial nominees
Newfoundland and Labrador
The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Programme attempts to recruit immigrants who have specialised occupational or entrepreneurial skills. The categories of the PNP are:
- Occupational/ Skilled Worker, for those with specialised skills in demand across the province
- Immigrant Entrepreneur, for those looking to start a business in Newfoundland and Labrador
- Family Connections, for those with family in the province
- International Graduate, for students who have graduated from a recognised Canadian post-secondary educational institution
Ontario
Opportunities Ontario PNP is an immigration programme through which Ontario nominates individuals and their families for permanent resident status based on a pre-approved job offer in the province. There are two categories:
- The General category, which allows approved employers to recruit foreign workers
- The International Student Category, for those who have graduated in Canada and are sponsored by an approved employer
Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Programme (AINP) filters applicants through a number of categories. These are:
- Skilled Workers
- Family Members
- Entrepreneurs
- Farmers
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Other Health Professionals
- Student
- Long Haul Truck Drivers
- Hospitality Sector Project
British Columbia
The BC PNP programme offers accelerated immigration for qualified skilled workers and entrepreneurs who wish to settle permanently in British Columbia. It nominates potential immigrants who have the ability to become economically established in BC and who will provide significant economic benefits to the province. There are two main components to the programme:
- Strategic Occupations, which supports BC employers who need to recruit or retain foreign workers
- Business Immigrants, directed at experienced entrepreneurs who plan to invest in and actively manage a business in BC
New Brunswick
The New Brunswick PNP programme has two main categories:
- The New Brunswick Skilled Worker PNP, directed at applicants with a full-time, permanent job offer from a New Brunswick employer (13-18 months processing time)
- The New Brunswick Business PNP, for applicants with previous management experience and/ or experience of owning a business, relevant business skills to the business they intend to purchase in New Brunswick and sufficient funds to support the planned business without assistance. They will also be required to participate in their business in an active managerial role
Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Nominee Programme (NSNP) offer a quicker entry into Canada for qualified workers and entrepreneurs who intend to become permanent residents of Nova Scotia. The streams are:
- Skilled Worker Stream, which fast-tracks applicants who have skilled needed in the province and permanent full-time job offer
- Family Business Worker Stream, which helps family businesses to hire skilled close relatives
- Community Identified Stream, for individuals who are employable, have established connections to a Nova Scotia Community and can contribute to the labour market of that community
- International Graduate Scheme, aimed at students who have graduated in Nova Scotia and have permanent full-time job offers
Prince Edward Island
There are four categories under the Prince Edward Provincial Nominee Programme:
- Immigrant Partner Category, for applicants who propose to make an investment in an existing PEI company and take an active role in that company as a director or manager
- Immigrant Entrepreneur Category, for applicants who want to establish a new and viable business in PEI
- Immigrant Connections Category, for people 'championed' by a PEI resident who meet settlement and employability criteria
- Skilled Worker Category, for applicants with specialised skills and experience who fills a labour market need in PEI
The Yukon
There are two programmes offered by the Yukon Nominee Programme. These are:
- Skilled Worker /Critical Impact Worker Programme, which is designed to attract qualified individuals who can alleviate the shortage of skilled workers in the Territory
- Business Programme, which attempts to attract business expertise and investment capital to the territory. Within this programme there are two categories: the Entrepreneur category and the Self Employed category
Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories recently announced a new nominee programme to help attract new immigrants to the Territories. Applicants can be nominated for permanent residency under one of four programme categories:
- Skilled Worker
- Critical Impact Worker (Service and Hospitality Sector Occupations)
- Entrepreneur Business
- Self-Employed Worker