Canadian provinces see big changes in 2025 immigration plans, i.e., throughout 2025, most provinces and territories in Canada saw an increase in the number of permanent residence nominations they could issue under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). These increases came after negotiations with the federal government.
As of now, only Ontario and Prince Edward Island (PEI) have not received any extra nomination slots.
What Is The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)?
Under the PNP, Canada allows provinces and territories to nominate foreign nationals for permanent residence based on local labour needs. Once nominated, applicants must further receive final approval from the federal government to become permanent residents.
Each province or territory receives a nomination allocation, which represents the number of people they can nominate for permanent residence each year.
Below is a summary of the 2025 provincial immigration allocations, comparing their numbers before and after increases announced by the federal government.
| Province/Territory | Current Allocation (Post-Increase) | Last Year’s Allocation (2024) | Allocation At The Beginning Of 2025 (Pre-Increase) | Additional Spots Granted | Final Share Of 2024 Allocation (%) Received For 2025 |
| Alberta | 6,403 | 9,750 | 4,875 | 1,528 | 65.67% |
| British Columbia | 5,254 | 8,000 | 4,000 | 1,254 | 65.68% |
| Manitoba | 6,239 | 9,500 | 4,750 | 1,489 | 65.67% |
| New Brunswick | 4,250 | 5,500 | 2,750 | 1,500 | 77.27% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 2,525 | 2,100 | 1,525 | 1,000 | 97.62% |
| Nova Scotia | 3,709 | 6,300 | 3,150 | 559 | 58% |
| Ontario | 10,750 | 21,500 | 10,750 | 0 | 50% |
| Prince Edward Island | 1,025 | 2,050 | 1,025 | 0 | 51% |
| Saskatchewan | 4,761 | 8,000 | 3,625 | 1,136 | 59.51% |
| The Yukon | 282 | 300 | 215 | 67 | 94% |
| The Northwest Territories | 300 | 300 | 150 | 150 | 100% |
| Total | 45,048 | 73,300 | 36,340 | 8,683 | — |
For the Atlantic Provinces, i.e., New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, these allocations include both PNP nominations and endorsements under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
Main Highlights
Several provinces and territories have regained most or all of their 2024 nomination numbers. This includes:
- The Northwest Territories (100%)
- The Yukon (94%)
- Newfoundland and Labrador (98%)
Among all regions, Alberta received the biggest increase, adding 1,528 nomination slots to the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) in September 2025.
Following Alberta were New Brunswick (1,500 more nominations) and Manitoba (1,489 more nominations).
Why Are Provincial Nomination Numbers Changing?
As Canadian provinces see big changes in 2025 immigration plans, let us discuss why provincial nomination numbers are changing.
Well, in Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan (2025–2027), the federal government reduced the planned PNP admissions by almost half compared to 2024. This decision directly affected how many candidates provinces could nominate in 2025.
| Year | Immigration Levels Plan 2025–2027 | Immigration Levels Plan 2024–2026 |
| 2025 | 55,000 | 120,000 |
| 2026 | 55,000 | 120,000 |
| 2027 | 55,000 | – |
Each year, the Immigration Levels Plan sets the number of new permanent residents Canada plans to welcome, along with estimated targets for the next two years.
These targets refer to landings. A landing takes place on the date at which the successful applicant officially becomes a permanent resident of Canada. However, there’s often a delay between nomination and landing due to application processing times.
For example:
- Enhanced PNPs (linked with Express Entry) usually take around six months.
- Base PNPs (not linked with Express Entry) can take over a year.
- The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) has recently reached processing times of up to 37 months.
Because of this, nominations made in 2025 may only show up as landings in 2026 or 2027.
Federal Cuts And New Nomination Rules
In October 2024, Canada cut the 2025 PNP landing targets in half, and in January 2025, the government also reduced PNP allocations across all provinces.
At the same time, the federal government introduced a new rule, i.e., 75% of PNP nominations must go to candidates already in Canada.
To follow the new reduced limits and rules, many provinces and territories changed their PNPs – pausing some programs, closing others, or focusing only on applicants from certain jobs or industries.
Here’s how some provinces responded:
- British Columbia paused three new graduate streams and put International Post-Graduate applications received after September 1, 2024, on a waitlist.
- Nova Scotia decided to prioritize applicants in healthcare, social services, and construction, especially those whose work permits expire in 2025.
- Prince Edward Island (PEI) began focusing on skilled workers in healthcare, trades, and childcare, as well as industries facing labour shortages.
- New Brunswick limited its nominations to candidates working in health, education, and construction trades. It also stopped accepting new Expressions of Interest for its Strategic Initiative stream.
- Saskatchewan reduced overseas recruitment, now prioritizing healthcare, agriculture, and skilled trades workers. It also added a 25% nomination cap for candidates in transportation, retail, and accommodation and food services.
Even with these restrictions, most provinces and territories have since negotiated higher allocations with the federal government over the year (2025).
In some cases, provinces like New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador were granted more spots after agreeing to accept asylum seekers or humanitarian immigrants.
Possible Changes Ahead
The steady increases in nomination allocations throughout 2025 suggest that Canada may once again raise its PNP targets in the next Immigration Levels Plan (2026–2028).
According to IRCC’s Minister Transition Binder, the department is already reviewing how to balance immigration between federal and provincial programs, which could result in larger PNP quotas next year.
About The Provincial Nominee Program
As Canadian provinces see big changes in 2025 immigration plans, let us understand more about the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Well, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) was launched in 1998 to spread immigration benefits beyond major cities and give provinces a stronger role in selecting newcomers who meet their labour needs.
Today, it is Canada’s second most popular immigration route for skilled workers after Express Entry.
The PNP has two main types of streams:
- Base Streams – Candidates apply directly to a province. Once nominated, they submit a separate permanent residence application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
- Enhanced Streams – These are connected to Express Entry. If an Express Entry candidate receives a provincial nomination, they earn 600 extra Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, almost guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
Every province and territory in Canada has its own PNP, except Nunavut and Quebec.
Quebec manages immigration independently and has its own selection programs for both temporary and permanent residents.
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