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PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAMS

Provincial nominee and regional programs

Every province and territory except Québec runs its own nominee program. The 2026 national PNP target is 91,500, far above 2025, but provinces change their rules often: some have closed graduate streams, others invite only priority sectors such as healthcare and construction. Here is where each one stands.

Province / territory2026 allocationStatus
British Columbia (BC PNP)6,254
5,254 + 1,000 mid-year top-up
Partly open
Alberta (AAIP)6,603
6,403 + 200 added in August
Open
Saskatchewan (SINP)4,761
Same as 2025
Partly open
Manitoba (MPNP)6,239
Same as 2025
Open
Ontario (OINP)14,119
About 31% more than 2025
Partly open
New Brunswick (NBPNP)—
Not published (media estimate about 3,600)
Partly open
Nova Scotia (NSNP)—
Not published (media estimate about 4,100)
Open
Prince Edward Island (PEI PNP)—
Not published (media estimate about 1,340)
Open
Newfoundland and Labrador (NLPNP)2,379
Includes 1,000 added by Ottawa in August
Open
Yukon (YNP)282
Cannot be carried past 2026
Partly open
Northwest Territories (NTNP)300
Raised from 197 to 300 in August
Partly open

Québec does not take part in the PNP; it has its own selection system. See Québec immigration →

Information checked: October 18, 2026

British Columbia (BC PNP)

Partly open2026 allocation: 6,254 · 5,254 + 1,000 mid-year top-up

Since April 2026 BC invites by three priorities: Care (36 health, education and veterinary occupations), Build (9 construction trades) and Innovate (high economic impact). Graduate streams, the entry-level stream and the tech priority list are gone. At least 35% of nominations go outside Metro Vancouver.

Skilled Worker Open

BC job offer required; invited mainly through Care and Build targeted draws

Health Authority Open

Physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other staff employed by a BC health authority

Build: construction trades Open

9 trades; trade certificate or SkilledTradesBC apprenticeship registration

Entrepreneur Base / Regional Partly open

Invitation rounds continue, in very small numbers

International Graduate, Post-Graduate, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Paused / closed

Closed (2025–2026)

Alberta (AAIP)

Open2026 allocation: 6,603 · 6,403 + 200 added in August

All worker streams use a points-ranked Worker EOI ($135 fee). 2026 priority sectors: healthcare, technology, construction, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture and rural communities. About 1,062 spaces were left on October 7.

Alberta Opportunity Stream Open

Already living and working in Alberta with an Alberta job offer; the largest stream

Rural Renewal Open

Job offer in a designated rural community plus a community endorsement

Tourism and Hospitality Open

Full-time offer from an Alberta tourism or hospitality employer

Alberta Express Entry Open

Priority-sector draws, Accelerated Tech Pathway, Law Enforcement Pathway; for Express Entry candidates

Dedicated Health Care Pathways Open

Health professionals, inside and outside Express Entry

Entrepreneur streams (rural, graduate, foreign graduate, farm) Partly open

About 60 spaces in total for 2026

Saskatchewan (SINP)

Partly open2026 allocation: 4,761 · Same as 2025

At least 50% of spaces go to priority sectors (health, agriculture, trades, mining, manufacturing, energy, tech), including 750 for Saskatchewan graduates in priority jobs. Food and accommodation, trucking and retail are capped and accepted only in intake windows.

International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer Open

Saskatchewan job offer backed by an Employer Position Assessment

Health, Agriculture and Tech Talent pathways Open

Sector pathways, open to some post-graduation work permit holders

Saskatchewan Experience Partly open

6+ months working in Saskatchewan; capped sectors by intake window (next: November 2)

Saskatchewan Experience: Student Open

Only graduates of Saskatchewan institutions who live and work there

Express Entry / Occupations In-Demand Paused / closed

Need a Saskatchewan job offer; no points draws since September 2024

Entrepreneur and Farm categories Paused / closed

Permanently closed in March 2025

Manitoba (MPNP)

Open2026 allocation: 6,239 · Same as 2025

Draws about every two weeks. In 2026 they target occupations (health, education and childcare, aerospace and others) plus strategic overseas recruitment; there has been no general skilled-worker draw since March 2025.

Skilled Worker in Manitoba Open

People working in Manitoba, invited through occupation-targeted draws

Skilled Worker Overseas Open

Invited through strategic recruitment; some have Express Entry profiles

Employer Direct Initiative Open

Manitoba employers recruiting abroad: employer 3+ years in Manitoba, worker with 2 years' experience and CLB 4–5

Temporary Resident Retention Pilot Open

Employer nominates a current temporary worker: 18 months full-time, under 45; trades added and hospitality removed in February 2026

International Education Stream Open

Graduates of designated Manitoba institutions

Business Investor Stream Partly open

Running on an interim paper process, very few nominations

Ontario (OINP)

Partly open2026 allocation: 14,119 · About 31% more than 2025

Ontario rebuilt its program in 2026. The old streams (three employer job offer streams, Master's, PhD, three Express Entry streams and Entrepreneur) closed in June 2026. Only the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream is open; registration began August 4 and no invitations had been issued by mid-October.

