Prince Edward Island Immigration 2018

The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, also known as PEI, is particularly attractive to prospective immigrants. Although the smallest province in size, it is one of the largest in terms of natural beauty, history, and Canadian culture. Prince Edward Island has excellent schools, almost no pollution or traffic, and was the home of the famous Charlottetown Conference of 1864 which eventually led to the nation's formation. In addition to being the birthplace of confederation, the province has an exceptionally high quality of life and is very popular among tourists thanks to its fantastic beaches, top rated golf courses, and many cultural attractions. Combined with some of safest and closest knit communities in Canada, it's easy to see why people from around the world want to live and work in Prince Edward Island. The easiest way for a foreign national to immigrate to PEI is under Canada's Express Entry immigration system.

Express Entry Prince Edward Island

The PEI PNP is an immigration program that targets foreign individuals who will contribute in a positive manner to the province. The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program is divided into two major categories: Business Impact and Labour Impact. Each of these PEI provincial nominee program categories is then further divided into various subcategories, also called "streams". Under Express Entry, the Prince Edward Island PNP enables successful applicants to become a Canada permanent resident extremely quickly, often in less than 6 months.

There are two ways for a prospective immigrant to obtain a nomination certification from the Provincial Nominee Program Prince Edward Island. Outside of Express Entry, he or she can apply to the program directly through the PEI Office of Immigration. If accepted by the Prince Edward Island PNP, the individual can then sign up for Express Entry and include their provincial nomination in their profile. The other method to attain a PNP PEI nomination is for an individual to create an Express Entry profile and formally indicate an interest in immigrating to PEI within the system. The Prince Edward Island PNP can then directly contact the prospective immigrant using Express Entry, inviting them to apply for the PNP. This method is generally recommended, as it also allows you to include your Express Entry Profile ID when submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the program. With an Express Entry profile already created, successful candidates can then be instantly credited for their provincial nomination by the PEI PNP, which will increase their Express Entry score by 600 points all but guaranteeing them an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. To help you maximize your chances of being selected by the Prince Edward Island PNP, our experienced Canada immigration professional can optimize your Express Entry profile for PEI immigration. Our team can also help you apply directly to the PEI PNP, and if successful can also prepare and submit a Canada permanent resident application on your behalf.

Interested in Prince Edward Island Immigration via the PEI PNP? Phone us now for a FREE consultation.

Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program 2018

The PEI immigration PNP contains several different streams for individuals and families interested in immigrating to Prince Edward Island. The PNP works on an Expression of Interest (EOI) system, which means that prospective immigrants need to connect with the nominee program before they can formally apply.

Provincial Nominee Program PEI categories:

• Business Impact
• Labour Impact
• Express Entry

Business Impact Category

The PNP PEI business impact category is for individuals who plan to invest in and actively manage a business in Prince Edward Island. There are three PEI immigration streams under this category:

1. 100% Ownership Stream
As the name implies, this immigration Prince Edward Island stream is for foreign nationals who will assume full ownership of a local business. This can either be a new business the person will start, or an existing PEI business which the individual will buy in its entirety.

2. Partial Ownership Stream
Instead of owning the entire business, this immigration PEI stream is for foreign nationals who will purchase part of a local business. The individual must either purchase at least one third of the business, or make a minimum equity investment in the company of at least CAD $1,000,000.

3. Work Permit Stream
This Prince Edward Island immigration stream grants the foreign national a work permit so he or she can move to PEI and work in the business they plan to invest in. This is great if the individual wants to experience the day-to-day operations of the business before they actually invest money. Otherwise, the work permit stream has the same requirements as the partial ownership stream.

Labour Impact Category

The PNP PEI labour impact category is for individuals who wish to work and live in Prince Edward Island but not own a business. The individual needs to possess certain skills, education, and experience which are needed in the local labour market. This immigration category is divided into the following two streams:

1. Skilled Worker Stream
This Prince Edward Island immigration stream is for individuals who have been hired or will be hired by a PEI employer. Eligible candidates must have knowledge and experience in a skilled profession, including post-secondary education.

2. Critical Worker Stream
This Prince Edward Island PNP stream is for workers in either a semi-skilled or unskilled profession. The individual must either be currently working for a PEI business, or have a PEI employer who will sponsor them for permanent residency. Some examples of occupations which fit in this category include general labour, housekeeping, truck driving, and food service.

Prince Edward Island Express Entry

The Canada Express Entry system allows the province of Prince Edward Island to attract potential immigrants for their provincial nominee program. The province can send a "notification of interest" to people whose Express Entry profiles match the criteria the province is seeking, or potential immigrants can apply directly to the program under the Business Impact or Labour Impact categories. Individuals nominated for Canadian immigration by the PEI PNP will attain enough points under the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking Calculator to more or less be assured an invitation during the next draw. Once given an invitation to apply to be a Canada Permanent Resident, it does not take long to get accepted for PEI immigration as Express Entry processes applications in six months or less.

Not every applicant will be accepted into the Princed Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program through the Express Entry System. Candidates must have skills which meet current PEI labour needs. These requirements vary over time as labour needs change in the province. Candidates are encouraged to investigate the current needs of PEI before applying for the Express Entry System. If nominated through a PEI Express Entry stream, potential immigrants can apply for residency through the CIC online system which is much faster.

Detailed Eligibility Requirements

The exact requirements for each potential PEI PNP stream can be lengthy and a bit complicated. Here's a complete breakdown of the requirements related to each category with the provincial nominee program.

Business Requirements for the 100% Ownership Stream

The 100% Ownership Stream is where a foreign national is either starting or buying a full business in Prince Edward Island. There are several criteria the business must meet in order to be eligible for the PEI PNP 2018.

