Canada PNP Updates — August 2026 Provincial Roundup (BC, Alberta, Manitoba, NL, PEI, Ontario, Saskatchewan)

Updated August 18, 2026 by Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308, VG Immigration Services Inc.

Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) shifted substantially in the past 10 days. British Columbia, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba all issued invitations, IRCC published a new Manitoba public policy providing up to 2,700 open work permits, Prince Edward Island announced its next scheduled draw for August 20, and Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia remain paused. Below is the full province-by-province breakdown — pulled directly from official government sources, not aggregators.

British Columbia — six targeted Care and Build draws on August 6

BC PNP issued 510 invitations across six categories on August 6, 2026, targeting priority Care and Build occupations (WelcomeBC ITA page):

Category	Minimum score	Invitations
Care: Childcare — Early childhood educators only	102	183
Care: Health — All priority health care occupations	84	124
Care: Education — All priority education occupations	68	<5
Care: Veterinary Care — All priority veterinary occupations	72	6
Care: Veterinary Care — NOC 32104 animal health / vet techs	72	6
Build: Construction Trades — All priority construction	88	187

Earlier in the intake window BC also ran Innovate: High Economic Impact draws on July 16 issuing 223 invitations to wage-based candidates (minimum wage $58/hour and $115,000/year, NOC TEER 0/1/2/3) and 346 points-based candidates (minimum score 132), plus a Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative draw on July 23 issuing 60 invitations at score 50 (WelcomeBC).

What this means for BC applicants

• Early childhood educators (NOC 42202) are being invited at a higher score threshold than any other Care category — 102 points versus 84 for health. If you are an ECE, your EOI needs to be optimized for BC PNP points, not just Express Entry CRS.
• The Care: Education draw was cut small (<5 invitations). Teachers and education professionals may see limited BC PNP action unless the province re-opens broader targeting.
• Construction trades scored down from 97 on July 9 to 88 on August 6 — the pool is being drawn deeper each round.

Alberta — two draws + Entrepreneur stream update

Alberta ran two AAIP draws in the past week (AAIP Processing Information):

• August 11, 2026 — Rural Renewal Stream: 127 invitations, minimum WEOI score 51.
• August 12, 2026 — Dedicated Health Care Pathway (Express Entry): 57 invitations, minimum score 60.

On the same date, AAIP updated its Rural Entrepreneur Stream, Graduate Entrepreneur Stream, and Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream pages with more detailed assessment guidance on the “economic establishment” requirement — eligibility criteria themselves are unchanged, but AAIP will now scrutinize business plans, capital deployment, and job creation more carefully (AAIP Updates).

Manitoba — new IRCC public policy: up to 2,700 open work permits

The single biggest federal-provincial development of the week is the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge public policy, signed by the Minister on July 6, 2026 and published on canada.ca on August 5, 2026 (IRCC public policy).

Key terms:

• Up to 2,700 open work permits for prospective MPNP Skilled Worker candidates.
• Eligibility requires a Government of Manitoba support letter issued on or before December 31, 2025, confirming placement in the MPNP Expression of Interest pool by that date.
• Plus a valid letter of employment from a Manitoba employer.
• Work permits are coded “Manitoba NES” — provincially scoped, not open Canada-wide.
• Policy expires December 31, 2027.

MPNP also confirmed that its nomination deadline is extended from December 31, 2026 to December 31, 2027 for individuals who already received Manitoba Support Letters in 2024 or 2025 under the earlier expired temporary public policies (Manitoba Immigration).

Manitoba’s most recent published EOI draw is Draw #269 on April 23, 2026, which issued 308 Letters of Advice to Apply (192 under Skilled Worker in Manitoba — health-occupation targeting; 116 under Skilled Worker Stream sub-categories) (MPNP EOI Draws Archive). No new draws have been published since. Given the bridge policy just launched, expect Manitoba to concentrate on processing existing support-letter holders before running additional EOI draws.

