What Is a Confirmation of Nomination (Provincial Nomination Certificate) and What Do You Do Next?
- Ansari Immigration
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
A confirmation of nomination is the official proof that a Canadian province or territory has nominated you for permanent residence through its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Depending on your path, it arrives as a letter in your online account, a paper nomination certificate from the province, or both. It is a major step forward, but it is not permanent residence on its own.
That distinction matters more than most people expect. If your nomination comes through the Express Entry process, you have only 30 calendar days to accept it in your account, and the nomination still has to become a full permanent residence application before you are approved. Miss the window or mishandle a withdrawal, and you can lose the advantage entirely. Getting the next steps right is what turns a nomination into a landing.
What a confirmation of nomination means in Canada
The Provincial Nominee Program lets provinces and territories nominate people who have the skills, education, and work experience their economy needs, who want to live in that province, and who want to become permanent residents. Each province sets its own streams, its own requirements, and its own annual limit on how many people it can nominate. Quebec and Nunavut are the two exceptions: they do not run PNP programs.
When a province decides to nominate you, it issues a confirmation of that decision. What you actually receive depends on the path:
If you were nominated through the Express Entry process, once you accept, you get a letter in PDF format in your online account confirming your nomination, and the province or territory also contacts you directly and sends a paper copy of your nomination certificate.
If you were nominated through the non-Express Entry (base) process, the province issues your nomination certificate directly, and you use it to apply for permanent residence with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
A quick vocabulary note, because the terms get used interchangeably: confirmation of nomination, nominee certificate, and provincial nomination certificate all point to the same underlying thing, which is documented proof that a province has selected you. It confirms the province's decision. The federal government still makes the final decision on your permanent residence.
The two provincial nomination paths: Express Entry vs the base process
Which path you are on decides what your confirmation of nomination is worth and what you do next. This is the single most important thing to get straight.
Feature | Express Entry (enhanced) nomination | Non-Express Entry (base) nomination |
|---|---|---|
How you qualify | You meet a PNP stream aligned with Express Entry AND a federal Express Entry program | You meet a PNP stream, but do not qualify for Express Entry |
CRS impact | Adds 600 additional CRS points (the maximum, awarded once) | No CRS points; there is no Express Entry profile involved |
How you apply for PR | Wait for an invitation to apply, then submit your Express Entry permanent residence application | Apply for permanent residence directly to IRCC (currently an Open process) |
Accept window | 30 calendar days to accept or reject in your online account | Follow the timeline set by the province and your application instructions |
Source: IRCC, Immigrate as a provincial nominee and Get or confirm a nomination. Verified August 2026.
The enhanced path is the fast lane. A provincial nomination through Express Entry adds 600 points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, which in practice all but guarantees an invitation to apply in a coming round. Those 600 points are the maximum additional points you can receive, and you can only earn them once.
The base path does not touch Express Entry at all. There is no pool and no CRS score. Your nomination certificate is what you use to apply for permanent residence directly to IRCC.
What to do after you get a provincial nomination
Your next moves depend on your path. Here is the practical sequence.
If your nomination came through Express Entry:
Update your Express Entry profile to show you have a nomination, and choose the nominating province from the drop-down.
Contact the province directly, outside your account, and give them your Express Entry profile number and job seeker validation code so they can confirm the nomination electronically.
Watch your account for the message asking you to accept or reject, then accept within 30 calendar days.
Once you accept, IRCC awards the 600 points and you wait for an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
When you receive the invitation, submit a complete permanent residence application by the deadline stated in the invitation.
If your nomination came through the base (non-Express Entry) process:
Read your nomination certificate and the province's instructions for the deadline to apply for permanent residence.
Gather your documents, including police certificates, medical exam, and proof of the factors your stream required.
Apply for permanent residence directly to IRCC online and pay the applicable fees.
Respond quickly to any request from IRCC after you apply, and keep your contact details current.
Either way, the nomination is the middle of the journey, not the end. The federal application is where your file is actually assessed for permanent residence, and it is where most avoidable problems appear.
Not sure whether your nomination is the enhanced (Express Entry) or base type, or what your accept deadline actually is? That is a 30-minute question, and it is exactly the kind of thing Ansari Immigration's licensed RCIC settles before it becomes a problem.
Common mistakes that put a nomination at risk
A confirmation of nomination is valuable, which is exactly why small handling errors are so costly. In practice, these are the ones that cause the most damage.
In practice, the moment that trips people up is treating a notification of interest as if it were a nomination. It is not, and it does not guarantee one.
A notification of interest is just a province saying it wants to look at your profile. It is not a nomination. The real nomination only exists once the province confirms it electronically and you accept it in your account.
