PNP checks assigned to provinces

Summary#

This is a proposed change to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations that would change how the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is checked by federal officials. It would make provinces and territories the sole assessors of a nominee’s ability to establish economically and their intent to live in the nominating province, reducing duplicate federal checks. The notice was published on February 22, 2025 and public comments are open for 30 days (deadline March 24, 2025).

What it does#

• Replaces the current federal–provincial overlap in the rules for who counts as a member of the Provincial Nominee Class. A person would be a member if they are named in a nomination certificate that is:
  • issued by the province under a current provincial nomination agreement with the Minister;
  • made under provincial selection criteria that the Minister has approved in writing; and
  • made based on the person’s ability to become economically established in Canada and their intention to live in the nominating province.
• Makes the nominating province or territory solely responsible for assessing:
  • the nominee’s ability to economically establish, and
  • the nominee’s intention to reside in that province or territory.
• Removes the current federal claim to re‑do or substitute the province’s assessment of those two factors. Federal officers would then focus on admissibility checks (for example, criminality, security, health).
• The change is proposed (not yet in force) and would come into force on the day the final regulations are registered.

Who's affected#

• Provinces and territories that take part in the PNP (all except Quebec and Nunavut) — they would have sole responsibility for two key parts of the candidate assessment.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) — expected to spend less time re-checking those provincial assessments.
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — likely to save time because it will not duplicate the province’s check of intent to reside.
• People applying for permanent residence through the PNP — about 47,800 PNP permanent residence applications are processed by IRCC each year; affected applicants could face fewer requests to re‑submit evidence of provincial eligibility.
• The federal analysis finds no expected costs for provinces/territories and no expected effect on small businesses. The proposal says it is not anticipated to affect Indigenous peoples.

Why it matters#

• Practical effect: fewer duplicate checks between the federal government and provinces should speed up processing and reduce back-and‑forth for applicants.
• Time and money: IRCC estimates transition and ongoing costs of $345,092 (present value) over 10 years, total savings of $681,767, and a net benefit of $336,674 (all figures in 2023 dollars, measured over 2024 to 2033).
• Clarity of roles: the change aims to make federal and provincial responsibilities clearer and improve federal–provincial cooperation on immigration.
• Uncertainties: this is a proposed change, not law yet. Final text, the exact coming‑into‑force date, and any changes from consultation could alter outcomes.