Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP): Streams and Eligibility

Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island (PEI) is an island connected to the mainland by the country’s longest bridge – the Confederation Bridge – across Northumberland Strait. In this part of Canada, the speed is a little slower, people take time to talk to one another and the crime rate is low compared to other regions. With 101 rivers and a year-round home of the famous Canadian blue jay, PEI is an attractive spot for vacationers, bird-watchers, and families looking for a laid-back way of life.

Charlottetown, the capital of the province is considered to be the birthplace of Canada’s confederation giving the province a great deal of history. While a little less than half of the residents live in a city or town, many people prefer rural settings abundant in the province. No wonder PEI is known for its agriculture production. In addition to potatoes, grains, oilseeds, fruit, and other vegetable production, PEI offers opportunities in the animal, dairy, and fur farming industry with growth in organics, fisheries, and aquaculture. It’s sometimes called the million-acre farm. PEI also offers opportunities for travel and tourism. In-demand jobs in the province include truck driver, customer service representative, laborer, food and beverage server and housekeeping attendant.

Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) allows prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province to receive a Prince Edward Island Provincial Nomination Certificate, leading to the ability to apply for Canadian permanent residence. The PEI PNP has three major immigration categories:

• PEI PNP Express Entry is for candidates who are eligible to enter the Express Entry pool and are interested in living and working in Prince Edward Island may apply to the PEI PNP Express Entry Stream. Only those applicants with skills matching current identified labor needs for the province will be considered.
• The Labour Impact Category is for individuals who possess skills and experience that are needed in PEI’s labor market. This category is divided into the following three sub-categories:
  • The Skilled Worker Stream is for workers who have been identified or hired by a PEI employer. Eligible applicants will work in a skilled profession and possess relevant experience and at least a post-secondary degree or diploma.
  • The Critical Worker Stream is for workers who have already been hired by a PEI employer, and whose employer would like to sponsor them for permanent residency. Eligible applicants can work in a semi-skilled or unskilled profession.
  • The International Graduate Stream is for recent graduates from recognized accredited Prince Edward Island universities and colleges who have already been hired by a PEI employer. Eligible applicants will work in a skilled profession in their field of study.
• The Business Impact Category has three streams and is for individuals who wish to invest in and actively manage a PEI business.
  • The 100% Ownership Stream is for individuals who will be assuming full ownership of a new business or the purchase of an existing business.
  • The Partial Ownership Stream is for individuals who will obtain at least 33.33 percent of a PEI business, or invest $1,000,000 CAD in the equity of a business.
  • The Work Permit Stream helps individuals who wish to invest in a PEI business to transition to PEI on a work permit prior to receiving a provincial nomination. During their time on a work permit, applicants are expected to begin working in Canada and to learn about the business in which he or she will be investing.

If living on a Canadian island province seems like the right fit, we can help find the right stream for you to apply under.