Canada PNP 2026: 91,500 Nominations and a Shift in Provincial Power

What Changed in Each Province

Short answer: Ontario Express Entry streams remain suspended through 2026; BC closed Entry Level and Semi-Skilled April 23, 2026 and focuses on healthcare (31 occupations) and trades (9 occupations); Alberta added a $135 WEOI fee April 7, 2026; Saskatchewan added tech to priority sectors; Manitoba dropped hospitality/food services and added 16 skilled trades occupations; Nova Scotia consolidated 10 streams into 4.

Ontario (OINP): 14,119 Nominations

Ontario's Express Entry-aligned streams (Human Capital Priorities, French-Speaking Skilled Worker, Express Entry Skilled Trades) remained suspended throughout 2025 and into 2026. OINP now runs primarily through Employer Job Offer streams and graduate streams.

Recent draws in April 2026 focused on the Master's Graduate stream (minimum score 61), PhD Graduate stream (minimum score 56), and regional Employer Job Offer draws across Eastern, Northern, Southwestern, and Central regions (excluding Greater Toronto Area).

Tech occupations remain eligible under specific NOC codes: 21232 (software engineers), 21230 (software developers), 21220 (cybersecurity), 21223 (database analysts), 21211 (data scientists). However, unless Ontario reactivates its Express Entry streams, these candidates must come through employer job offer routes or have a specific Ontario graduate connection.

British Columbia (BC PNP): 5,254 Nominations

BC PNP made several cuts in early 2026. The International Post-Graduate stream closed January 7, 2026. The Entry Level and Semi-Skilled stream officially closed April 23, 2026. Tech-focused draws, which ended with the Tech Pilot in December 2024, have not resumed.

BC now focuses on healthcare (31 eligible occupations) and construction trades (9 eligible occupations). The province maintains a 35% minimum target for nominations outside Greater Vancouver, meaning at least 1,839 of BC's 5,254 allocations go to regions outside the metro area.

Alberta (AAIP): 6,403 Nominations

Alberta's Opportunity Stream reserves 3,425 spaces. A new Dedicated Health Care Pathway reserves 500 spaces. The Express Entry Stream for Priority Sectors (construction, manufacturing, aviation, agriculture) reserves 600 spaces. These three streams account for 4,525 of Alberta's 6,403 total allocations.

Effective April 7, 2026, Alberta introduced a new $135 CAD fee for Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI). The Rural Renewal Stream eligibility criteria were modified January 1, 2026.

Saskatchewan (SINP): 4,761 Nominations

Saskatchewan reserved 50% of its nominations (2,381 spaces) for seven priority sectors: healthcare, technology, agriculture, skilled trades, mining, manufacturing, and energy. Technology was added to this priority list in 2026 (it did not appear on the 2025 list).

Saskatchewan also reserves 750 spaces for graduates of Saskatchewan Designated Learning Institutions who are employed in priority sectors. The Innovation and Tech Talent pathway includes 32 eligible NOC codes.

A new eligibility restriction, effective in 2026, bars PGWP holders who studied outside Saskatchewan and worked in their field for fewer than six months from Saskatchewan Experience pathways.

Manitoba (MPNP): 6,239 Nominations

Manitoba's largest change came February 4, 2026: the Hospitality and Food Services sectors were removed from the Temporary Resident Retention Pilot. In their place, 16 new skilled trades occupations were added.

Skilled Worker Overseas draws remain small and biweekly, typically issuing 46 to 72 Letters of Advice per draw. Candidates abroad applying to Manitoba face longer wait times than those within Canada.

Atlantic Provinces

Nova Scotia consolidated 10 separate streams into 4 effective February 18, 2026: Nova Scotia Graduate, Skilled Worker, Entrepreneur, and Nova Scotia Express Entry. This streamlining reduces the number of pathways but may speed up processing for remaining streams.

New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador were still finalizing their 2026 allocations and stream-level changes as of late April. Check each province's official immigration website for confirmed details.

The 600-Point CRS Bonus and Express Entry Integration

Short answer: The 600-point CRS bonus for enhanced (Express Entry-aligned) provincial nominations remains in force; on April 13, 2026, Express Entry Draw #409 issued 324 ITAs exclusively to PNP candidates with the bonus applied; base PNP nominations from suspended Express Entry provinces like Ontario do not qualify for the bonus.

The 600-point Comprehensive Ranking System bonus for an enhanced provincial nomination remains in force for 2026. IRCC continues to run dedicated PNP-only Express Entry draws for candidates with provincial nominations.

On April 13, 2026, Express Entry Draw #409 issued 324 Invitations to Apply exclusively to PNP candidates with the 600-point bonus applied. All invitees received invitations because all had met the CRS minimum (thanks to the bonus).

Not all PNP nominations are "enhanced." Only nominations issued through Express Entry-aligned streams qualify for the 600-point bonus. These provinces include:

• British Columbia (Tech Pilot closed, but some streams remain in Express Entry pathway)
• Saskatchewan (strong Express Entry alignment)
• Manitoba (Express Entry streams active)
• Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia Express Entry stream)
• Most others with active Express Entry streams

Provinces that suspended or closed Express Entry streams (notably Ontario, throughout 2025 and into 2026) issue nominations through employer job offer and graduate streams. These are "base" PNP nominations. Candidates with base nominations apply directly to IRCC outside the Express Entry system, do not receive the 600-point bonus, and face longer federal processing.

