CanadaProvincial permanent residence

Provincial nomination (PNP) in Canada

Canada's provinces and territories select for themselves the candidates whose skills, education and experience match the needs of their labour markets. The candidate first asks the chosen province for a nomination under its own rules and streams, and then files separately for permanent residence. A nomination can be obtained either through the federal Express Entry selection or directly, bypassing that pool. The province expects a nominee to settle in that province.

Visa term

Permanent resident status is indefinite; the PR card is issued for 5 years.

Residence

730 days in Canada in every 5 years.

Yes, it leads to permanent resident status

Source: canada.ca — Immigrate as a provincial nominee

How to obtain a provincial nomination

A province accepts nomination applications through one of its streams, and the onward route to permanent residence depends on whether the candidate is taking part in the federal Express Entry selection.

Candidates with an Express Entry profile

Already meet the requirements of one of the federal Express Entry programmes (for example the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class or the Federal Skilled Trades Program)
After a nomination by the province they receive 600 additional CRS points and file the permanent residence application online through the Express Entry profile
They wait about 7 months from filing for a decision on the permanent residence application

Candidates without an Express Entry profile

Do not meet the requirements of any federal Express Entry programme
They file the permanent residence application directly through the permanent residence portal once the nomination has been received, without CRS points
They wait longer for a decision on the permanent residence application — about 13 months from filing

When this programme is not suitable

You want to settle in Quebec

The Quebec Selected Skilled Worker Program — Quebec has its own immigration system outside the PNP

There is no intention of moving to and living in the nominating province

choose the region where you actually plan to live, or the federal Express Entry programmes, which are not tied to a particular province

You already have a high CRS ranking and an invitation is expected even without a nomination

take part in the ordinary Express Entry rounds directly, without the additional stage of applying to a province

What it costs

Processing of the permanent residence application — principal applicant	990 CAD
Processing of the permanent residence application — accompanying spouse or partner	990 CAD
Processing of the permanent residence application — accompanying child	270 CAD
Right of permanent residence — for each adult applicantCharged only once the application has been approved	600 CAD
Biometrics — per person	85 CAD
Biometrics — for a family of two or more applicants filing at the same timeThe maximum amount for biometrics for the whole family instead of paying for each person separately	170 CAD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Biometrics — for a family of two or more applicants filing at the same time” branch replaces the “Biometrics — per person” line — 3 020 CAD. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	2 935 CAD

Paid separately

The province's or territory's fee for considering the nomination application — Each province or territory sets its own charge for its streams — it is not part of the federal IRCC fee list and should be checked on the website of the province concerned
The medical examination, police certificates, translation and assessment of educational documents — Paid separately to the authorised organisations; not included in the IRCC fees

Documents to gather

Once the provincial nomination has been received, the following must be prepared for the permanent residence application:

Confirmation of the nomination from the province or territory
A valid passport (copies of the pages with the photograph and personal details)
Language test results from an accredited organisation (IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core or, for French, TEF Canada, TCF Canada)
Police certificates from every country where the applicant has lived for 6 months or more since the age of 18
The results of a medical examination by an authorised doctor
The birth certificate of the applicant and of the spouse or partner
A marriage or divorce certificate, where applicable
Documents relating to children: birth certificates and, where necessary, proof of custody or adoption
Photographs in the prescribed format, taken no more than 12 months before filing
The completed forms: the general permanent residence application, the schedule for provincial nominees, the document checklist

How the process runs

The route from applying to a province to obtaining permanent resident status:

