Canada Immigration News, Canada Permanent Residency (PR), Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
Ottawa, December 25, 2025 — Canada’s immigration landscape continues to evolve rapidly as we close out 2025. For hopeful permanent residents aiming for the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), December has brought four important updates that could affect your plans for Canada PR. These updates impact nomination allocations, program priorities, draws, and eligibility rules across major PNPs including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. Understanding them now will help you plan your PR path more effectively for 2026 and beyond.
In this post, we will break down the latest developments and explain what they mean for applicants seeking Canada permanent residency through a province, especially as federal immigration planning continues to shift.
One of the biggest announcements this month came from British Columbia. The province revealed that its PNP nomination allocation for 2026 has been significantly reduced compared to its request.
On December 18, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) informed British Columbia that its PNP quota for 2026 will be limited to 5,254 nominations, far below the 9,000 nominations initially requested.
If you are planning to apply to BC PNP, whether through Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entrepreneur, or Strategic categories, expect tougher thresholds and more selective criteria. Candidates with high wages, strong job offers, or significant economic impact are likely to gain priority.
Tip: Prepare your BC PNP profile early and focus on strengthening points such as education, skilled work experience, strong language scores, and job offers in eligible occupations. This will improve your chances in future draws.
Alberta’s Provincial Nominee Program, known as the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), has announced that it has reached its full 2025 nomination allocation.
According to recent updates, AAIP issued all of its allotted nominations after the final draws for the year.
AAIP has historically prioritized candidates with valid job offers in priority occupations, connections to local employers, or skilled work experience that matches Alberta’s labor demands. If you missed the final draws, shift your planning to early 2026 and align your profile with Alberta’s economic priorities once they are published.
Saskatchewan’s Provincial Nominee Program (SINP) has announced its initial nomination allocation for 2026 as 4,761 spots, roughly the same as the previous year.
Saskatchewan has also introduced structural changes that will affect how nominations are distributed among sectors in 2026.
The changes are designed to target long-term economic needs and ensure that skilled workers in high-priority sectors have an advantage. At least 50 percent of nominations will go to priority sectors while capped sectors will compete for a smaller pool of nominations.
Tip: Focus on priority sectors and monitor intake windows, as nomination caps can fill quickly once draws resume in early 2026.
Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program has also exhausted its 2025 nomination allocation, issuing all 10,750 spots for the year.
Earlier in December, Ontario conducted large multi-stream draws, issuing over 1,100 invitations across employer-driven pathways, focusing on occupations such as healthcare, early childhood education, and regional economic development.
While these updates focus on individual provinces, they reflect a broader shift across Canada’s economic immigration system.
Canada has set a target of 91,500 PR admissions through PNPs in 2026, showing that provinces remain central to economic immigration.
Provincial nominations add 600 points to Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System scores, almost guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply for PR.
Canada continues to face significant immigration backlogs, influencing processing times and program priorities.
December 2025 has been an important month for Canada’s PNPs. With reduced allocations in British Columbia, Alberta reaching its limits, changes in Saskatchewan, and Ontario reaching its 2025 cap, prospective immigrants need to plan carefully.
Understanding these updates will help you navigate the evolving PNP landscape and increase your chances of success in securing Canada permanent residency in 2026.
A Provincial Nominee Program is an immigration pathway that allows Canadian provinces and territories to nominate candidates for permanent residency based on their economic needs. PNPs are designed to attract skilled workers, international graduates, and entrepreneurs to fill labor shortages in specific regions.
A PNP nomination adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in Express Entry. This almost guarantees an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canada permanent residency, making it one of the fastest ways to secure PR if you meet eligibility criteria.
Based on December updates:
Once a province reaches its annual allocation, new nominations are paused until the next year’s quota is released. Late applicants may have to wait until the following allocation cycle.
Yes. Many provinces, including British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, have streams specifically for international graduates from Canadian post-secondary institutions. These streams usually require a valid job offer or relevant work experience.
No. Each province has its own eligibility criteria, priority sectors, and application process. Applicants must check the official provincial immigration websites to ensure they meet the requirements for the specific PNP they are applying to.
Draw frequency varies by province. Some conduct monthly or bi-weekly draws, while others have more irregular schedules. Provinces may also have separate draws for different streams, such as skilled workers, international graduates, and entrepreneurs.
It is possible to submit applications to different PNPs, but you must meet the eligibility criteria for each province. Keep in mind that some provinces require a genuine intention to live and work in their region, so managing multiple applications requires careful planning.
Official updates are published on provincial immigration websites:
