How to come to Canada under the Provincial Nominations Program?

In order to immigrate to Canada as a provincial nominee, you need to have the necessary education, skills, work experience to get a job in the territory or province that has nominated you. The program gives a chance to every foreign national to establish himself or herself successfully as a permanent resident in Canada, thus adding some fresh workforce to the labor market of this economically-stable country.

Each province or territory included in the program has its own criteria for provincial nomination (PNP); so, before you file your application, make sure you have read the current nomination requirements of the province where you wish to immigrate. Eligible applicants under the Alberta Nomination Program, for example, are persons holding USA temporary work visas; residents in Alberta with training and education as drafters, designers, and engineers; persons with valid job offers from employers in Alberta; individuals with close family members in the province, etc.

If you want to immigrate to Canada under the provincial nominee program (PNP), you have to first file an application to the local immigration center of the province where you have chosen to establish yourself. Note that each province has its own provincial nomination procedures. So as your application to be successful, you must prove to the immigration authorities of the province that has nominated you that you truly and wholeheartedly want to settle there and contribute to its economy.

Keep in mind that being nominated by a territory or province does not exempt you from filing an application for permanent residence with the Citizenship and Immigration Canada. All applicants for permanent residence in Canada must pass thorough medical examinations and security screening. Persons with criminal records in their home countries are not allowed to enter Canada. Unlike skilled workers, provincial nominees do not need to meet selection criteria.

The first step to applying for Canadian immigration as a provincial nominee is to get a provincial nomination certificate which indicates that you have been selected to reside in that province. Then, you have to download a permanent residence application kit from the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The third step is to fill in your applications following the instructions in the application kit. You need to also find out where you have to submit your application and calculate the fees. Do not forget to check your application before submitting it, because the application fees are non-refundable. The processing times under the nomination program vary depending on the immigration visa office you apply with. For instance, it takes between 2 and 6 months to finalize your application at the Paris Visa office, 5 to 15 months in the Bucharest Visa Office, and 22 – 27 months in Damascus. For some applicants, the closest visa office may be situated in a neighboring country.

When you arrive in Canada, you have to declare sufficient funds to support yourself and your family until you get your first pay check. You also need to inform the customs officer if you carry more than ten thousand Canadian dollars with you, otherwise you may be sent behind bars.