Canada Provincial Nominee Program Updates: Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, and PEI Issue New Invitations | Latest 2025 PNP Highlights

Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) continue to play a crucial role in helping provinces attract skilled workers, international graduates, and entrepreneurs to address labour shortages. Between November 10 and November 21, 2025, provinces including Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island conducted major draws—some of them the largest of the year.

This comprehensive breakdown covers every update, provides section-wise insights, and includes real-world scenarios showing how candidates can benefit from these pathways.

---

Alberta PNP (AAIP) — Second-Largest Draw of 2025 + Major Rule Changes

Alberta Invites 1,125 Candidates Across Two Draws

Between November 10–14, 2025, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) issued:

Date	Stream	Invitations	Minimum Score
Nov 10	Alberta Opportunity Stream	1,045	55
Nov 14	Express Entry – Healthcare Priority	80	52

The November 10 draw became Alberta’s second-largest selection round of 2025, signaling the province’s strong push to meet its increased nomination quota.

---

Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) — Largest Nomination Pathway

Key Eligibility Requirements

• Full-time job offer from an Alberta employer

• Valid work permit

• Work experience in eligible occupations

• Minimum language & education criteria

2025 Nomination Status

• Total allocation: 3,656

• Nominations issued: 3,120

• Spots remaining: 536

• Applications pending: 1,100

Real-Time Use Case

Ravi, a food processing supervisor working in Edmonton on a closed work permit, has been waiting for months due to inventory backlogs. This massive draw increases his chances of being issued an NOI soon, especially since AOS continues to prioritize in-province workers who are already contributing to Alberta’s labour market.

---

AAIP Express Entry – Healthcare Priority Draw

This enhanced pathway targets:

• Registered nurses

• Physicians

• Medical technologists

• Other high-demand healthcare professionals

With 494 nominations already issued in 2025 under priority sectors, Alberta is focusing on filling critical shortages in its healthcare system.

---

Alberta to Receive Higher Nomination Allocations in 2025

The federal government increased Alberta’s 2025 PNP cap to:

➡️ 6,603 nominations (up by 1,728 from last year)

This gives the province more space to invite candidates before 2026—important for applicants waiting in the Express Entry pool.

---

Alberta Rural Renewal Stream — New Rules from January 1, 2026

The AAIP announced stricter criteria for its Rural Renewal Stream.

Major Changes

1️⃣ Valid Work Permit Required

Maintained status or restoration applicants will no longer be eligible.

2️⃣ TEER 4 & 5 Workers Outside Alberta Become Ineligible

Only candidates already living in Alberta can apply under low-skilled roles.

3️⃣ Endorsement Letter Validity Reduced to 12 Months

4️⃣ Endorsement Caps for Rural Communities

---

Real-Time Use Case

Maria, a hotel front desk agent (TEER 4) currently living in the Philippines, was planning to apply under the Rural Renewal Stream with a job offer from rural Alberta. Under the new rules, she will not qualify after January 1, 2026 unless she:

• Moves to Alberta first, and

• Holds a valid work permit.

This highlights the urgency for TEER 4–5 candidates to apply before the new criteria take effect.

---

Manitoba PNP — Skilled Worker Draw Targets Recruitment Initiative Candidates

On November 21, 2025, Manitoba issued 35 LAAs under its Skilled Worker in Manitoba and Skilled Worker Overseas categories.

Breakdown of Invitations

Recruitment Initiative	LAAs Issued
Employer Services	18
Francophone Community	8
Regional Communities	8
Temporary Public Policy	1

Only 5 candidates had Express Entry profiles, showing that Manitoba continues prioritizing applicants with direct ties to the province.

---

Real-Time Use Case

Sarah, an administrative assistant from Kenya, attended a Manitoba recruitment mission earlier this year. She received a recruitment initiative number but hadn't updated it in her EOI. With Manitoba now focusing almost exclusively on SRI candidates, she corrected her profile—and immediately became more competitive for the next draw.

---

British Columbia PNP — Largest Entrepreneur Draw of 2025

On November 18, 2025, BC held a major entrepreneur immigration draw:

Stream	Minimum Score	Invitations
Base Entrepreneur	121	19
Regional Entrepreneur	115	<5

With 8 entrepreneur draws held in 2025, BC clearly aims to attract high-value investors and business owners.

---

Difference Between Base & Regional Streams

Base Stream

• For businesses anywhere in BC

• Minimum net worth ~$600K

• Investment ~$200K

• No community referral required

Regional Stream

• For small, rural communities

• Lower financial threshold (~$300K net worth, $100K investment)

• Requires community referral

• Minimum 51% ownership

---

Real-Time Use Case

Ahmed, a restaurant owner from Dubai, wants to expand into a BC community like Kamloops. The Regional Entrepreneur Stream gives him a lower investment threshold, allowing him to start a new restaurant and support local employment — making him a strong candidate for the next draw.

---

Prince Edward Island PNP — Largest Draw of the Year

On November 20, 2025, PEI issued:

➡️ 190 invitations under its Labour & Express Entry category.

Priorities included:

• Candidates working in PEI

• French-speaking applicants

• International graduates from DLI institutions such as:

  • University of Prince Edward Island

  • Holland College

  • Collège de L’Île

---

Real-Time Use Case

Joanna, a recent graduate of UPEI’s Business program, received a full-time job offer from a Charlottetown employer. PEI’s graduate-friendly draws significantly increase her chances of receiving an invitation—even with a lower CRS score.

---

BC PNP Releases Score Breakdown — More Transparency for Candidates

BC revealed detailed statistics of its Skills Immigration candidate pool to help applicants understand competitiveness.

Highest Concentration of Profiles

• Most candidates score between 100–109 points

• Only 0.26% score above 150

This helps applicants evaluate their chances before submitting their Expression of Interest (EOI).

---

Real-Time Use Case

Leo, an IT professional scoring 102 points, discovered he is in the largest and most competitive band. He now plans to increase his score by:

• Improving his language results

• Seeking a higher-paying job offer

• Completing a BC-recognized credential

---

Final Thoughts — What These Updates Mean for 2025–2026 Immigration Planning

These PNP updates indicate:

• Provinces are aggressively clearing backlogs

• In-province workers and graduates are being prioritized

• Rural and healthcare-focused pathways continue expanding

• Entrepreneur and business immigration remains a key economic strategy

For individuals planning to immigrate to Canada, staying updated on PNP changes is essential—especially as provinces tighten rules or adjust scoring criteria.