PEI PNP Update: Eighth Draw of 2025 Targets In-Province Skilled Workers and Graduates from Designated Institutions
Details of This Draw
According to the latest announcement from the Prince Edward Island Office of Immigration, the draw on August 21, 2025, resulted in 132 invitations being issued through two main categories:
- Labour Impact
- PEI Express Entry
The focus of this draw was on applicants who have already established a work and life foundation within PEI, aiming to meet the province's ongoing labour market needs.
Prioritized Applicant Categories
This draw specified its priority selection criteria, concentrating on the following two groups:
- Workers in Key Sectors: Individuals working in sectors identified by the provincial government as critical to its economic growth and labour needs were given priority. Earlier this year, PEI designated healthcare, trades, and manufacturing as in-demand sectors.
- International Graduates from Specific Institutions: To retain locally trained talent, international graduates from the following three PEI post-secondary institutions also received additional priority in the selection process:
- University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI)
- Holland College
- Collège de l’Île
Notably, this is the third draw this year to use these specific selection criteria, indicating PEI's sustained focus on its local labour market and talent retention in its immigration policy.
2025 Draw Overview
Reviewing the invitation data for 2025 so far, the PEI PNP has issued a total of 792 invitations. The vast majority (791) were issued through the Labour Impact and PEI Express Entry categories, while only a single invitation was issued through the Work Permit Stream of the Business Impact category. This distribution clearly indicates that PEI's current immigration focus is on attracting skilled workers and applicants with local experience.
How to Apply for the PEI PNP
For individuals interested in immigrating through the PEI PNP, the first step is to create an account on the official PEI Office of Immigration website and submit an Expression of Interest (EOI). An EOI profile remains valid for six months, during which time an applicant can only have one active profile.
The PEI Office of Immigration regularly reviews the EOI pool to select candidates who meet the province's current economic and labour market needs, and then issues them official invitations to apply for a provincial nomination. Successful candidates who receive a provincial nomination can then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence.
It is important to note that candidates wishing to be considered under the PEI Express Entry category must submit a separate EOI directly to PEI in addition to having an active profile in the federal Express Entry system.
IRCC Announces 2025 Permanent Residence Application Processing Plan
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently disclosed its 2025 permanent residence (PR) application processing plan in its latest Minister Transition Binder. According to the document, the immigration department will not clear all categories of application backlogs this year, but will instead adopt a categorized processing strategy. Express Entry-related programs, community pilot programs, and Quebec's skilled worker pathways will process all pending applications, while other economic immigration programs will only process a portion of their backlogs, with processing ratios ranging from 2% to 35%.
10/09/2025
Newfoundland and Labrador Issues 217 Provincial Nominee and Atlantic Immigration Invitations
On September 26, 2025, the Newfoundland and Labrador Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism issued a total of 217 immigration application invitations through the Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). This marks the first time since the province implemented an Expression of Interest system for both immigration programs in February of this year that the number of Atlantic Immigration Program invitations exceeded those for the Provincial Nominee Program. To date, the province has issued a cumulative total of 2,821 provincial immigration invitations in 2025.
10/08/2025
IRCC Issues Over 4,000 Invitations, Benefiting French-Language Category Applicants
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,500 invitations to apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system on October 6, 2025, specifically targeting candidates with French-language proficiency. This marks the second draw in October and one of the largest French-language category draws this year. To date, the Express Entry system has issued over 70,000 invitations in 2025, with French-language category candidates receiving the highest number of invitations.
10/07/2025
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Issues 485 Invitations to Skilled Workers and Entrepreneurs
On October 2, 2025, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted another round of draws for the year, issuing a total of 485 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination to candidates across two major immigration categories. The Skills Immigration category issued 474 invitations, marking the first reopening of this category since May 8, 2025. The Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream issued 11 invitations, continuing the province's policy direction of attracting entrepreneurial talent.
10/06/2025
Canada Targets U.S. H-1B Visa Applicants, Plans New Immigration Pathway
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently confirmed that the federal government is studying targeted measures to attract technical professionals affected by the new U.S. H-1B visa policy. This move comes in response to President Trump's sudden announcement of a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas. Canada previously launched a work permit program specifically for H-1B holders in July 2023, with 10,000 spots filling up in less than 48 hours, demonstrating strong market demand. Immigration experts and business groups are urging Canada to seize this opportunity, while also noting the need to streamline permanent residence application processes to truly retain talent.
10/04/2025
Canada Experience Class Immigration Issues 1,000 Invitations in First October Draw
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the first Express Entry draw of the month on October 1, 2025, issuing 1,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirement for this draw was 534 points, and candidates needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 4:01 AM UTC on February 21, 2025. This marks the 10th CEC category draw of 2025, and the third consecutive draw maintaining both the 1,000-invitation scale and the 534-point threshold.
10/03/2025
Canada Closes Permanent Residence Pathway for Overseas Caregivers
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently updated its official website to indicate that the "applicants not working in Canada" stream under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP) has been officially closed. This stream was marked as "closed" on September 29, 2025, without ever having opened to accept applications since the program's launch. Despite this closure, overseas caregivers still have alternative pathways to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, and other routes. Industry analysts suggest this decision may be linked to severe application backlogs and the federal government's policy shift toward prioritizing the transition of temporary residents already in Canada to permanent residence status.
10/02/2025
Canada's Immigration Department Issues 291 Provincial Nominee Program Invitations via Express Entry in Late September
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 291 invitations to apply to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates through the Express Entry system on September 29, 2025. This marks the seventh draw in September and the 18th PNP category draw since the beginning of 2025. The draw required candidates to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 855 points.
10/01/2025
Prince Edward Island Issues 129 Provincial Nomination Invitations, Focusing on Healthcare, Trades and Other In-Demand Sectors
The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) conducted its ninth draw of 2025 on September 19, issuing 129 invitations to foreign nationals through the Labour and Express Entry category. The province continues to maintain a pace of approximately one draw per month, with a strategic focus on skilled workers in high-demand sectors including healthcare, trades, and manufacturing. Against the backdrop of reduced 2025 provincial nomination allocations by the federal government, Prince Edward Island is adjusting its immigration strategy to prioritize candidates who can meet the province's economic and labour market needs.
09/30/2025
New Brunswick Issues Over 1,000 Provincial Nomination Invitations in August, Focusing on Healthcare, Education, and Construction Industries
The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP) conducted four rounds of invitation draws between August 11 and 19, 2025, issuing a total of 1,052 invitations to apply for provincial nomination. These invitations were distributed through two channels: the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream and the New Brunswick Express Entry stream. To date, the province has issued a cumulative total of 3,067 invitations in 2025, exceeding its annual allocation of 3,000 nomination spots.
09/29/2025
# Can spouse of international students work in Canada?# How is the CRS Score Calculated?# What is Express Entry?# How to become a licensed immigration consultant in Canada?# Why Need a Professional, Licensed Immigration Consultant for Immigrating to Canada?# How to verify if my immigration consultant is licensed?# Difference between licensed and unlicensed immigration consultants?# Is it mandatory to be licensed to practice immigration consulting in Canada?