How will provinces and territories use the Express Entry system?
Provinces and territories will be able to nominate a certain number of foreign nationals through the Express Entry system to meet their local immigration and labour market needs. If an applicant gets a nomination from a province or territory, they will be given enough additional points to be invited to apply for permanent residence at the next eligible draw of candidates.
Just as they manage their own Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) now, provinces and territories will set the criteria they use to nominate Express Entry candidates.
Express Entry candidates may either:
enter the pool first, and then be nominated by a province or territory; or
be nominated by a province or territory, and then complete an online Express Entry profile.
Note: All prospective candidates (whether PNP applicants or not) must meet the criteria of at least one of the federal immigration programs managed through Express Entry in order to enter the pool, and must submit their application online.
Provinces and territories will also continue to be able to make nominations under their regular (“base”) PNPs outside of Express Entry via a paper application process.
Note: The Province of Quebec does not use Express Entry. They select their own skilled workers. See Quebec-selected skilled workers to find out more.