PEI Express Entry Immigration Program

About PEI Express Entry Immigration Program

Prince Edward Island (PEI) is a small province which is located in the East of Canada. With its advantages in geography and climate, it has been known for seasonal industries such as agriculture, tourism or the fishery. However, since over the last decade, this province significantly developed in innovation. Some keys areas are aerospace, bioscience, IT and communication.

To stimulate the economy of the land, the Government of Prince Edward Island created the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to attract suitably skilled workers. There are four main streams of the program, including PEI PNP Express Entry, Skilled Worker in PEI,

Skilled Worker Outside Canada and Critical Work. Since Prince Edward Island aligned with the Express Entry of Federal, you can now apply to PEI PNP Express Entry through the Express Entry system.

Requirements/Eligibility

To be eligibility in the PEI Express Entry, you just need to be accepted in the Express Entry pool of candidates by using the Express Entry system. You can find out more about Express Entry, what are the requirements and how to apply here.

Besides, if you have a job offer, you can have more advantages, but it is not a compulsory requirement.

Process/Procedure

After being in Express Entry pool of candidates (how to apply for Express Entry):

• Create a profile on the immigration system of PEI called Expression of Interest Profile. You can create an account through this link. 
• You will then be ranked by PEI Express Entry Ranking System. Note that this system is separated from the Federal Ranking System. The score that you receive is based on these criteria:
  • Age
  • Language
  • Education
  • Work experience
  • Employment (who have a job offer in PEI can gain more score in this criteria)
  • Adaptability
• The highest candidates then will be received an invitation to complete the application. There is an instruction that is given to you through your mail, and you have to complete all forms required by the province and the Federal.

Here is the list of forms you have to fill:

• Provincial Forms:
  • EE-1: Express Entry Application Form 
  • EE-2: Express Entry Consent to Validate 
  • EE-3: Express Entry Information Release Form for Applicant and Spouse
  • EE-4: Provincial Representative Form 
• Federal Forms:
  • IMM 0008 – Generic Application Form for Canada 
  • IMM 0008DEP – Additional Dependants/Declaration Form
  • IMM 5669 – Schedule A Background/Declaration 
  • IMM 5406 – Additional Family Information 
  • IMM 5409 – Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union
  • IMM 5476 – Use of a Representative
  • IMM 5562 – Supplementary Information Your Travels
• After completing the forms, you then send them and the evidence of application fee payment of US$300 (can be bank draft, certified cheque, or money order) to 

Office of Immigration
94 Euston Street, 2nd Floor
PO Box 1176
Charlottetown, PE
Canada
C1A 7M8

• The authorities then check your application and if they accept, you will receive the nomination to apply for permanent residence. You then update this nomination on Express Entry Profile. Once you are approved, you will plus 600 points in your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) so that you will receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
• Next, you sign in to your account and click the link to apply for permanent residence under Express Entry. At this stage, you fill out the form and provide:
  • police certificates
  • medical exams
  • proof of funds
• After that, you will wait for the outcome. You will be ranked based on CRS. The authorities decide the number of candidates they accept and choose from highest to lowest score. 

If you are approved for permanent residence, you will receive:

• Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)
• A permanent resident visa (if you’re from a country that requires a visa).

Then,

• If you have already been in Canada, you have to make an appointment to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) office or border crossing entry to ensure your information is valid, and you are still eligible for permanent residence. Besides, you info your mail so that you can receive a permanent resident card (PR card).
• If you have not been to Canada yet, then when you arrive in Canada, you will meet an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). He or she will check your passport, your COPR, your information to make sure you are eligible to immigrate to Canada.

Cost

Besides the amount you have to pay for the Permanent Residence process, you have to pay the additional fee for PEI to complete your nomination:

• Application for Nomination by PEI, $300
• Your application with right of permanent residence fee (include spouse/partner or not): $CAD 1,040
• Your application without right of permanent residence fee (include spouse/partner or not): $CAD 550
• If you include dependent child: $CAS 150 per child
• Biometrics (if you have not done before): $CAD 85 per person, maximum $CAD 170 for family
• Medical checkups
• Language tests
• Police certificate
• Other fees

How long does it take?

You have to wait up to 6 months, not including the time for biometrics, to receive the outcome. Besides, you can experience unexpected delays.

What to do next? 

Right after your application for permanent residence is processed, you can apply for a temporary work permit. Note that to get this permission, you have to apply for another application. The details of how to apply here.

If you have reached the stage of applying for permanent residency through Express Entry and your work permit is about to expire, you can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit.