Immigration

Immigrant Connections criteria and scoring

The purpose of the Immigrant Connections category, of the PEI Provincial Nominee Program, is to increase the number of immigrants who choose to relocate and decide to stay on PEI.

This is accomplished by building on the existing international linkages between Islanders, new Canadians and Permanent Residents.

Retention is a result of the linkages the in-migrant is able to build with his or her new home, whether the immigrant is able to find satisfying employment and a welcoming community.

These two things do not guarantee the in-migrant will be retained, but they are the critical first steps. They help to create a “soft landing” for the immigrant. The linkages work both ways: the links between newcomers and residents strengthens both parties, and increases the probability of retention.

Applicants to the Immigrant Connections category, may be nominated without a firm job offer, unlike applicants to the Skilled Worker category.

The Immigrant Connections applicants have the advantage of a supportive family or community which is already established, and will help with the settlement and integration process.

There is, therefore, a certain “leap-of-faith” required by all parties: by the immigrant, that life will be improved, and by the “Champion” and the Province, that the new immigrant will not be a social or economic burden.

Therefore, a scoring system has been developed for both the champion and the applicant, to help avoid nominations which do not result in a well-established, employed immigrant.

Both the champion and applicant will be assessed, as both are key participants in the success of the Nomination. Points will also be given to whether or not the parties have a supportive family or community.

Champion

The “Champion’s” commitment to the process and the extent to which, they are already established and are able to provide support to help the immigrant become settled and adapt to PEI living.

The scored items are;

years on PEI (must be a minimum of two years except in special circumstances); whether the champion is Canadian, Permanent Resident or on a visa;
the extent to which the champion appears engaged in a career;
the extent to which the champion can help the applicant find employment;
the closeness of the relationship;
and the overall sense of commitment which the champion conveys.

Applicant

The applicant will be evaluated on:

employability based on education and training
capacity for integration
language skills
work history
age
bona fide job offer or clear indication of pending work