Newfoundland and Labrador invited 122 foreign nationals to apply for provincial nomination in a selection round held on August 18.

The latest draw was the first selection round since the province moved to an Expression of Interest (EOI) system in February 2025 where invitations were issued only through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP).

Before this draw, the province regularly issued invitations through both the NLPNP and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

The latest selection was the province’s 11th draw of 2026 and was different because all 122 invitations went to NLPNP candidates.

Date Of Draw Invitations Issued Invitations Issued By Program
March 6, 2026 445 NLPNP – 362

AIP – 83
March 30, 2026 245 NLPNP – 209

AIP – 36
April 13, 2026 210 NLPNP – 177

AIP – 33
May 1, 2026 190 NLPNP – 157

AIP – 33
May 11, 2026 186 NLPNP – 168

AIP – 18
May 28, 2026 103 NLPNP – 84

AIP – 19
June 10, 2026 108 NLPNP – 89

AIP – 19
July 10, 2026 57 NLPNP – 17

AIP – 40
July 28, 2026 445 NLPNP – 400

AIP – 45
August 10, 2026 208 NLPNP – 186

AIP – 22
August 18, 2026 122 NLPNP – 122

The province does not say which NLPNP streams were used in the latest draw. It also does not provide details about the occupations or sectors of the invited candidates.

So far in 2026, Newfoundland and Labrador has issued 1,849 invitations through the NLPNP and 348 through the AIP.

Between January 1 and August 18, the province issued 2,197 invitations in total. About 85% of these invitations went through the NLPNP.

The latest draw was also the first selection round this year that did not include any AIP candidates.

How To Apply For Permanent Residence Through The NLPNP?

Foreign nationals who want to immigrate to Newfoundland and Labrador through the NLPNP must first submit an Expression of Interest through the province’s Immigration Accelerator Portal.

The EOI includes information about education, employment, language skills, and plans to settle in the province.

Most NLPNP candidates also need a valid job offer from an employer in Newfoundland and Labrador. The main exception is the entrepreneur streams.

The province reviews EOI profiles and invites candidates based on its current immigration priorities.

Some factors that can improve a candidate’s chances of selection include:

  • Employment in healthcare
  • Employment outside major urban centres
  • French-language ability
  • Graduation from a post-secondary institution in Newfoundland and Labrador

The province can change its priorities based on labour market needs and other immigration goals.

Candidates who receive an invitation have 60 days to submit a complete application for provincial nomination.

Successful applicants receive a provincial nomination and can then apply to the federal government for permanent residence.

After approval of the federal application, the applicant receives a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR).

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the latest estimated time for permanent residence applications is:

Application Type Processing Time (as of August 10)
Base PNP 13 months
Enhanced PNP 7 months

It is important to note that an EOI profile remains valid for 12 months.

Candidates who do not receive an invitation during that period must submit a new profile if they still want to be considered for provincial nomination.

The latest draw shows that Newfoundland and Labrador continues to use its EOI system to select candidates based on the province’s changing needs.

The decision to issue all 122 invitations through the NLPNP also marks a change from earlier 2026 draws, when the AIP received invitations alongside the provincial program.

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