1
Applying for a nomination to the chosen province or territory
The candidate chooses the province or territory where they want to live and applies to one of its streams under its own rules; the province assesses whether the candidate meets its economic needs and whether they really intend to move there.
2
Receiving the nomination certificate from the province
The province or territory approves the candidate and issues confirmation of the nomination — this is the condition for moving on to the federal stage of applying for permanent residence.
3
The award of 600 additional points in Express Entry
Where the candidate is taking part in the federal Express Entry selection, they create or update a profile after the nomination and receive 600 additional points, which all but guarantees an invitation to apply for permanent residence in one of the following rounds. Candidates outside Express Entry skip this step.
4
Filing the permanent residence application
60 calendar days from the invitation — for the Express Entry stream
The application is filed online through the Express Entry profile, or through the permanent residence portal for the non-Express Entry stream; the fees must be paid, biometrics given and the documents uploaded.
5
Consideration of the application
about 7 months for the Express Entry stream, about 13 months for the non-Express Entry stream
The department checks the documents and may request further information or a medical examination; a decision follows.
6
Obtaining permanent resident status
Once approved, the applicant receives confirmation of permanent residence and obtains a resident card.

Timelines and rights

Work

A permanent resident works for any employer. The province nominates you on the basis that you will live and work in that province.

Who you can bring with you

When filing the permanent residence application all family members must be declared, even if they are not moving with the applicant:

A spouse or partner, including a common-law union where the couple have lived together for 12 consecutive months or more

Included in the application, with a separate processing fee, even if they do not accompany the applicant to Canada; they undergo the medical examination

Dependent children of the applicant and of their spouse or partner

Included in the application and in the fee calculation, even if they remain living in another country; a separate fee is paid for each child

Renewal and the grace period

Permanent resident status has no expiry date and is not cancelled automatically when the resident card expires — the card has to be renewed separately, normally every 5 years (in some cases a card is issued for 1 year). To keep the status itself, the residency condition must be met: at least 730 days in Canada in every 5 years. Until an official decision on loss of status has been made, a person remains a permanent resident even where that condition is not met.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Provincial nomination (PNP)	Asylum and refugee status	Refugees referred by the UN
Visa term	Permanent resident status is indefinite; the PR card is issued for 5 years	Not a status that is renewed; if the claim is accepted the person becomes a protected person	Arrivals come straight in as permanent residents (PR)
Money	The federal fee is CAD 990 for the principal applicant, the same for a spouse and CAD 270 for a child	No income or savings requirement	GAR: government support for about 1 year; PSR: sponsors for about 12 months
Work	A permanent resident works for any employer	The 2026 reforms speed up the issue of a work permit	As a PR — the right to work immediately, with no permit
Residence	730 days in Canada in every 5 years	The claim is made from inside Canada or at a port of entry	The PR obligation: 730 days in every 5 years

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

Citizenship is applied for after 1,095 days of presence within the 5 years before the application is signed.

Frequently asked questions about Provincial nomination (PNP)

Is it possible to obtain a provincial nomination if you want to live in Quebec?

No. Quebec, like Nunavut, has its own immigration system and they do not take part in the provincial nominee programme — the remaining provinces and territories each have their own nomination programme.

What happens if the permanent residence application is not filed within 60 days of an invitation through Express Entry?

The invitation expires and the profile is removed from the Express Entry pool. To try again, a new profile has to be created and the requirements in force at that time met afresh.

How much does it cost to apply for permanent residence after receiving a provincial nomination?

Processing costs CAD 990 each for the principal applicant and for an accompanying spouse, and CAD 270 for a child. The right of permanent residence is charged separately at CAD 600 per adult, and biometrics at CAD 85 per person, up to a maximum of CAD 170 for a family of two or more applicants.

What is the difference in timescales between the Express Entry stream and the stream without it?

An application filed through Express Entry after a nomination is processed in about 7 months on average, while an application under the non-Express Entry stream takes about 13 months, because it follows a separate, lower-priority process.

Is it compulsory to live in the province that issued the nomination?

A province nominates a candidate on the basis that they really will move and will live and work in that province, which is why the sincerity of those intentions is examined while the nomination application is being considered. Permanent resident status itself, however, does not tie a person to a particular region or restrict their choice of employer.

Other ways to move to Canada

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Canada.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.