Prince Edward Island's Latest PNP Draw: Focus on In-Demand Occupations, 39 Candidates Invited
Prince Edward Island (PEI) conducted a new round of targeted invitations through its Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) on July 17, issuing a total of 39 invitations to eligible foreign nationals to apply for a provincial nomination. Candidates invited in this round were selected based on their potential to make a positive impact on the province's economy by working in priority sectors and in-demand occupations.
Eligibility Requirements for This Draw
According to information released by the PEI Office of Immigration, candidates invited in this round were required to meet a series of strict criteria to ensure their seamless integration into the local labour market. The specific requirements are as follows:
- Job Offer: Must hold a permanent, full-time, non-seasonal job offer from a PEI employer in a position on the province's designated in-demand occupations list.
- Work Experience: Must have at least one year of full-time work experience that is directly related to the job being offered by the PEI employer.
- Age: Must be between 18 and 59 years of age.
- Education: Must have completed at least a high school education or its equivalent.
- Language Proficiency: Must submit valid language test results from an approved testing organization, taken within the last two years, demonstrating a proficiency equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 4.
- Settlement Funds: Must demonstrate sufficient financial resources to cover all immigration-related costs for themselves and any accompanying family members to settle in PEI, including travel expenses.
Notably, candidates currently residing outside of Canada were also eligible for this draw, provided their employer had received prior authorization from the PEI Office of Immigration before issuing the job offer.
PEI's Designated In-Demand Occupations List
To address specific labour shortages, the PEI PNP has identified the following as "in-demand" occupations, presented with their corresponding National Occupation Classification (NOC) codes:
| Job Title | National Occupation Classification (NOC) Code |
|---|---|
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | 33102 |
| Transport truck drivers | 73300 |
| Construction trades helpers and labourers | 75110 |
| Light duty cleaners | 65310 |
| Other labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities | 95109 |
| Material handlers | 75101 |
| Process control and machine operators – food and beverage processing | 94140 |
| Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers | 94141 |
Future Trends: A More Selective Immigration Strategy
Provincial immigration in Canada is facing new challenges this year. Due to the federal government's reduction in nomination allocations issued to provincial immigration authorities, provinces are becoming more stringent in their selection of candidates.
As a result, the PEI PNP has been impacted and has officially stated it will narrow the scope of its invitations. According to its website, the PEI Office of Immigration is currently focusing on selecting and prioritizing skilled workers in high-demand sectors, including healthcare, trades, childcare, and other critical industries experiencing labour shortages. The office also advised that individuals employed in non-priority sectors, such as sales and service, may not be invited at this time.
In addition to specific occupations, the provincial government may also consider one or more of the following attributes when assessing a candidate's ability to meet the province's economic and labour market needs:
- Language proficiency: In English or French.
- Education: Including the level, field of study, and where it was completed.
- Occupational skill level and relevant work experience.
- Additional factors related to employment prospects, such as holding a job offer in PEI and/or having prior Canadian work experience.
This series of adjustments indicates that PEI is committed to using its Provincial Nominee Program to precisely attract professionals who can immediately contribute to its key industries, thereby addressing current economic and labour market challenges.
Canada Announces 2026 Study Permit Target: Total Allocation Reduced to 408,000, Down 7% from 2025
On November 25, the Government of Canada officially released its 2026 study permit allocation and distribution plan for international students. According to newly published data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the total number of study permits to be issued in 2026 will be capped at 408,000. This continues the federal government’s trend of tightening temporary resident levels, representing a 7% decrease from the 2025 cap of 437,000 and a 16% decrease compared to 485,000 in 2024. The new plan outlines detailed allocation rules by student category, confirms exemptions from Provincial Attestation Letters (PAL) for master’s and PhD students, and distributes PAL-required application volumes and anticipated approvals across provinces based on population share.
11/27/2025
Manitoba invites more in-Canada and overseas skilled workers to apply for provincial nomination
On November 21, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) issued 35 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) to skilled workers both inside and outside Canada. This round of selections continued to prioritize candidates identified through Strategic Recruitment Initiatives (SRIs), including Employer Services, Francophone Community, Regional Communities, and the Temporary Public Policy. The program also reminded applicants to ensure all key information—such as language test numbers and invitation numbers—is correctly entered to avoid affecting their eligibility.
