How to Immigrate to Prince Edward Island, Canada in 2021

Immigrate to Prince Edward Island Top Employers in Prince Edward Island

According to a TD Economics forecast, the tiny province of Prince Edward Island in Canada’s maritime region is poised to grow its real GDP by 3% in the coming year after achieving roughly 4% growth this year.

Due to the sheer low number of cases of COVID19 in the province, public health restrictions were more relaxed than in many other parts of Canada.

In late September, economists Beata Caranci, Derek Burleton, Rishi Sondhi, and Omar Abdelrahman stated in their TD Economics Provincial Economic Forecast, “Businesses on the island have certainly benefited from the province’s loose stance, as retail and wholesale sales are up about 20% and 30%, respectively, year-to-date.”

Every year, economic immigration programs account for up to 90% of all new permanent residents to Prince Edward Island.

In 2019, economic programs accounted for 91.2 percent of new permanent residents to Prince Edward Island, and that share has only grown this year, with these programs accounting for nearly 93 percent of new permanent residents to the province in the first nine months of 2021.

Prior to the pandemic, immigration on Prince Edward Island was steadily increasing, more than doubling from 1,190 new permanent residents in 2015 to 2,445 in 2019, the last full year before the current health crisis, according to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data.

Public health restrictions, including border closures, reduced immigration to the province to 1,290 new permanent residents in 2020.

Based on the rate of immigration in the first nine months of this year, it is on track to come within three percentage points of the province’s total number of new permanent residents welcomed in 2019.

 

Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program

The Provincial Nominee Program of Prince Edward Island offers numerous opportunities for foreign nationals to immigrate to the province.

The province considers candidates already in the federal Express Entry Pool for provincial nomination under its Express Entry category of immigration programs.

Such a nomination adds 600 points to a candidate’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, effectively ensuring an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian immigration.

Applicants for immigration through the Express Entry system in Prince Edward Island must, however, meet the requirements of one of the federal economic immigration programs

The profiles created by applicants are evaluated on a grid with points given for:

  • the candidate’s age;
  • language skills;
  • education;
  • work experience;
  • employment, and; adaptability.

ITAs are issued to the best-scoring candidates through draws that take place monthly.

Under its Labour Impact category, the province operates two streams:

  • the PEI Skilled Worker Stream, and;
  • the PEI Critical Worker Stream.

 

Eligibility Criteria for PEI Skilled Worker Stream

The Skilled Worker stream is driven by employers, and it allows skilled workers with job offers in the province to be nominated for Canadian permanent residency if they meet the following criteria:

  • a full time employment offer from a Prince Edward Island business in an occupation classified as skill level “0”, “A” or “B” of the National Occupational Classification (NOC);
  • completion of a post-secondary education, with a minimum of 14 years of formal education;
  • between 21 and 55 years of age;
  • at least two years of full time work experience in the past five years;
  • sufficient proficiency in English or French to do the job;
  • sufficient settlement funds, and;
  • demonstrated intention to settle in Prince Edward Island.

 

Eligibility for PEI Critical Worker Stream

The Critical Worker category is intended to address labour shortages and is open to foreign workers who are already in the province and working in specific, in-demand occupations. The nomination criteria are as follows:

  • A full-time offer of employment from a Prince Edward Island business in one of the following occupations:
    • truck driver;
    • customer service representative;
    • labourer;
    • food and beverage server, or;
    • housekeeping attendant.
  • six months of work experience with the Prince Edward Island business offering employment;
  • current valid Canadian work permit;
  • high school diploma and minimum of 12 years of formal education;
  • between 21 and 55 years of age;
  • at least two years of full-time work experience in the past five years;
  • demonstrated basic proficiency in English or French language;
  • sufficient settlement funds, and;

 

Eligibility Criteria for PEI Business Impact Stream

The province offers permanent residency under its Business Impact category to those who have obtained a Canadian work permit and worked for a Prince Edward Island business for the required amount of time as specified in a Performance Agreement.

The Primary criteria for nomination are:

  • make a minimum $150,000 investment in the business, and;
  • commit to managing the business on a daily basis from within Prince Edward Island.

Then, there’s the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, an employer-driven group of three programs:

  • Atlantic High-Skilled Program: It is aimed at skilled workers with management, professional or technical/skilled job experience with job offers of at least one year.
  • Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program: Those with offers for permanent jobs that require a high school diploma and/or job-specific training may apply under this Program.
  • Atlantic International Graduate Program:  It is  aimed at candidates who have a degree, diploma or another credential from a publicly-funded institution in an Atlantic province and an offer for a job that will last at least one year but no work experience.
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