May 2024 PNP Update: What Happened in Canada’s PNP in May?

This month saw relatively few Provincial Nominee Draws, on top of no Express Entry draws until the very last two days in May (and with surprising Express Entry Draw results). That being said, there were a significant number of program updates. Unfortunately, many of those updates related to programs being paused. 

Key Takeaways

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination may be a key strategy to receive an Express Entry invitation in 2024.
• New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream candidates who applied before March 12, 2024, please withdraw it and create a new one. Learn more here.

Trends in PNP Draws: May 2024

At A Glance

• There were 10 provincial nominee draws published in May 2024. Quebec also published results for a draw it completed in April. 
• PEI did not invite anyone in its draw scheduled for May 16, and it invited just 6 candidates in the healthcare and construction sectors in its May 2, 2024 draw. 
• Most provinces conducted smaller draws in May than in previous months. 
• Ontario did not complete any draws in May. 

You can see all the PNP draws that happened this month on our PNP Live Tracker. 

PNP Programs and Updates

Good News: BC’s Entrepreneur Immigration Regional PNP Is Permanent

BC’s Entrepreneur Immigration Regional stream was introduced in March 2019 as a Pilot Program. It will now be a permanent stream. This news may be especially welcome given the recent changes to the Federal Start Up Visa and pause for the Federal Self-Employed Persons Visa. 

Learn more about BC’s Entrepreneur Immigration Regional stream.

Good News: New Public Policy For Manitoba PGWP Holders To Get An Open Work Permit

The Manitoba government introduced a temporary public policy that will be available to those with a PGWP and who have a valid MPNP Expression of Interest submitted prior to May 10, 2024. This public policy will allow eligible graduates to receive a one-time open work permit. 

This policy was introduced in response to a significant backlog in application processing in Manitoba. 

Learn more here.

Saskatchewan Updated Its Excluded Occupations List For Its PNP

Saskatchewan updated a list known as the ‘exclusion list’, which contains a long list of occupations that are not eligible to apply to the province’s Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry PNP sub-categories. The list has 158 occupations on it for 2024. 

There was good news for vets and veterinary technicians, since these occupations were removed from the list. This means that vets and vet techs are now eligible for Saskatchewan’s Occupations In-Demand and Express Entry PNP subcategories. 

Learn which SINP occupations were added to the list in 2024.

New Brunswick and Yukon Pause PNPs Due To Demand

Yukon and New Brunswick have announced temporary pauses for specific PNPs due to overwhelming demand. 

The Government of Yukon has temporarily paused Whitehorse-based applications for the Yukon Nominee Program, while New Brunswick has temporarily paused expressions of interest for its Skilled Worker stream, from May 17, 2024. 

Learn more here. 

New Brunswick Strategic Initiative Stream EOI Submission

New Brunswick’s Strategic Initiative Stream is for skilled French-speaking foreign nationals who want to live and work in NB.  In May, the province released a notification stating that anyone who submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) before March 12, 2024 should withdraw that EOI and submit a new one. This is quite important, since the notification highlights that EOIs submitted prior to March 12, 2024 will not be considered. 

Need Help Moving To Canada? Create A Free Account

Canada’s PNP has a wide range of programs for individuals looking to live and work in Canada. The program contributes a large number of newcomers each year, particularly in recent years. And it’s effective because it allows the provinces to determine their priorities and offer pathways for workers that meet local needs. 

Our free immigration quiz can help you to assess your eligibility for Canada’s PNP. Sign up for a free account and take the quiz.