PEI Express Entry
PEI Provincial immigration pathways are dependent upon federal immigration allocations, application volumes, and provincial labour market needs. The PEI Office of Immigration is currently selecting and prioritizing skilled workers in higher demand sectors such as health care, trades, childcare, and other key industries facing labour shortages. Individuals working in the sales and service sector may not receive an invitation to apply at this time.
An Expression of Interest is not an application, but an indication of your interest in being considered to apply to the PEI PNP. The Office reserves the right to limit intake or make exclusions from Expressions of Interest draws.
Learn more about the Province of PEI population framework here.
You can apply for a PEI Express Entry nomination for Permanent Residency through the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP). Your nomination through PEI PNP will increase your chance of being issued an Invitation to Apply from the Federal Government.
Am I eligible to apply?
To be eligible for nomination through PEI Express Entry, you must:
- meet the requirements of at least one of the Federal Economic Immigration programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program;
- Federal Skilled Trades Program; or
- Canadian Experience Class
- create a Federal Express Entry Profile and be placed in the pool of candidates. You can create a profile at any time through IRCC
Prince Edward Island prioritizes invitations issued through Express Entry for applicants working and living in the province with an eligible PEI employer.
NOTE: You are required to show 9 months of continuous full-time work experience with the PEI employer supporting you for immigration AND have at least 4 months remaining on your work permit at time of submission of your Expression of Interest IF:
- you hold a PGWP and graduated from an institution outside of PEI;
- you have a spousal open work permit as a result of a spouse’s study permit from an institution outside of PEI;
How do I apply?
If you meet the eligibility criteria listed above you must first read the Workforce Application Guide then you or your representative must create a profile in the Prince Edward Island Expression of Interest system. To create a profile you will be asked to provide a valid email address, and identification information including your passport details. Once your account has been verified, you will be able to proceed to complete your profile. Applicants can only have one active profile at any one time.
Your profile will remain active for a period of six months. You must ensure information provided in your profile is accurate and verifiable. If your situation changes prior to being invited to apply, you may update your profile. If your situation changes after being invited to apply you must contact the Office with the new information; this may impact the ultimate decision on your file. You can find additional information on the EOI points grid in the Workforce Application Guide.
If you are invited to apply you will receive an email notification that will include your file number and instructions for submission of your file. If you are invited to apply you must complete the application forms. Your employer must also complete the employer forms.
Who is not eligible to apply?
If you are currently in Canada, you must be here legally. This means that if you are in Canada on a study permit and you are not studying, you are not eligible to apply.
Do I have to pay a fee?
There is no fee to create an Expression of Interest profile. If you are selected to apply for nomination by PEI, there is a non-refundable fee of $300 CAD. We accept Mastercard, Visa, Mastercard Debit and Visa Debit. Payment will be prompted at the time of the Workforce Application Form submission. Applications will only be accepted with an approved transaction.
What forms do I need to fill out?
Your employer must complete the following form:
In addition, you must complete any applicable provincial forms listed below:
- PEIW-03: PEI Workforce Use of Representative Form (if applicable)
If you are selected for nomination by PEI, you must then accept the nomination through your MyCIC account online. After you are Invited to Apply by IRCC you must submit an electronic application for permanent residency with all supporting documentation and fees through your MyCIC account. IRCC is responsible for the decision on all applications for Permanent Residency.
Do I have to use an Immigration Consultant or a Lawyer?
No, you are not required to hire an Immigration Consultant for any immigration program in Canada.
If you choose to use an Immigration Consultant or a Lawyer, they must be registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, or be a Lawyer in good standing with a Provincial Law Society. The agent must be registered with the Office of Immigration prior to the submission of an application through this stream.
My Work Permit is expiring soon. What can I do?
You are responsible for ensuring you maintain your legal status in Canada. You should not rely on our Office to help extend a work permit.
If you meet the requirements of one of our Workforce streams, you can submit a PEI Expression of Interest and, if invited, submit an application for Nomination to the PEI Office of Immigration. Once your application is processed and approved, you would receive a Work Permit Support Letter along with your Nomination. Please be sure to submit your Expression of Interest and Application in ample time to allow this entire process to be completed. We cannot issue Work Permit Support letters before we have been able to process and approve a complete application.
The Work Permit Support Letter allows you to apply for a work permit from the Federal Government without the need for an LMIA. Support letters are issued at the discretion of PEI’s Office of Immigration and are restricted to the employer that supported your Nomination. Please note IRCC and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are responsible for issuing work permits.
If you have already applied for Permanent Residency, please note you may be eligible for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) that lets you keep working while you wait for the results of your Permanent Residence application. For more information on BOWP, please visit IRCC’s website. Please note the issuance of a BOWP is at the discretion of IRCC.
What happens after I am nominated?
If you are selected for nomination by PEI, you must then accept the nomination through your MyCIC account online. After you are Invited to Apply by IRCC you must submit an electronic application for permanent residency with all supporting documentation and fees through your MyCIC account. IRCC is responsible for the decision on all applications for Permanent Residency.
If there are changes in your circumstances, such as family status, employment, contact information, etc., you must notify the Office of Immigration immediately. You are required to work with one employer until you receive Permanent Residency status. If any changes occur after nomination, you must notify the Office of Immigration and IRCC immediately.