PEI PNP Express Entry

Candidates who are eligible for the federal Express Entry pool and interested in living and working in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island (PEI) may apply under the PEI PNP Express Entry category.

There are two routes to becoming a Canadian permanent resident through the PEI Express Entry category, depending on whether the foreign national holds a job offer in PEI.

PEI selects candidatesExpress Entrywhose skills match the province’s current labour needs. A successful nomination through the Express Entry category of thePrince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)increases the likelihood of receiving anInvitation to Apply (ITA)to become a Canadian permanent resident through the Express Entry system.

The PEI PNP operates on anExpression of Interest (EOI) system. This means candidates need an active profile in PEI’s EOI system.

Requirements

Candidates for this category must be eligible for one of the federal economic immigration programmes managed through theExpress Entry:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

Once a candidate has registered in the federal Express Entry system under one of the above programmes, they must create a profile in PEI’s EOI system.

Profiles are reviewed and scored against six selection factors: age, language, education, work experience, employment and adaptability, with a maximum total of 100 points. The PEI Office of Immigration states that candidates who demonstrate proficiency in both official languages (English and French) may receive an additional 10 bonus points in the PEI PNP EOI system.

Selection factor

Selection factor	Express Entry (with a job offer)	Express Entry (without a job offer)
Age	20	20
Language	20	20
Education	15	15
Work experience	15	20
Employment	15	10
Adaptability	15	15
Maximum total points	100	100

Age

Points for age are awarded on the basis of the date of birth given in the EOI profile. The maximum score for age is 20:

Age	Points (with or without a job offer)
18-24	7
25-29	20
30-44	15
45-49	10
Over 49	0
Maximum total points	20

Language ability

To receive language points, candidates interested in applying under this category must demonstrate language ability at least equivalent toCanadian Language Benchmark (CLB)7 or higher.

Points for language are allocated according to the following table:

Language ability	Points (with or without a job offer)
CLB 9 & 10	20
CLB 8	15
CLB 7	10
Below CLB 7	0
Maximum total points	20

Education

Candidates are awarded points for education on the basis of the highest level of education completed.

Level of education	Points (with or without a job offer)
A master’s or doctoral degree from the graduate school of a college or university, completed after a bachelor’s or master’s degree	15
A post-secondary academic qualification (bachelor’s) from a college, or requiring at least 3 years of full-time study	12
A post-secondary qualification in a specific occupation requiring at least 2 years of full-time post-secondary study	10
Completion of secondary school	0
Maximum total points	15

Work experience

Candidates are awarded points for work experience on the basis of theNational Occupational Classification (NOC)code listed in their Express Entry profile.

Note:Points in this category are calculated differently depending on whether the candidate holds a job offer.

Work experience	Points (with a job offer)	Points (without a job offer)
More than 6 years	20	20
4–6 years	15	15
2–4 years	10	10
1–2 years	5	5
Maximum total points	20	20

Note:Points for employment are also calculated differently depending on whether the candidate holds a job offer.

Employment	Points (with a job offer)	Points (without a job offer)
Currently working in PEI on a valid work permit	5	–
A job offer in PEI related to the level of education	5	–
Foreign credentials verified with a regulatory body in PEI. This is not an ECA	5	5
At least 1 year of continuous full-time work experience in PEI	5	5
Maximum total points	15	10

Adaptability

Adaptability factor	Points (with or without a job offer)
Currently has a close family member living in PEI for at least 12 continuous months as a Canadian permanent resident or citizen	5
A spouse or common-law partner and/or dependent children with language ability at CLB/NCLC 6 or higher in English or French	5
Currently owns residential property in PEI for at least 12 continuous months	5
Graduated from a recognised post-secondary institution in PEI	5
A spouse or common-law partner with at least 3 years of work experience in the past 5 years	5
Dependent children enrolled at a PEI educational institution for at least 6 continuous months	5
Maximum total points	15

PEI PNP Express Entry application process

The PEI PNP Express Entry category operates through an Expression of Interest (EOI) system. This means a foreign national must express their interest in applying and receive an invitation before they can apply to the PEI PNP.

Step 1: assess eligibility for Canada’s federal high-skilled economic programmes

To be eligible to apply to the PEI Express Entry stream, a foreign national must already be registered in the federal government’s Express Entry selection system. To enter the Express Entry candidate pool, an individual must meet the requirements of at least one of Canada’s main economic immigration programmes: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

The PEI PNP Express Entry category offers two routes to permanent residence, depending on whether the foreign national holds a job offer in the province.

Step 2: create a profile in PEI’s EOI system

The PEI government charges no fee to create an EOI profile. To create one, a foreign national is asked to provide a valid email address and identifying information (including passport details). Once verified by the province, the EOI profile remains valid for 6 months. Candidates must ensure that the information given in the profile is accurate and verifiable. Note that submitting an EOI profile is not an application, but an expression of interest in being considered to apply to the programme.

Step 3: receive an invitation to submit a complete provincial nomination application to the PEI Government.

In periodic draws, the PEI PNP issues invitations to apply for provincial nomination to the highest-scoring eligible candidates.

Step 4: prepare and submit the provincial nomination application with all required original documents within 60 days.

Candidates invited to apply must complete all required forms, gather the necessary supporting documents and ensure that the complete application package is submitted to the PEI Office of Immigration, together with the application fee, within 60 days of receiving the invitation.

Step 5: accept the PEI nomination through a MyCIC account (if the candidate receives a nomination from the PEI Government).

Nominees must receive a federalInvitation to Apply (ITA)before they can apply to the Government of Canada for Canadian permanent residence.

Step 6: submit the Canadian permanent residence application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) (if a federal ITA is issued).

If the Canadian permanent residence application is approved, the foreign national must report their arrival to the Government of Prince Edward Island within 30 days of entering Canada.

Those not eligible to apply under the PEI PNP Express Entry category

Individuals working in PEI on aPost-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)are not considered eligible unless they meet the following conditions before applying:

• Have at least 6 months of full-time work experience with a PEI employer, and
• Have at least 4 months remaining before the work permit expires at the time of applying to the PEI Office of Immigration.

If in Canada, the individual must demonstrate that they hold legal status. This means that an individual in Canada on a study permit who is not studying is not eligible to apply.