The province of Prince Edward Island has invited 345 economic immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination in a draw held September 17.

After issuing the largest number invitations to Express Entry and Labour Impact candidates on August 20, the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) distributed yet another record-breaking number of 345 invitations to candidates in all streams on September 17.

A total of 313 candidates in Prince Edward Island (PEI)’s Express Entry and Labour Impact categories received invitations in the latest draw.

PEI’s provincial nominee program, the PEI PNP, did not disclose specifically how many Express Entry candidates were invited to apply.

Another 32 entrepreneur candidates were invited through PEI’s Business Impact: Work Permit Stream.

The PEI PNP is a component of Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program, which allows participating provinces and territories to nominate a set number of economic immigration candidates for permanent residence each year.

The PEI PNP has an Express Entry category that is aligned with the federal Express Entry system, which manages the pool of candidates for three of Canada’s main economic immigration categories — the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class.

PEI Express Entry Category

The PEI PNP’s Express Entry Category is aligned with the Canadian government’s Express Entry system.

Eligible candidates are given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for their age, work experience, education, and language proficiency in English and French.

Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are given an additional 600 points toward their CRS score, and are effectively guaranteed an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

In order to be considered for a provincial nomination from PEI, Express Entry candidates need to create an EOI profile with the PEI PNP.

EOI profiles are given points based on the province’s unique points grid. The highest-scoring candidates are then invited to apply through monthly draws.

The PEI PNP did not provide a breakdown of how many Express Entry and Labour Impact candidates were invited, nor the minimum EOI score required for each category.

Labour Impact Category

The Labour Impact Category is for foreign nationals who have a valid job offer in PEI, and have support from their employer. It is divided into three streams: Skilled Worker, Critical Worker, and International Graduate.

Candidates in this category must also submit an EOI profile in order to be considered for a provincial nomination through the Labour Impact Category.

Business Impact Category

The 32 candidates who were invited through the Business Impact Category on September 17 needed a minimum EOI score of 102. These invitations were issued under the Work Permit Stream, which is for foreign entrepreneurs who wish to own and operate a business in PEI.