Processing Timelines: What to Expect

Short answer: Federal processing — enhanced PNP (Express Entry) about 7 months with ~13,700 queue, base PNP about 13 months with ~108,100 queue; provincial stages run 3 to 8 months depending on jurisdiction; total enhanced path 10 to 13 months versus base path 15 to 19 months.

Federal processing times depend on whether your PNP nomination is enhanced (Express Entry-aligned) or base (non-Express Entry):

Provincial processing times vary by jurisdiction:

• Ontario: 3 to 6 months
• Alberta: 3 to 6 months
• British Columbia: 4 to 6 months
• Saskatchewan: 3 to 5 months
• Manitoba: 4 to 8 months

Total estimated timelines from application to permanent residence:

• Enhanced PNP path: 10 to 13 months total (provincial stage plus federal stage)
• Base PNP path: 15 to 19 months total

If your province has an active Express Entry stream aligned with your occupation and experience, pursuing the enhanced pathway cuts your total timeline by 5 to 6 months.

What Hasn't Changed: The Fundamentals Still Apply

Short answer: Express Entry CRS scoring is unchanged, provincial nomination still adds 600 points for enhanced streams, study-permit policy and the PAL requirement remain in effect, work-permit eligibility holds, and IRCC retains full control over criminality, security, and health admissibility checks.

The CRS point system for Express Entry applicants remains unchanged. Provincial nomination still adds 600 points if you qualify for an enhanced stream. A CRS calculator can estimate your current score based on age, education, work experience, and language ability.

Study permit policy is unchanged. If you're a current student, the Post-Arrival Letter of Acceptance (PAL) policy remains in effect for those with new study permits. International mobility, tuition fees, and work permit eligibility for students remain as they were.

Work permit requirements have not shifted. To pursue PNP streams in most provinces, you still need a valid work permit and a specific job offer (for employer-sponsored streams) or provincial graduation credentials (for graduate streams).

Criminality, security, and health checks remain mandatory. No regulation change removes these admissibility checks. IRCC still owns these decisions fully.

Who This Helps and Who It Hurts

Short answer: The 91,500 increase and provincial-control shift help applicants with genuine provincial ties (real job offers, real graduate connections) and reduces federal-stage rejection risk; it hurts applicants targeting closed Ontario Express Entry streams, those in provinces with declining allocations like BC, and those attempting to game the system.

The 91,500 allocation increase helps applicants with genuine provincial ties. If your work offer is real, your employer relationship is real, or your graduation from a provincial school is recent, the increased allocations mean shorter wait times and higher odds of nomination.

The March 30 regulatory shift helps applicants once provinces nominate them. Rejection at the IRCC stage becomes less likely. For applicants from regions where IRCC officer bias or miscommunication has been a concern, provincial control of intent and establishment criteria is an improvement.

The increased allocation hurts applicants in provinces with declining allocations (British Columbia saw a slight decrease) or those targeting closed streams (Ontario's Express Entry streams remain suspended). It also hurts applicants trying to game the system. Provinces now own eligibility decisions fully. They face no federal override option. Bad-faith nominees face provincial investigation, not just IRCC questioning.

The shift away from Express Entry streams in Ontario hurts applicants who achieved high CRS scores but lack a specific Ontario employer or Ontario graduation. They are shut out of the 600-point bonus path and must wait in the base PNP queue (13 months plus provincial processing).

A Note on Diaspora Access and Tech Pathways

Short answer: For applicants already in Canada on study or work permits, Saskatchewan adding technology to priority sectors and Alberta Express Entry Stream for Priority Sectors (manufacturing, construction, aviation, agriculture) create practical paths for engineers, developers, and tradespeople already working in Canada.

For applicants already in Canada on study permits or work permits, the provincial allocations create opportunity. Saskatchewan's addition of technology to its priority sectors and Alberta's Express Entry Stream for Priority Sectors (which includes manufacturing and skilled trades) offer practical paths for engineers, developers, and skilled tradespeople already working in Canada.

For overseas applicants, PAL policy for new study permits remains unchanged. Obtaining a study permit, graduating, then applying through a provincial graduate stream is still viable, but timelines are 2+ years before you can even apply for PNP.

For those from Iran, the Middle East, and South Asia who have already migrated to Canada on other visa categories or study permits, the enlarged provincial allocations and the regulatory shift that strengthens provincial nominations mean your path forward is stronger than it was six months ago.

What to Do Next

PNP rules vary widely by province and the wrong choice can cost you 12+ months. The allocation increases and the regulatory shift reduce some risks, but choosing the right province and stream requires understanding your credentials against provincial priorities.

Book a consultation to figure out which province actually fits your profile and timeline. Our RCIC team has nominated clients across all 11 PNPs and tracks every regulation change. Visit gofarglobal.com/appointment to book.

Sources

• Canada Gazette Part II, SOR/2026-63: https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2026/2026-04-08/html/sor-dors63-eng.html
• IRCC 2026-2028 Levels Plan: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels/supplementary-immigration-levels-2026-2028.html
• Ontario OINP 2026 Updates: https://www.ontario.ca/page/2026-ontario-immigrant-nominee-program-updates
• Saskatchewan SINP Tech Talent Pathway: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/moving-to-saskatchewan/live-in-saskatchewan/by-immigrating/saskatchewan-immigrant-nominee-program/browse-sinp-programs/applicants-international-skilled-workers/sinp-tech-talent-pathway