The business must:

• be a for-profit corporation in good standing on all debts and obligations
• maintain corporate headquarters and a "permanent establishment" in PEI
• pay all income tax on taxable income
• have assets with a book value of $150,000 at minimum
• have the potential to create a "significant economic benefit" to PEI

Certain types of business are given priority status.

These priority businesses do one or more of the following:

• they're export-oriented
• they utilize primary sector resources (for PEI, this is generally considered bioscience, information technology, aerospace, and renewable energy)
• they help bring economic diversification, especially to rural areas of Prince Edward Island

Note that some types of businesses are categorically denied participation in the 100% Ownership Stream.

The following types of business are ineligible:

• Home-based businesses including hobby farms and bed and breakfasts
• Cheque cashing, money changing and payday loan services
• Pawnbrokers and other used good sales
• Real estate brokerage, insurance brokerage and business brokerage
• Professional practices, financial services and consulting services
• Any business which might cause "disrepute" to the government and province of PEI
• Any business created purely for access to the PEI PNP program

Under this PEI nominee program category there are also detailed requirements for the business owner, as the owner of the business is considered equally as important as the business itself. There are a variety of requirements for individual looking to apply to the Prince Edward Island PNP. Requirements vary based on the type of stream, although many of the requirements apply to every applicant.

All applicants in the 100% Ownership, Partial Ownership and Work Permit Streams must:

• be between 21 and 59 years old
• have a high school education (at minimum)
• have a minimum net worth of $600,000
• score a minimum of a 4.0 on the IELTS English Test

For the 100% Ownership Stream, individuals must also:

• provide a comprehensive business plan for the business being purchased
• provide active, on-going management from within PEI
• sign an escrow agreement with deposit stipulations of $200,000
• make a minimum investment into the business of $150,000

In addition to the general requirements, individuals participating in the PEI Provincial Nominee Program Partial Ownership Stream must meet several additional requirements.

PEI immigration PNP participants must:

• provide a comprehensive business plan for partial ownership of the business
• provide active, on-going management from within Prince Edward Island
• provide a signed escrow agreement containing stipulations on a deposit of $200,000
• invest a minimum of $150,000 for a partial ownership of at least 33.3% of voting shares, or else invest a minimum of $1 million in the company
• start-ups are ineligible for this stream, but newly incorporated companies may be allowed

Aside from meeting the general requirements, applicants to the Provincial Nominee Program PEI Work Permit Stream must also satisfy several more requirements.

Requirements for PEI PNP Work Stream:

• obtain a work permit for PEI
• provide a full business plan for complete or partial ownership of the business
• manage the business from within PEI actively and for an on-going period of time
• sign the Performance Agreement which contains stipulations on the business investment
• invest a minimum of $150,000 in the business

Labour Impact Category – Detailed Requirements

The Labour Impact Category of the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program is divided into two streams. There is some slight overlap in the requirements between the two streams, but mainly the requirements are specific to each stream.

1. Requirements for the Skilled Worker Stream:

• 21-59 years old
• Must have a job offer for a full-time, long-term job from a PEI employer for a N0C 0, A or B level skilled position. In this case, "long term" is considered to be at least two years
• If currently employed in PEI, must have a valid work permit
• Must have legal status in current country of residence
• Must have a two-year post-secondary degree
• Within the past two years, must have at least two years of full-time work experience or relevant schooling
• Must have "sufficient funds" to settle in PEI
• Must prove proficiency in English or French. Proficiency can be established by an IELTS test with a minimum score of 4.0, a declaration of language ability from the PEI employer or education from an institution where the primary instruction used was either English or French

In the Prince Edward Island Nominee Program Skilled Worker Stream, the employer offering the applicant the job must also meet certain requirements.

The employer must offer employment which:

• is at least two years in duration
• is suitable for the applicant's education, training and experiences
• meets federal and provincial standards and industry wage rate
• is located in Prince Edward Island
• offers a verifiable employment contract and settlement support

2. Requirements for Critical Worker Stream
This Prince Edward Island immigration stream is geared towards semi-skilled and unskilled positions.

The foreign national applying through this stream must:

• be 21 to 59 years old
• hold a valid work permit
• have legal status in country of residence
• be a high school graduate (at minimum)
• have sufficient funds to live in PEI
• be proficient in English or French. This can be verified with an IELTS with a minimum overall score of 4.0. Minimal individual scores are 4.5 Listening, 3.5 Reading, 4 Writing, 4 Speaking
• have spent at least six months working full-time for the PEI employer

Finally, the major requirement for this Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program stream is the individual must have a job offer for a full-time, long-term position with a PEI employer. The positions must be in a semi-skilled or unskilled positions, which is a NOC level of C or D.

The most common jobs in this Prince Edward Island PNP stream are:

• truck driver
• customer service
• general labour
• server (food and beverage)
• housekeeping

PNP PEI Express Entry Immigration

Prince Edward Island is a wonderful place to live and work, with a thriving community consisting of individuals from around the world. Since there are not many cities on the island, most potential PNP applicants are interested in Charlottetown immigration, although Summerside enjoys a fair amount of interest as well. If you are planning on owning a business or simply working for one, there are many Prince Edward Island immigration paths available. The PEI nominee program is of particular interest to recent graduates of the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) who wish to remain in the province. PEI has a proud history of reaching out and welcoming immigrants from around the world. Historically, immigrants have made a powerful, positive mark on PEI business, arts, and society as a whole. This trend continues today with the 2018 Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program, designed to encourage Canadian immigration to the province. The PEI PNP Express Entry combination makes immigration to the province both faster and easier for qualified foreign nationals. In some cases, the entire PEI immigration process could take as little as six months when done through Canada Express Entry.

Interested in immigration to Prince Edward Island via Express Entry? Contact us to learn more about the PEI PNP.