Newfoundland and Labrador — 208 invitations on August 10

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Office of Immigration issued 208 Invitations to Apply on August 10, 2026, split as (NL OIM ITA Updates):

• NLPNP: 186 invitations
• Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): 22 invitations

NL runs an Expression of Interest model with batched draws throughout the year. Once invited, candidates have 60 days to submit a complete NLPNP or AIP application, and OIM does not grant extensions. Candidates who previously resided in another Canadian province must demonstrate at least 12 consecutive months of full-time employment in NL before being invited (NL OIM inter-provincial policy).

Prince Edward Island — next draw scheduled August 20

PEI’s most recent draw was July 16, 2026, which issued 195 invitations under the Labour and Express Entry categories, prioritizing candidates working in priority sectors with economic impact plus international graduates of UPEI, Holland College, and Collège de l’Île. Zero Business Work Permit Entrepreneur invitations have been issued in 2026. PEI’s 2026 total sits at 853 invitations year-to-date (PEI EOI Draws).

PEI’s anticipated draw schedule confirms the next draw is August 20, 2026, followed by September 17 (PEI Anticipated ITA Schedule). Effective November 1, 2025, invited candidates have 30 calendar days to submit a complete application.

Ontario — no OINP draws since April 30

Ontario has not issued any OINP invitations in July or August 2026. The last published draw was April 30, 2026, which issued 1,063 invitations to the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker and International Student streams (OINP Invitations Page).

The OINP has been in a redesign transition all summer. Key structural changes:

• The legacy Employer Job Offer streams (Foreign Worker, International Student, In-Demand Skills) are archived — the EOI system is closed to new profiles under those streams.
• The Ontario Workforce Priority Stream was closed on May 30, 2026 as part of the redesign and replaced by a new application-process structure. Employer fees are $1,500 outside the GTA and $2,000 within the GTA (Toronto/Durham/Halton/Peel/York), with 17-day applicant and 14-day employer deadlines from invitation (OINP Application Process).
• All Employer Job Offer stream applications must now be submitted through the OINP Employer Portal launched July 2, 2025 (Employer Portal Guide).

Applicants with an active OINP profile from 2025 or early 2026 should verify that their EOI has been carried into the redesigned stream architecture. Employers who last used the old Employer Portal workflow should re-check job-offer submission templates before the next draw window opens.

Saskatchewan — no scheduled EOI draws, capped-sector windows only

Saskatchewan’s SINP page states plainly: “There are no scheduled EOI draws at this time” (SINP EOI System).

SINP’s 2026 initial nomination allocation is 4,761, and capped-sector intake runs on six scheduled windows across the year — January, March, May, July, September, and November. The July window opened July 6–7 with staggered sector timing; the next window will be September (SINP Immigration FAQs). Priority and non-capped sectors continue with rolling intake.

Reminder: SINP’s Entrepreneur and Farm streams closed permanently on March 27, 2025. No new applications, EOIs, or invitations under those pathways will be considered (SINP Entrepreneur Guidelines).

Nova Scotia — four-stream consolidation still governs new EOIs

Nova Scotia’s Nominee Program consolidated ten streams into four on February 18, 2026: Nova Scotia Graduate, Skilled Worker, Entrepreneur, and Nova Scotia: Express Entry. These changes apply only to new EOIs submitted after February 18, 2026 — earlier submissions remain active in the NSNP pool (Live in Nova Scotia). No new NSNP invitation-round activity has been published in August 2026.

New Brunswick — Strategic Initiative continues alongside AIP

New Brunswick’s provincial nominee program continues under the NB Strategic Initiative combined with Atlantic Immigration Program endorsement processing. No new NBPNP-specific invitation rounds have been published for August 2026 (Welcome NB).

