These are the occupations that PNPs prioritize for PR invitations through Express Entry
The occupation listed on your Express Entry profile can help you get both a provincial nomination and an Express Entry invitation to apply (ITA).
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) across Canada have special, Express Entry-aligned (or enhanced) streams, wherein provinces can pick and nominate candidates in the pool based on their immigration and labour market needs.
Gaining a provincial nomination while in the Express Entry pool grants an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points to candidates, all but guaranteeing them an ITA for permanent residence in the next eligible draw.
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams
If the occupation declared in your Express Entry profile aligns with an enhanced stream’s priority occupations, your chances of being selected through this route are notably strengthened.
This article will cover
Eligible occupations in streams that have priority occupation designations, which are limited to:
Alberta;
British Columbia; and
Nova Scotia.
How you can check your eligibility for all these streams at once.
Priority occupations
Note that the below is not an exhaustive account of all enhanced PNP streams. Many streams do not have a priority occupation list and rather focus on priority sectors or general eligibility criteria that candidates are required to meet.
To see how you can easily check your eligibility for all enhanced PNP streams at once, click here.
Alberta
Alberta Express Entry stream: Accelerated Tech Pathway
This pathway is part of the Alberta Express Entry stream and targets candidates whose primary occupation falls under Alberta’s defined “tech pathway” National Occupation Classification (NOC) inclusions and who can demonstrate a strong match to Alberta’s tech labour needs across the eight specified sectors.
Alberta Express Entry stream: Dedicated Healthcare pathway
This pathway is contained within the Alberta Express Entry stream and targets candidates working in recognized healthcare professions who can meet Alberta’s healthcare-pathway requirements.
In practice, candidates are required to have recent healthcare experience and credentials aligned to Alberta’s needs.
Alberta Express Entry stream: Law Enforcement Pathway
This pathway is contained within the Alberta Express Entry stream and targets candidates in policing and related investigative roles who align with Alberta’s specified law-enforcement NOCs (typically active or recently employed police/investigative professionals).
Law enforcement
Occupation title NOC code
Commissioned (management) police officers and related occupations in public protection services 40040
Police investigators and other investigative occupations 41310
Police officers (except commissioned) 42100
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams
British Columbia
British Columbia Health Authority stream
This stream has both an Express Entry and non-Express Entry aligned (or base) option, and targets candidates with eligible employment in an occupation tied to BC’s health system, often aligned with Health Authorities.
Occupation title NOC code
Managers in health care 30010
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 31100
Specialists in surgery 31101
General practitioners and family physicians 31102
Veterinarians 31103
Dentists 31110
Optometrists 31111
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists 31112
Pharmacists 31120
Dietitians and nutritionists 31121
Psychologists 31200
Chiropractors 31201
Physiotherapists 31202
Occupational therapists 31203
Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment 31204
Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating 31209
Nursing coordinators and supervisors 31300
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses 31301
Nurse practitioners 31302
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals 31303
Opticians 32100
Licensed practical nurses 32101
Paramedical occupations 32102
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists 32103
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians 32104
Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment 32109
Denturists 32110
Dental hygienists and dental therapists 32111
Dental technologists and technicians 32112
Medical laboratory technologists 32120
Medical radiation technologists 32121
Medical sonographers 32122
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists 32123
Pharmacy technicians 32124
Other medical technologists and technicians 32129
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists 32200
Massage therapists 32201
Other practitioners of healing 32209
Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants* 33100
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 33101
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates** 33102
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants 33103
Other assisting occupations in support of health services 33109
Social workers 41300
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies 41301
Social and community service workers*** 42201
*Those who have been offered a job as a dental assistant under NOC 33100 must have the licence to work in that occupation in BC. Unlicensed dental assistants, such as chairside dental assistants, are not eligible for the BC Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
**Those who have been offered a job classified under NOC 33102 must be on the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker registry.
***Those who have been offered a job as a social and community service worker under NOC 42201 must have a diploma or degree in social services or community health services.
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams
British Columbia Entry Level and Semi-Skilled stream
This stream features an Express Entry and base option. It is meant for candidates in entry-level positions required by businesses and employers in British Columbia—with a focus on accommodation and hospitality occupations.
Occupation title NOC code
Managers in health care 30010
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 31100
Specialists in surgery 31101
General practitioners and family physicians 31102
Veterinarians 31103
Dentists 31110
Optometrists 31111
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists 31112
Pharmacists 31120
Dietitians and nutritionists 31121
Psychologists 31200
Chiropractors 31201
Physiotherapists 31202
Occupational therapists 31203
Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment 31204
Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating 31209
Nursing coordinators and supervisors 31300
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses 31301
Nurse practitioners 31302
Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals 31303
Opticians 32100
Licensed practical nurses 32101
Paramedical occupations 32102
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists 32103
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians 32104
Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment 32109
Denturists 32110
Dental hygienists and dental therapists 32111
Dental technologists and technicians 32112
Medical laboratory technologists 32120
Medical radiation technologists 32121
Medical sonographers 32122
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists 32123
Pharmacy technicians 32124
Other medical technologists and technicians 32129
Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists 32200
Massage therapists 32201
Other practitioners of healing 32209
Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants* 33100
Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations 33101
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates** 33102
Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants 33103
Other assisting occupations in support of health services 33109
Social workers 41300
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies 41301
Social and community service workers*** 42201
* Individuals in these occupations must be employed directly by hotels/resorts. For the purposes of the BC PNP, a resort is defined as an accommodation facility that is associated with recreational activities, such as skiing, golfing, boating, fishing, biking, swimming, horseback riding, hiking, or nature-based or interpretive tours.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Labour Market Priorities Physicians stream
This stream targets Express Entry candidates who are physicians and meet Nova Scotia’s physician-specific requirements — typically those who can show eligibility for the targeted physician NOCs and align with the province’s healthcare hiring context (including certification from a Nova Scotia health authority).
Physicians
Occupation title NOC code
Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine 31100
Specialists in surgery 31101
General practitioners and family physicians 31102
How you can easily check your eligibility for all enhanced PNP streams at the same time
You can use the new CanadaVisa+ tool to see your eligibility for all Express Entry-aligned PNP streams, in addition to all Express Entry programs and categories.
Simply start your free assessment on the landing page and provide the information asked for.
At the end of the assessment, if you choose to make a free account, you will be able to
See your eligibility across all enhanced PNP streams;
Save and adjust your immigration results; and
View your future immigration outlook based on the information you have provided.
For more information and a detailed overview of the process, visit our dedicated article.
