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The Provincial Nominee Program: Its expansion in Canada

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  • Garnett Picot
  • Feng Hou
  • Eden Crossman

Abstract

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was introduced in all provinces, excluding Quebec, and most territories in Canada between 1998 and 2009. Its primary goal was to increase the settlement of economic immigrants outside major Canadian cities and to address the workforce needs of employers, as perceived by the province or territory. Over the years, the number of programs within the PNP has continuously expanded, resulting in 68,000 provincial nominees landing in Canada in 2019. That year, the PNP was the largest selection program for economic immigrants, accounting for 35% of all new economic immigrants in Canada, up from 1% in 2000. This article focuses on the expansion of the PNP in Canada and is part of a series that examines various aspects of the program. The findings show that the program has contributed to a substantial regional decentralization of economic immigrants. Additionally, the characteristics of provincial nominees have changed significantly since the program’s inception, including rising shares with pre-immigration Canadian work and study experience, and improved knowledge of official languages. Provincial nominees now tend to be younger, have higher levels of education and are more likely to be principal applicants rather than spouses or dependants, compared with earlier provincial nominees. These changes would tend to improve economic outcomes. The source regions of nominees have shifted, with an increasing share originating from Southern Asia. Provincial nominees are more likely to intend to work in skilled and technical occupations and less likely to be professionals, compared with immigrants in the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP). The shift from the FSWP to the PNP, along with other changes, has resulted in a significant shift in intended occupations among new economic immigrants. In 2019, there were almost as many skilled and technical new economic immigrants as professionals; this was a significant change from 2005, when professionals dominated.

Suggested Citation

  • Garnett Picot & Feng Hou & Eden Crossman, 2023. "The Provincial Nominee Program: Its expansion in Canada," Economic and Social Reports 202300700004e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies and Modelling Branch.
    • Handle: RePEc:stc:stcp8e:202300700004e
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.25318/36280001202300700004-eng
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hou, Feng & Picot, Garnett & Bonikowska, Aneta, 2015. "Which Human Capital Characteristics Best Predict the Earnings of Economic Immigrants?," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 2015368e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    2. Manish Pandey & James Townsend, 2013. "Provincial Nominee Programs: An Evaluation of the Earnings and Settlement Rates of Nominees," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 39(4), pages 603-618, December.
    3. Feng Hou & Garnett Picot, 2016. "Changing Immigrant Characteristics and Pre-Landing Canadian Earnings: Their Effect on Entry Earnings over the 1990s and 2000s," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 42(3), pages 308-323, September.
    4. Manish Pandey & James Townsend, 2011. "Quantifying the Effects of the Provincial Nominee Programs," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 37(4), pages 495-512, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Garnett Picot & Eden Crossman & Feng Hou, 2023. "Provincial Nominee Program: Recent trends and provincial differences in earnings outcomes," Economic and Social Reports 202301200004e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies and Modelling Branch.
    2. Garnett Picot & Tahsin Mehdi, 2024. "The provision of higher- and lower-skilled immigrant labour to the Canadian economy," Economic and Social Reports 202400900005e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies and Modelling Branch.

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    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics

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