Prince Edward Island invites 192 candidates to apply for nomination in surprise immigration draw

CHARLOTTETOWN — Prince Edward Island has selected 192 new candidates to apply for provincial nomination in a surprise immigration draw held on Nov. 9, outside the official schedule announced for 2026 draws.

The draw targeted foreign workers whose experience and skills match local labour market needs, with particular priority given to graduates of specific educational institutions in the province.

The development is part of the provincial government's efforts to attract talent and retain qualified workers, as Canada continues to adjust its immigration policies to economic needs.

Details of the surprise draw

The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) issued the new invitations through two main streams: Labour Impact and PEI Express Entry.

The 192 invitations were issued across the two streams. No invitations were issued to the entrepreneur category linked to business work permits.

Authorities did not disclose how many invitations were allocated to each stream, and did not publish a detailed list of the occupations selected.

The latest draw is the 12th held by the province since the start of the year, bringing the total number of invitations issued in 2026 to 1,675.

These numbers do not mean candidates automatically receive permanent residence. They must complete the nomination process before applying to the federal authorities.

Priority for graduates of three institutions

The province gave particular attention to international students who graduated from three local institutions: the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), Holland College and Collège de l'Île.

Through this approach, authorities aim to retain graduates who earned their qualifications in the province and encourage them to settle and work there rather than move to other regions.

Selection is not limited to graduates. The Labour Impact category includes three sub-streams, for skilled workers, workers in critical occupations and international graduates.

Meeting the program's requirements remains necessary, even for candidates who belong to one of the priority categories.

Sectors most in demand in the province

The Prince Edward Island government has identified a number of sectors that receive priority when candidates are selected for immigration, chiefly health care, skilled trades and manufacturing.

Priorities also include other key industries facing labour shortages that need to attract employees with the required skills.

By contrast, official guidance indicates that workers in sales and service sectors may not currently receive invitations, because the program is focusing on occupations more closely tied to economic needs.

Authorities stress that selection is based on an assessment of expression of interest profiles, not simply on registering with the program.

30 days to submit nomination applications

Candidates who received invitations in the new draw have up to 30 days to submit their completed applications for provincial nomination.

After their nomination is approved, they can apply for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which makes the final decision.

Some candidates already in Canada may benefit from the bridging open work permit (BOWP), which allows them to continue working while their residence applications are processed.

Under a temporary measure that took effect on June 9, 2026, some eligible applicants in base nomination streams can request this permit before receiving an acknowledgment of receipt for their permanent residence application, subject to the specified conditions.

When the next immigration draws will be held

The Nov. 9 draw fell outside the previously published dates, which set Nov. 19 and Dec. 17 for the two remaining selection rounds of the year.

The province had also held another surprise draw on Oct. 7, before a second round on Oct. 16, which shows that dates can be adjusted as needed.

The government says the published schedule is a guide and does not guarantee that draws will be held on the stated days.

Those interested in immigrating can follow updates on the official Prince Edward Island immigration draws page, and should keep their profiles up to date and make sure they meet the selection criteria.