Newfoundland and Labrador Invites 97 PNP Candidates

Newfoundland and Labrador issued 97 invitations to apply for provincial nomination on September 4, continuing its 2026 immigration selections under the province’s Expression of Interest system.

All 97 invitations went to candidates under the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program, or NLPNP. No invitations were issued through the Atlantic Immigration Program in this round. It was the province’s 13th selection round of 2026 and the second round since the EOI system began in February 2025 in which AIP candidates received no invitations.

Invitations Continue Through 2026

The September 4 draw brought Newfoundland and Labrador’s total number of invitations for 2026 to 2,556. Of those, 2,162 went to NLPNP candidates and 394 to AIP candidates.

Invitation numbers have varied widely throughout the year. The province issued 445 invitations on March 6 and again on July 28, while the July 10 draw produced only 57 invitations. More recent rounds included 208 invitations on August 10, 122 on August 18 and 140 on August 26.

The Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism does not publicly identify the specific NLPNP streams or employment sectors represented among invited candidates.

How the EOI Process Works

Foreign nationals seeking permanent residence through the NLPNP must first submit an Expression of Interest through Newfoundland and Labrador’s Immigration Accelerator Portal.

The profile asks candidates to provide information about their education, occupation, work experience, language ability and intention to settle in the province. A job offer is required for worker streams.

Provincial officials review the EOI pool and issue invitations according to current labour market and immigration priorities. Factors that may help a candidate receive priority include employment in health care, work outside major urban centres, French-language ability and graduation from a Newfoundland and Labrador post-secondary institution.

The province says meeting one or more priority factors does not guarantee an invitation. Priorities can change during the year as labour-market needs, federal allocations and provincial settlement goals evolve as conditions change.

Receiving an invitation does not automatically mean a candidate has been nominated. An invitation allows the person, or in some cases an employer, to submit a full program application.

Candidates who receive an invitation have 60 days to submit a complete NLPNP application. EOIs remain valid for 12 months. If a profile expires without an invitation, the candidate must submit a new EOI to remain under consideration.

Pathway to Permanent Residence

Candidates approved by Newfoundland and Labrador receive a provincial nomination certificate and can then apply to the federal government for Canadian permanent residence.

If the federal application is approved, the applicant receives a Confirmation of Permanent Residence.

As of September 4, reported federal processing times were about 13 months for base Provincial Nominee Program applications and seven months for enhanced PNP applications.

Applicants already in Canada may also need to consider their temporary status while waiting for permanent residence. Federal rules for bridging open work permits depend on the type and stage of the permanent residence application, so candidates should check current Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada requirements before applying.