Canadian provinces are actively using their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) to attract immigrants who meet local economic development needs. This week, BC, Manitoba, and Alberta each released their latest immigration updates.
BC: Entrepreneur Immigration Program Launched, Minimum Score 123 Points
On January 28, the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) issued at least two rounds of invitations to foreign entrepreneurs who wish to start a business in the province. These invitations covered the “Base Entrepreneur streams” and the “Regional Entrepreneur streams,” with a minimum score of 123 points for both categories. The details are as follows:
| Date | Category | Minimum Invitation Score | Number of Invitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 28, 2025 | Base | 123 | <5 |
| January 28, 2025 | Regional | 123 | <5 |
The regional entrepreneur immigration streams in BC issues invitations regularly every month, provided the candidates have been recommended by participating communities. Invitations for the base entrepreneurial immigration streams are issued less frequently, and the following factors may be considered when issuing them:
- Applicant’s registration score;
- Region where the candidate intends to start a business;
- Community population size of the intended business location;
- Whether the candidate plans to start a new business or buy an existing one;
- Whether the proposed business plan aligns with priority development industries.
Manitoba: Focus on International Students and Overseas Skilled Workers
On February 6, 2025, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) issued two rounds of invitations through the International Education Stream and the Skilled Worker Overseas stream.
The International Education Stream issued 59 invitations to candidates who meet the eligibility requirements and have at least four years of full-time work experience in the past five years. Candidates are required to provide evidence of relevant work experience to be included in this selection.
Regarding the Skilled Worker Overseas Stream, 17 invitations were issued to candidates from the “Strategic Recruitment Initiative,” who need to meet a minimum score of 612 points.
In these two rounds of invitations, a total of 76 candidates received invitations, with 18 having valid Express Entry profiles.
Alberta: EOI Pool Status Released, 44,610 Applications
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) released the latest status of the candidate pools for various immigration streams. As of now, Alberta has not conducted its first draw for 2025. The number of candidate profiles in each immigration stream’s pool is as follows:
- Alberta Opportunity Stream: 28,830 people
- Dedicated Health Care Pathways (including Express Entry and non-Express Entry): 1,026 people
- Rural Renewal Stream: 3,029 people
- Tourism and Hospitality Stream: 4,244 people
In the Alberta Express Entry stream, the following are the candidate pool statuses:
- Accelerated Tech Pathway: 2,403 people
- Family Connection and Occupation in Demand: 2,206 people
- Law Enforcement Pathway: 70 people
- Priority Sector Draws and Other Initiatives: 2,802 people
There are a total of 44,610 candidate profiles across the AAIP’s various EOI pools.
Analysis and Outlook
The dynamics of the provincial nominee programs reflect the different labor market demands and economic development priorities across Canada. BC continues to attract entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial intentions, Manitoba focuses on retaining local graduates and bringing in overseas skilled workers, while Alberta is actively reviewing a large number of application profiles, with more draws expected in the future. It is recommended that those interested in immigrating to Canada closely follow the latest policies and requirements of each province and choose the most suitable immigration pathway based on their own situation.
