On September 18 2026 Newfoundland and Labrador’s Office of Immigration (OIM) issued 62 new invitations for provincial immigration: 61 through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and one through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Invited candidates have 60 days to submit a complete application for nomination (NLPNP) or endorsement (AIP). Successful nominees can then apply to the federal government for permanent residence (PR).
Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) for NLPNP nominees
- Nominees applying for PR through a base‑PNP stream may apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit months earlier under a temporary federal measure that removes the requirement to have received an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) for the PR application.
- If the applicant’s current work permit expires while the BOWP is being processed, they can remain in Canada under maintained status, continuing to work under the conditions of the expired permit.
AIP applicants
- AIP candidates cannot obtain a BOWP.
- Those endorsed for PR under the AIP may qualify for a two‑year employer‑specific work permit tied to the program.
2026 draw summary
Newfoundland and Labrador has held 15 selection rounds in 2026. The table below shows the date of each draw and the number of invitations issued through each program.
| Date of draw | NLPNP | AIP |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar | 362 | 83 |
| 6 Mar | 209 | 93 |
| 13 Apr | 177 | 73 |
| 1 May | 157 | 73 |
| 11 May | 168 | 81 |
| 28 May | 84 | 19 |
| 10 Jun | 89 | 19 |
| 10 Jul | 174 | 0 |
| 28 Jul | 40 | 45 |
| 10 Aug | 186 | 22 |
| 18 Aug | 122 | N/A |
| 26 Aug | 94 | 46 |
| 4 Sep | 97 | N/A |
| 10 Sep | 36 | N/A |
| 18 Sep | 61 | 1 |
The OIM does not disclose which NLPNP streams or occupational sectors the invitations target.
As of September 18 2026 the province has issued 2,654 invitations in total (2,259 NLPNP, 395 AIP).
Skilled‑worker selection process
- Eligibility – Meet the requirements of the chosen pathway (job offer required for both NLPNP and AIP, except NLPNP entrepreneur streams).
- Expression of Interest (EOI) – Create and submit an EOI profile; EOIs remain active for 12 months.
- Draw selection – Candidates are selected in a draw based on the province’s prioritization criteria (e.g., employment outside major urban centres, health‑care occupations, or graduation from a Newfoundland and Labrador post‑secondary institution).
- Invitation to apply – Invited candidates must submit a complete application for nomination (NLPNP) or endorsement (AIP) within 60 days.
- Nomination/endorsement – The province issues a nomination or endorsement certificate, enabling the candidate to file a federal PR application.
Allocation and processing times
- Annual allocation – 2,854 nomination/endorsement certificates for 2026: 2,379 for NLPNP and 475 for AIP. This allocation is separate from the timing of provincial invitations.
- Processing times (as of 4 Sept 2026)
- Base PNP: 13 months
- Enhanced PNP: 7 months
- AIP: 26 months
These figures provide a snapshot of the current provincial immigration landscape in Newfoundland and Labrador, including the latest invitation round, the structure of the selection process, and the expected timelines for permanent‑residence applications.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