Ontario Workforce Priority (TEER 0–3) Open

Full-time permanent offer; 6 months in the job or 2 years in the occupation; CLB 6 (CLB 5 for trades); option to be nominated through Express Entry for +600

Ontario Workforce Priority (TEER 4–5) Open

Offer at or above the occupation's median wage; 9 months' experience in 2 years; CLB 4

Self-employed physicians Open

No job offer needed; OHIP billing number and CPSO certificate

Planned: Priority Healthcare, Exceptional Talent, new Entrepreneur stream Paused / closed

Announced, no launch date yet

Former job offer, Master's/PhD and Express Entry streams Paused / closed

Closed June 2026; applications already filed are assessed under the old rules

New Brunswick (NBPNP)

Partly open2026 allocation: — · Not published (media estimate about 3,600)

Spaces are tight. Since February 2026 food and accommodation (NAICS 72) and some retail jobs are restricted; since May the NB Experience pathway invites only healthcare, education and construction workers. French speakers can use the Strategic Initiative.

NB Express Entry Open

Employment in New Brunswick and NB Interests pathways

NB Skilled Worker Partly open

NB Experience, NB Graduates, NB Priority Occupations; Experience limited to health, education and construction

Strategic Initiative (French) Open

French at NCLC 5+ with a connection to New Brunswick

Business Immigration Paused / closed

No invitations seen in 2026

Nova Scotia (NSNP)

Open2026 allocation: — · Not published (media estimate about 4,100)

In February 2026 ten streams were merged into four, with the same criteria. Healthcare and skilled trades have top priority; EOIs are valid for 12 months; application fees started September 1.

Nova Scotia: Express Entry Open

1 year of Nova Scotia TEER 0–3 work; CLB 7 (TEER 0–1) or CLB 5 (TEER 2–3)

Skilled Worker Open

Full-time Nova Scotia offer; CLB 4–5; age 21–55

Nova Scotia Graduates Open

Recent Nova Scotia graduates with a related offer in specific occupations

Entrepreneur / International Graduate Entrepreneur Open

$600,000 net worth (Halifax) or $400,000 elsewhere; graduate entrepreneurs need 1 year running the business

Prince Edward Island (PEI PNP)

Open2026 allocation: — · Not published (media estimate about 1,340)

Monthly EOI draws (remaining: November 19 and December 17); EOIs are valid for only 6 months. Healthcare, trades and manufacturing come first, and several draws favoured PEI graduates. No business invitations in 2026.

PEI Express Entry Open

Express Entry candidates, preferring people already living and working on PEI

Skilled Worker (TEER 0–3) Open

Full-time non-seasonal PEI offer; 2 years' experience in 5; CLB 4

Intermediate Experience (TEER 4) Open

PEI offer; 6+ months of Canadian work on an LMIA-based permit

International Graduate Open

Graduates of publicly funded PEI institutions

Business Impact: Work Permit Paused / closed

No invitations in 2026

Newfoundland and Labrador (NLPNP)

Open2026 allocation: 2,379 · Includes 1,000 added by Ottawa in August

All categories use EOIs through the Immigration Accelerator Portal, valid for 12 months. The 2026 allocation rose sharply; the deadline after an invitation is temporarily 30 days.

Express Entry Skilled Worker Open

Full-time TEER 0–3 NL offer; 67+ on the provincial grid; age 21–59

Skilled Worker Open

Full-time offer from an NL employer

International Graduate Open

Post-graduation work permit with 4+ months left and a related TEER 0–4 offer

International Entrepreneur / International Graduate Entrepreneur Open

$600,000 net worth and $200,000 investment; run the business 1 year on a work permit first

Yukon (YNP)

Partly open2026 allocation: 282 · Cannot be carried past 2026

Employers submit points-scored EOIs; 85% of spaces go to Whitehorse employers and 15% to rural employers. Both 2026 intake windows (January and July) have closed. French speakers at CLB 5+ do not count against the allocation.

Critical Impact Worker / Skilled Worker / Yukon Express Entry Paused / closed

All employer-driven; the 2026 intake windows have closed

Northwest Territories (NTNP)

Partly open2026 allocation: 300 · Raised from 197 to 300 in August

The Employer-Driven stream reopened in March 2026 with a new points model; the last draw was September 25. The Francophone and Business streams are first-come, first-served.

Employer-Driven Paused / closed

Points-based EOI; 2026 draws finished

Francophone Open

First-come, first-served

Business Open

First-come, first-served

Federal regional pilots and other programs

These programs are run by the federal government, with provincial partners.

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) Open

Job offer from a designated employer in NB, NS, PEI or NL plus a provincial endorsement. 2026 federal target: 4,000 (5,000 in 2025). New Brunswick has paused new employer designations to the end of 2026.

Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) Open

14 communities: Pictou County (NS); North Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay (ON); Steinbach, Altona/Rhineland, Brandon (MB); Moose Jaw (SK); Claresholm (AB); West Kootenay, North Okanagan Shuswap, Peace Liard (BC). Needs an offer from a designated local employer and a community recommendation.

Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) Open

6 communities: Acadian Peninsula (NB), Kelowna (BC), St. Pierre Jolys (MB), Sudbury, Superior East and Timmins (ON). Requires French and an offer from a designated local employer.

In-Canada Workers Initiative Open

Up to 33,000 temporary workers already in Canada fast-tracked to PR in 2026–27. No separate application: it applies to people who have lived 2+ years in smaller communities and already applied through a PNP, AIP, RCIP, FCIP and similar programs.

Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots Paused / closed

Intake paused in December 2025 and the planned March 2026 reopening was cancelled; files already submitted are still processed.

Start-up Visa Paused / closed

Paused; only holders of a valid 2025 commitment certificate could apply by June 30, 2026. A new high-impact pilot is planned, with no date.

Self-employed Persons / Agri-Food Pilot Paused / closed

Self-employed program paused since 2024; the Agri-Food Pilot closed on May 14, 2025.

Immigration rules change quickly. This page is compiled from provincial government sites and public reports for general information. Check the province and IRCC for current criteria, openings and allocations, and book a free assessment before you apply.

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