Canada's provincial immigration draws in Jan 2021 - A look-back

The year 2021 started with the challenges for Canada immigration, carried over from 2020. Canada planned its immigration strategies well and executed them with determination.

Canada kept holding the Express Entry and PNP draws at regular intervals and has been reducing the qualifying score requirement for new immigration candidates. The PGWP holders were granted an option to apply for another open work visa valid for 18 more months. This also gave employers in Canadian provinces and territories the chance to retain skilled foreign workers on PGWP without having to worry about their open work visa expiring.

Also, the PNP draws conducted in the provinces revealed a plethora of job opportunities, especially in key areas, for those willing to work in Canada. The performance of immigration at the provincial level has been highly contributory to achieving the high immigration level targets set by Canada for 2021-2023.

Let’s check out the major PNP draws that were conducted by Canada in January 2021.

January 28, 2021 – Manitoba issues 218 invites

MPNP issued 218 Letters of Advice to international graduates and skilled workers. The following was the distribution of invites among the Manitoba PNP streams:

• Skilled Workers in Manitoba – 178 LAAs (Minimum score 518 points)
• International Education – 23 LAAs
• Skilled Workers Overseas – 17 LAAs (Minimum score 681)

January 26, 2021 – British Columbia issues 81 invites

BC PNP issued 81 invitations to skilled foreign workers in this Tech Pilot draw. The minimum score for candidates in all streams of British Columbia PNP was 80. The streams involved were:

• Skilled Immigration
  • International Graduate
  • Skilled Worker
• EEBC
  • International Graduate
  • Skilled Worker

January 21, 2021 – PEI invites 211 new immigration candidates

PEI held this PNP draw, its first this in 2021, inviting 211 candidates belonging to the skilled worker and entrepreneur categories. The number of invites sent to candidates under each category was as follows:

• Business Impact – 15 invites (Minimum score 80 points)
• Labor Impact/Express Entry – 196 invites

January 21, 2021 – Saskatchewan invites 502 new immigration candidates

Saskatchewan conducted an EOI draw in which candidates were incited from 2 immigration streams. The number of invites sent to each stream was as follows:

• Occupation-in demand – 313 invites
• Express Entry – 189 invites

The minimum score requirement for each stream was 77 points.

January 19, 2021 – British Columbia invites 195 immigration candidates

British Columbia held a PNP draw that invited 195 immigration candidates. Candidates were chosen from 5 BC PNP categories namely:

• Skilled Immigration
  • International Graduate - Min. Score 96
  • Skilled Worker – Min. Score 96
  • Entry Level/Semi-skilled – Min. Score 80
• EEBC
  • International Graduate – Min. Score 103
  • Skilled Worker – Min. Score 106

January 19, 2021 – Nova Scotia invites financial officers

In this draw, Nova Scotia targeted financial officers via the Labor Market Priorities stream which is linked to Express Entry. The candidates chosen were required to have a minimum of 4 years of experience under NOC 1114 (Other Financial Officers). These candidates also had to have CLB 9 or above in all abilities.

January 14, 2021 – Manitoba invites 272 immigration candidates

Manitoba invited 272 immigration candidates via the MPNP streams namely:

• International Education – 29 LAAs
• Skilled Workers in Manitoba – 236 LAAs – Lowest rank = 461
• Skilled Workers Overseas – 7 LAAs – Lowest rank = 722

January 13, 2021 – Ontario invites 146 immigration candidates

146 new candidates were invited via the French-Speaking Skilled Worker stream that’s linked with Express Entry. The candidates had CRS scores between 456 and 467. The qualified candidates had a minimum CLB 7 in French and CLB 6 in English.

January 13, 2021 – Ontario issues invite to 338 candidates

NOIs were sent via the Express Entry Skilled Trades stream. The CRS scores required ranged from 434 to 460 points.

January 12, 2021 – British Columbia issues 80 invites

Invites were sent to international graduates and skilled workers in this Tech Pilot draw. The minimum score for all streams involved was 80. The streams involved in the draw were:

• Skilled Immigration
  • International Graduate
  • Skilled Worker
• EEBC
  • International Graduate
  • Skilled Worker

January 8, 2021 – Alberta invites 50 immigration candidates

Alberta invited 50 new immigration candidates in a PNP draw with CRS scores as low as 406. Since June 17, 2020, this was the first Express Entry draw conducted by Alberta via AINP.

January 7, 2021 – Saskatchewan invites 385 immigration candidates

The candidates belonged to the following categories:

• Occupations In-demand – 237 invites – Min. Score 71
• Express Entry – 148 invites – Min. Score 71

January 5, 2021 – British Columbia invites 168 candidates

This was British Columbia’s first PNP draw of 2021. The categories from which candidates were selected are as follows:

• Skilled Immigration
  • International Graduate – Min. Score 95
  • Skilled Worker – Min. Score 95
  • Entry-level & Semi-skilled – Min. Score 77
• EEBC
  • International Graduate – Min. Score 99
  • Skilled Worker – Min. Score 99

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Note:

PNP – Provincial Nominee Program

MPNP – Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program

LAA – Letters of Advice to Apply

BC – British Columbia

EEBC – Express Entry BC

EOI – Expression of Interest

AINP – Alberta Immigration Nominee Program

NOI – Notification of Interest

CRS – Comprehensive Ranking System