The 30-day accept window is another one. For Express Entry nominations, the accept-or-reject clock runs 30 calendar days inside your online account. Ignore it or reject it, and you are no longer eligible for that PNP unless another province nominates you. You stay in the Express Entry pool, but without the 600 points.
The most expensive mistake involves a withdrawn nomination. If a province withdraws your nomination before you are invited to apply, you have to withdraw your profile and submit a new one. If it is withdrawn after an invitation but before you apply, you have to decline the invitation, withdraw, and resubmit. And if you apply for permanent residence without a valid nomination after a withdrawal, IRCC will refuse the application and will not refund your fees. That is a real financial loss, not a technicality.
You can also only hold one nomination at a time. If you want a different province to nominate you, you have to reject the current offer first.
A note for BC and Metro Vancouver applicants
If you are in Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, or elsewhere in Metro Vancouver, the program you will most often deal with is the BC Provincial Nominee Program, run through WelcomeBC. Like the federal framework, some BC PNP streams are aligned with Express Entry (enhanced, adding the 600 CRS points) and some are base streams that lead to a direct permanent residence application.
Confirm which stream you applied under before you plan your next step, because it decides whether you are waiting for an Express Entry invitation or applying to IRCC directly. When BC changes its streams or criteria, always check the current rules on the official WelcomeBC page before relying on older guidance.
Why this matters for your immigration application
A provincial nomination is one of the strongest advantages in Canadian immigration, and it is also one of the easiest to squander through a paperwork slip. The 600 points, the 30-day window, the difference between a notification of interest and a real nomination, and the fee-loss trap around withdrawals are all points where a confident, correct next step protects everything you have built.
Ansari Immigration is led by a licensed RCIC regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), and this is exactly the kind of step where getting the sequence right is the whole job. Which province is nominating you, and are you on the enhanced or base path? Tell us in the comments, and keep it general; for advice on your specific file, use a consultation.
Frequently asked questions about confirmation of nomination
What is a provincial nomination certificate?
A provincial nomination certificate, also called a nominee certificate or confirmation of nomination, is official proof that a Canadian province or territory has selected you for permanent residence under its Provincial Nominee Program. It confirms the province's decision, but the federal government still makes the final permanent residence decision.
Does a provincial nomination guarantee permanent residence?
No. A nomination is a major advantage, not a final approval. You still have to apply for permanent residence and be approved by IRCC, which assesses admissibility, medical, and security factors. The nomination confirms the province wants you; the federal decision is separate.
How long do you have to accept a provincial nomination?
For a nomination through the Express Entry process, you have 30 calendar days to accept or reject it in your online account. If you reject or ignore it, you will not be eligible for that PNP unless another province nominates you, and you stay in the Express Entry pool without the extra points.
How many CRS points is a provincial nomination worth?
A provincial nomination through Express Entry adds 600 additional points to your CRS score. That is the maximum number of additional points available, and you can only receive it once. A base (non-Express Entry) nomination does not add CRS points because there is no Express Entry profile involved.
Can you have more than one provincial nomination at a time?
No. You can only hold one nomination at a time. You may receive more than one notification of interest, but if you have a nomination offer and want a different province to nominate you, you must reject the current one first before another province can nominate you.
What is the difference between a notification of interest and a nomination?
A notification of interest is a message from a province saying it wants to discuss your options; it is not a nomination and does not guarantee one. A nomination only exists once the province confirms it electronically and, for Express Entry, you accept it in your account.
Related Posts
All You Need to Know About the Provincial Nominee Program: A plain-language overview of how the PNP works across the provinces and who it suits.
CRS Points Breakdown 2026: How Your Express Entry Score Is Calculated: Where the 600 nomination points fit into your total Express Entry score, factor by factor.
PR Pathways in Canada 2026: The 5 Most Accessible Routes to Permanent Residence: How provincial nomination compares with the other main routes to Canadian permanent residence.
Why work with Ansari Immigration. Three signs your post-nomination file needs a professional read: you are unsure whether your nomination is the Express Entry or base type, your accept window or PR application deadline is close, or your nomination has been withdrawn or changed. Any one of these is what Ansari Immigration's licensed RCIC untangles, honestly, including telling you when you can handle a step yourself. Flat fees are quoted upfront, with $4,000 total for Express Entry representation with a provincial nomination.
Wherever you are in the process, tell us in the comments, and we read every one. When you want the next step handled, book a 30-minute consultation ($80).
This article is for general information only. It is not legal advice. Program criteria, requirements, processing times, and selection approaches can change without notice. Always confirm details on official government websites or consult a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) for advice specific to your situation.
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