11/26/2025
Prince Edward Island Holds Largest Provincial Nominee Draw of the Year, Focusing on In-Province Workers and International Graduates
The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) recently conducted its largest immigration draw of the year, issuing invitations to apply for provincial nomination to nearly 200 candidates through the "Labour & Express Entry" category. This draw primarily targeted candidates already working in the province, while giving priority consideration to applicants with French language proficiency and international graduates from specific institutions. This move reflects the province's strategic intent to attract skilled talent capable of directly contributing to the local economy.
11/25/2025
British Columbia Expands Entrepreneur Immigration Invitations, Marking Largest Draw of 2025
On November 18, British Columbia held its largest entrepreneur immigration draw of the year, issuing invitations through both the Base and Regional streams of its Entrepreneur Immigration Program. Minimum scores and invitation numbers varied by stream, reflecting the province’s continued 2025 strategy of prioritizing candidates with high economic impact.
11/24/2025
Alberta Issues 1,125 Provincial Nominee Invitations in Mid-November, Maintaining High-Frequency Draws Across Key Streams
In mid-November 2025, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) issued a total of 1,125 provincial nominee invitations across two rounds, targeting candidates in the Healthcare Priority sector under Express Entry as well as the Alberta Opportunity Stream. The November 14 draw invited 80 healthcare candidates with a minimum score of 52, while the November 10 draw issued 1,045 invitations under the Opportunity Stream—a notably large round this year. With Alberta receiving over 1,500 additional nominations in September, bringing its 2025 total to 6,403, the province continues to strengthen efforts to retain local workers and attract healthcare professionals.
11/22/2025
Canada’s Conservatives Push for Major Amendments to Border and Immigration Bill C-12
On November 20, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, a member of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, announced that the Conservative Party will introduce a wide-ranging package of amendments to the federal government’s border security and immigration legislation, Bill C-12. She argued that Canada’s immigration system is under intense pressure and must undergo structural reform as soon as possible. The proposed amendments will focus on modernizing asylum procedures, strengthening border enforcement and security screening, adjusting criminality and removal thresholds, and increasing transparency across federal immigration bodies. The initiative comes amid rising asylum numbers, sustained growth in temporary residents, mounting pressure on housing and social services, and heightened scrutiny of immigration-related security reports—highlighting how immigration has become a heated issue in Canada and globally.
11/21/2025
Alberta Announces Sweeping Changes to AAIP Rural Renewal Stream: Community Quotas and New Work Permit Rules to Take Effect in 2026
The Government of Alberta has officially announced significant updates to the Rural Renewal Stream (RRS) under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), marking one of the most substantial overhauls since the program's inception. Scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, these changes are a response to a surge in community endorsements that have far exceeded the province’s federal nomination allocations. To realign the program with provincial economic priorities and manage labor market pressures, Alberta will implement four core changes: establishing annual endorsement allocation limits for designated communities, setting a one-year validity period for candidate endorsement letters, introducing a TEER-based occupation assessment model, and enforcing a mandatory requirement for all in-Canada applicants to hold a valid work permit at both the time of application and assessment.
11/20/2025
Ontario Suspends Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream and Returns All Applications
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has suspended its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream effective November 14, 2025, following a major program review that identified systemic misrepresentation and potential fraud. As part of the suspension, all in-progress applications will be returned with full refunds. The province states that the program’s current structure must be redesigned to ensure limited nomination spots benefit genuine candidates addressing Ontario’s skilled trades shortages. Affected applicants may submit a new Expression of Interest under another OINP stream if eligible.
11/19/2025
Newfoundland and Labrador issues 330 ITAs in latest draw, marking the largest round since July
On November 12, 2025, Newfoundland and Labrador issued a total of 330 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), marking the largest draw since July. With 220 invitations going to NLPNP candidates, the province continues to rely heavily on its provincial nomination channels. As the province reaches its 13th draw of the year and prepares for expanded federal PNP admission targets in 2026, nomination allocations may increase further.
11/18/2025
IRCC releases latest processing time update with notable shifts across key immigration categories
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its latest processing time update on November 12, 2025, covering citizenship applications, permanent resident (PR) cards, family sponsorship programs, economic immigration categories, study permits, and work permits. The update reflects real-world timelines for 80% of applications and is refreshed weekly or monthly depending on the category. The latest data shows significant increases in processing times for parents and grandparents under family sponsorship, while Express Entry streams remain stable. Business immigration and several Quebec programs continue to face multi-year backlogs. IRCC emphasizes that processing times are estimates only and can vary depending on an applicant’s location, background checks, case complexity, and IRCC’s operational capacity.
11/17/2025
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