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.
Friendly reminder: There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada. We recommend first using UNA AI to generate an objective and neutral immigration plan, so you can gain an initial understanding of the possible immigration pathways and their requirements, and then choose to proceed with one-on-one consultations with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant partnered with UNA.
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