5 things you wish you knew before New Brunswick and Nova Scotia PNPs opened

In the last week, the New Brunswick PNP and the Nova Scotia PNP have opened to receive applications on a first come first serve basis. This means that those who had previously prepared their respective PNP applications were able to submit them immediately.

The reasons PNPs are so important is because they offer a chance for those who have not been selected for an Invitation to Apply for permanent residency to add 600 CRS points to their Express Entry profile.

Since the PNPs open and close in the blink of an eye, here are the 5 things you wish you knew before the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia PNP opened this week:

1. PNPs can decide to open their streams at any time

The New Brunswick PNP opened on tuesday May 1st, 2018 and the Nova Scotia PNP opened on saturday april 28th, 2018. These PNPs opened without any previous announcements and as you can see, they even open on the weekend!

Therefore, if you want to increase your chances at obtaning a PNP, you need to prepare your application in advance and be ready to submit as soon as they open their streams.

2. PNPs have their own eligibility grid (different from Express Entry)

You may qualify for Express Entry but you may not necessarily qualify for a PNP. Each province makes their own eligibility grid based on their provincial needs. Before you even start your PNP application, you should check if you score enough points on the PNP's eligiblity grid.

3. In-demand occupations are the trend

Many PNPs are coming out with a list of in-demand occupations which are specific to each provincial needs. Some PNPs only accept applicants who have work experience in these in-demand occupations. The list of occupations is also constantly updated, so make sure to verify them regularly.

4. You need to prepare your application in advance

The best way to increase your chances at obtaining a PNP is to prepare your application in advance. This means that you should decide on one program and prepare all forms and documents to be submitted the moment it opens. It is also advisable to submit an expression of interest application for some PNPs to increase your chance of selection.

5. AZ Law firm can help you assess your chances for a PNP in advance

If you apply to the wrong PNP or you are wrongly assessed, the consequences may be that you lose your opportunity to obtain a PNP as well as precious application processing time. We can help you determine which PNP you may be eligible for and where to regroup your efforts.