Snapshot: what actually moved this month

Province	Recent activity	What’s next
British Columbia	Aug 6 draw — 510 invitations across 6 Care and Build categories	Weekly targeted draws expected to continue
Alberta	Aug 11 Rural Renewal (127) + Aug 12 Dedicated Health Care EE (57) + Entrepreneur stream guidance update	Rolling draws by stream
Manitoba	Aug 5 IRCC public policy — up to 2,700 OWPs for MPNP support-letter holders (expires Dec 31, 2027)	EOI draws expected to resume; last was Draw #269 in April
Newfoundland and Labrador	Aug 10 batch — 208 invitations (186 NLPNP + 22 AIP)	Batched draws throughout the year
Prince Edward Island	Jul 16 draw — 195 invitations; 2026 YTD 853	Next scheduled: August 20, 2026
Ontario	No draws in July or August 2026; redesign ongoing; Workforce Priority Stream closed May 30	Draws expected to resume once new stream structure activates
Saskatchewan	No scheduled EOI draws; capped-sector windows only; July window Jul 6–7	Next capped-sector window: September
Nova Scotia	Consolidated to 4 streams Feb 18, 2026; no new invitation rounds published	Watch for NSNP: Express Entry activity
New Brunswick	Strategic Initiative + AIP endorsements ongoing	No new invitation rounds this month

What we’re advising clients this week

1. Manitoba support-letter holders: If you have a Manitoba Support Letter from 2024 or 2025, apply for the Workforce Transition Bridge open work permit while your MPNP nomination is finalized. The policy expires December 31, 2027, so file with a Manitoba job offer as soon as your evidence is ready (IRCC policy).
2. Ontario employer-linked candidates: Do not wait passively. Verify that your employer has fully re-onboarded into the new Employer Portal workflow and that your EOI is placed correctly in the redesigned stream architecture. Files with legacy stream tags may not be pulled when draws resume.
3. ECEs in BC: The BC PNP score threshold for childcare is 102 — significantly above health at 84. If you are an ECE with a job offer, invest in improving your BC PNP points before the next Care: Childcare draw.
4. Prospective NL applicants: If you have less than 12 months of full-time work experience in NL and previously resided in another province, your EOI will remain valid but you will not be invited until you meet the 12-month threshold. Plan document collection accordingly.
5. Alberta Rural Renewal candidates: The Aug 11 score of 51 is the lowest in recent AAIP RRS rounds. If you have a rural community endorsement letter, submit your WEOI now.
6. Saskatchewan capped-sector applicants: If your NOC falls in a capped sector, prepare for the September 2026 intake window now — you can only apply during the last six months of your work permit’s validity, so timing is critical.

Common questions this week

Which PNP is fastest right now for a health-care worker?

Alberta’s Dedicated Health Care Pathway (Express Entry) is drawing at a minimum score of 60 and BC’s Care: Health category at 84 — both are actively issuing invitations. NL’s August 10 batch included NLPNP nominations that often include health occupations. The best fit depends on where you already have work experience and language results.

I have an Ontario employer offer — should I still register an EOI?

Yes, provided your employer is fully registered in the new OINP Employer Portal and has submitted a compliant job-offer package. Ontario’s redesign has slowed draws but has not eliminated the Employer Job Offer pathways — profiles that meet the new architecture will be considered when draws resume.

Does the Manitoba bridge OWP require the applicant to already be in Canada?

The public policy is designed for prospective PNP candidates. Applicants both in Canada and abroad can be eligible if they hold a valid Manitoba Support Letter issued by December 31, 2025 and a letter of employment from a Manitoba employer. Full eligibility conditions are set out in the IRCC public policy.

Is Saskatchewan open right now?

Yes — SINP is open but running on intake windows for capped sectors (January, March, May, July, September, November) and continuous rolling intake for priority and non-capped sectors. There are no scheduled EOI draws for the International Skilled Worker Express Entry category at this time.

What does BC’s “score” actually measure?

BC PNP uses a registration score that combines economic factors (job offer wage, NOC skill level, work experience) and human capital factors (education, language, age, and BC connection). It is separate from Express Entry’s CRS. Optimize both if you are pursuing a Care or Build stream.

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This article is general information about Canadian PNP activity and is not legal advice. Provincial nominee program eligibility depends on individual facts — NOC classification, work history, language results, and provincial ties. Draw activity changes weekly. For a case-specific review, book a consultation with a licensed RCIC.

Author: Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 | VG Immigration Services Inc. | vgis.ca