• increased business and economic development
• the supply of skilled workers
• increased population; and
• achievement of provincial demographic, social and cultural objectives

The PNP is a shared responsibility whereby the province recruits, selects and nominates qualified immigrant applicants, with the federal government completing security and health background checks and giving final approval. The Nominee Program is equivalent to an “immigrant class”; therefore, Prince Edward Island rules apply rather than those relating to the familiar Canadian immigrant classes (skilled worker, etc).

There are four PEI Nominee Program Categories:

Skilled Worker — an applicant with specialized skills and experience which may fill labour market gaps;

Immigrant Entrepreneur — an applicant who proposes to establish a viable, new business;

Immigrant Partner — an applicant who proposes to make an investment in an existing PEI company and to take an active role in that company as a director or as a senior manager;

Immigrant Connections — an applicant suggested by a PEI-based “champion” who meets settlement and employability criteria.

Skilled Worker

If you choose Skilled Worker you will require a formal job offer. Skilled Workers should not submit the pre assessment to the Provincial Nominee Program office for review until they have a bona fide offer of employment from a PEI employer. The employment offered must be in your field of study and/or experience, and the employer must be able to prove they have been unable to fill the position after advertising provincially and nationally. The employment offer should be submitted to the program officer along with the pre assessment.

If you achieve 50 points (out of 100 overall) or more the required through self-assessment, or meet the criteria for Skilled Worker or Immigrant Connections applicant, we encourage you to continue with the process of applying as a Prince Edward Island provincial nominee. Points value necessary to be nominated by the Province may be adjusted to account for specific provincial socio-economic priorities and objectives. The Program Officers will use their best efforts to indicate within 10 business days whether you may proceed to the next phase. From this point onward, the process is somewhat different for skilled workers than for immigrant entrepreneurs or immigrant partners.

Skilled Worker Program Nominee Criterias

1. A bona fide offer of employment from a local employer
2. Education and training consistent with the position offered
3. A moderate command of the English and French language if required for the position
4. A score in the vicinity of 50 on our Self Assessment (PEI NP 01)
5. The intention to settle in Prince Edward Island

Immigrant Entrepreneur

Prince Edward Island is seeking successful entrepreneurs with the skills and drive — and the marketable concepts — to be successful in PEI’s unique environment.

Immigrant Entrepreneur Criteria

1. A minimum net worth of $400,000.
2. Willingness to invest a minimum of$200,000 to establish a new enterprise (or to purchase no less than 33% of an existing business).
3. A business plan or “Business Capacity” document to demonstrate that the Immigrant Entrepreneur has the capacity to establish a successful business in the Prince Edward Island business environment.
4. Payment of a $100,000 business investment deposit which is held in escrow and returned to the applicant after one year’s residency and the establishment of the business;
5. Immigrant Entrepreneurs are also required to place $25,000 in escrow with the Government of PEI as a good faith deposit. This deposit also gets returned after applicant has resided for one year in PEI.
6. Immigrant Entrepreneurs (Partners) whose capacity in English or French is insufficient to be interviewed in that language are required to place $20,000 in escrow with the Government of PEI. This language deposit will be returned should the applicant demonstrate moderate language skills, in English or French, after arrival in PEI.
7. A combination of age, education, language skills and transferable management skills. The ideal candidate to the PEI PNP is/has:
   • less than 55 years of age;
   • a minimum 14 years of education, including one (or more) post-secondary certificates or degrees;
   • capable of being interviewed in English or French;
   • has several years of management (or, preferably, business ownership) experience in a sector with relevance to the PEI economy.
8. PEI will accept applicants who are not yet able to speak English or French — some of our finest applicants fall into this category — but, lack of skills in one of these languages must be offset by strengths in education or transferable management skills. Similarly, exceptional transferable management skills may offset a lack of post-secondary education.

Immigrant Partner

The Immigrant Partner element of the Nominee Program is intended for prospective immigrants who propose to make an investment in a PEI company and to take an active role in the investee company. That role may be either as a director or as a senior manager defined at level “O” of the National Occupational Code. See matrix at www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca

Immigrant Partner Criteria

1. Immigrant partners are required to have a minimum net worth of $400,000.
2. Immigrant partners must be prepared to make a $200,000 investment by way of preferred shares in an eligible PEI company and to place $25,000 in escrow with the Government of PEI, to be returned on evidence or one year’s residency in PEI.
3. A combination of age, education, language skills and transferable management skills.

   The ideal candidate to the PEI PNP is/has:

   • less than 55 years of age;
   • a minimum 14 years of education, including one (or more) post-secondary certificates or degrees;
   • capable of being interviewed in English or French;
   • has several years of management (or, preferably, business ownership) experience in a sector with relevance to the PEI economy.

PEI will accept applicants who are not yet able to speak English or French — some of our finest applicants fall into this category — but, lack of skills in one of these languages must be offset by strengths in education or transferable management skills. Similarly, exceptional transferable management skills may offset a lack of post-secondary education

Connections Nominee category

The purpose of the Immigrant Connections category of the PEI Provincial Nominee Program is to increase the number of immigrants who choose to relocate to PEI — and who decide to stay. This is accomplished by building on the existing international linkages between Islanders, new Canadians and Permanent Residents.

Immigrant Connections applicants must be supported by a local “champion” with whom they have a family or otherwise strong, personal relationship.

Applicants to the Immigrant Connections category may be nominated without a firm job offer, unlike applicants to the Skilled Worker category, because Immigrant Connections applicants have the advantage of a supportive family or community which is already established, and will help with the settlement and integration process. There is, therefore, a certain “leap-of-faith” required by all parties: by the immigrant, that life will be improved, and by the champion and the Province, that the new immigrant will not be a social or economic burden.

The applicant will be evaluated on employability and the apparent capacity for integration. The applicant is scored on capacity for employment and integration as evidenced by education, language skills, work history, age and whether there is arranged work.

Immigrants (Champions) who the Province would consider eligible to recommend one of their Connections to be nominated have lived on the Island for more than two years after receiving permanent residency status, have a regular source of income sufficient for their needs and their dependents, and have a generally unblemished personal history. This is an honour-based program. Champions are not required to sign a formal agreement or provide a financial guarantee.