PEI Provincial Nominee Program Expands in Surprise Second Draw

The PEI Provincial Nominee Program has recently conducted its second surprise draw of the year, diverging from the anticipated ITA schedule for the province. This unexpected decision by PEI has allowed for a broader selection criterion, now considering candidates with less direct ties to the province for nominations.

1609 PEI Provincial Nominee Program ITAs Issued In 2025

On December 23, 2025, the PEI PNP executed this unscheduled draw, inviting 13 individuals through its Labour Impact and Express Entry pathways. These candidates were selected based solely on their employment in priority sectors deemed beneficial to PEI’s economic growth. This marks a shift from the previous six invitation rounds, which, since July, primarily favoured candidates who were recent graduates from selected Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) in PEI or those already employed by PEI-based companies.

In total, nearly all 1,609 invitations extended through the PEI Provincial Nominee Program this year were issued via the Labour Impact and Express Entry pathways. Only one invitation was granted through the Business Work Permit Entrepreneur pathway.

Second Unscheduled Draw of 2025

This draw is the second instance in 2025 where PEI has departed from its scheduled ITAs, which typically consist of one draw each month. The first surprise draw took place on October 27. The exact reasons behind these additional draws remain unclear; however, immigration authorities often indicate that any remaining nomination allocations for 2025 will not transfer to 2026.

The federal government of Canada initially sets the overall figures for provincial immigration, as specified in the annual Immigration Levels Plan. Each province then receives an allocation derived from this total. These allocations influence how many ITAs a province can issue in a given year. While nominations determine how many newcomers can immigrate to a province, ITAs specify how many individuals may be invited to apply for those nominations. It’s important to note that not every ITA leads to a nomination.

In 2025, all provinces experienced a significant reduction of 50% in their nomination allocations, aligning with the permanent admissions figures in the Canada 2025-2027 L evels Plan . However, projections for 2026 show a considerable increase in landings allocations for the provinces.

For more detailed information on immigration policies, visit Government of Canada – Immigration and Citizenship and the IRCC – Immigration Levels Plan .