Canada Immigration: Delay in COPR and PNP Nominations
Provincial immigration ministers from Manitoba, Newfoundland, and Labrador are eager to welcome more newcomers than their 2025 allocations allow. However, they face significantly reduced provincial immigration targets, which complicates their efforts.
This situation arises alongside the postponed reopening of the Northwest Territories Provincial Nominee Program (NTNP). Initially, NTNP planned to accept 100 applications for provincial nomination by January 16, 2025.
Meanwhile, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) adjusted its 2025 provincial economic immigration programs. This decision stems from overall changes to Canada’s immigration framework.
Newcomers hoping to utilize a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for immigration to Canada may experience delays in application intakes. PNPs struggle with diminished provincial immigration targets and allocations. So far, only Manitoba has conducted a provincial immigration draw in 2025.
This article will explore the macrotrends contributing to the current pause in provincial immigration activities and the planned immigration strategies for 2025.
Significant Cuts to Immigration Levels
Canada confirms immigration levels for each year by November 1 of the previous year under the annual Immigration Levels Plan. In 2024, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced a staggering 50% reduction in admissions allocations for Canada’s PNPs for 2025. This cut is relative to the overall totals from 2024.
It’s important to distinguish between admissions and Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Admission refers to the final interview with an immigration officer, where applicants finalize their permanent residency status. This process may occur at a port of entry or a local office in Canada. While electronic completion is possible, it always requires the immigrant to physically arrive in Canada.
Before the announcement of the 2025-2027 Levels Plan, PNPs were on track to become Canada’s primary source of economic immigrants, surpassing federal immigration targets through Express Entry. The projected and actual provincial immigration targets illustrate this shift:
Year | Projected provincial immigration targets | Actual provincial immigration targets |
2024 | 110,000 | 110,000 |
2025 | 120,000 | 55,000 |
2026 | 55,000 |
The reduction in macro-level targets has affected individual provinces’ allocations as well:
Province / Territory | 2025 allocation | 2024 allocation |
Alberta | 4,875 | 9,750 |
Manitoba | 4,750 | 9,540 |
New Brunswick | 2,750 | 5,500 |
Saskatchewan | 3,625 | 8,000 |
As provinces announce their 2025 allocations, these figures will be updated.
IRCC Counter Actions
IRCC introduced a sub-category known as the “In-Canada Focus” category to counterbalance the reduced provincial levels. This category prioritizes invitations for Express Entry candidates in the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program and enhanced PNPs. The 2025 allocation for this category stands at 82,890 admissions.
Although this category may boost the number of immigrants nominated by provincial governments, it likely won’t compensate for the reduced targets. Because immigration regulations fall under federal jurisdiction, provincial governments must adhere to the federal levels and allocations announced each year.
Consequently, Canada’s PNPs must brace for a significant drop in the number of new immigrants compared to last year. This change poses potential economic challenges, as newcomers play a crucial role in addressing labor shortages across communities.
As 2025 approaches, provincial immigration ministers must prepare for a drastically altered landscape that will shape regional and provincial immigration strategies.
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