Newfoundland and Labrador has invited 62 candidates to pursue provincial immigration in its latest selection round, providing another opportunity for eligible foreign workers to move toward Canadian permanent residence.
The province’s Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism issued the invitations on September 18, 2026. Of the total, 61 invitations were issued through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and one invitation was issued through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).
This was the province’s 15th immigration selection round of 2026 and its third selection round during September.
Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Draw: Key Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Draw date | September 18, 2026 |
| Total invitations | 62 |
| NLPNP invitations | 61 |
| AIP invitations | 1 |
| Selection system | Expression of Interest (EOI) |
| Province | Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Response period | 60 days |
| EOI validity | 12 months |
The latest selection continues Newfoundland and Labrador’s targeted approach to economic immigration through its EOI system.
61 Invitations Issued Through the NLPNP
The majority of the latest invitations went to candidates in the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program.
A provincial nomination can provide an eligible foreign national with a pathway to apply for Canadian permanent residence through the federal immigration system.
However, receiving an invitation is not the same as receiving a provincial nomination.
Candidates who receive an NLPNP invitation must submit a complete application and satisfy the requirements of their applicable immigration pathway before a nomination can be issued.
One AIP Candidate Also Received an Invitation
The province issued one invitation through the Atlantic Immigration Program.
The AIP is an employer-driven immigration program covering Canada’s four Atlantic provinces:
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- New Brunswick
- Prince Edward Island
Unlike the NLPNP, the AIP process involves an employer seeking endorsement of a candidate before the individual can proceed toward permanent residence.
In the September 18 selection, only one AIP invitation was issued.
Latest Draw Was One of the Smallest AIP-Containing Rounds
The September 18 selection had a particularly small overall number of invitations.
According to the province’s official records, it was the lowest-total selection round in 2026 that included at least one AIP invitation.
The recent pattern shows that Newfoundland and Labrador has varied both the size and composition of its selections.
Recent Newfoundland and Labrador Draws
| Date | Total Invitations | NLPNP | AIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 28, 2026 | 445 | 400 | 45 |
| August 10, 2026 | 208 | 186 | 22 |
| August 18, 2026 | 122 | 122 | 0 |
| August 26, 2026 | 140 | 94 | 46 |
| September 4, 2026 | 97 | 97 | 0 |
| September 10, 2026 | 36 | 36 | 0 |
| September 18, 2026 | 62 | 61 | 1 |
The province’s official records show that invitations have not followed a fixed NLPNP-to-AIP distribution in every round.
Newfoundland and Labrador Has Issued 2,654 Invitations in 2026
With the September 18 draw, Newfoundland and Labrador has issued 2,654 invitations across its two economic immigration programs in 2026.
The breakdown is:
| Program | Invitations in 2026 |
|---|---|
| NLPNP | 2,259 |
| AIP | 395 |
| Total | 2,654 |
The province reached these totals after conducting 15 selection rounds during 2026.
The September 18 selection therefore represents another step in the province’s ongoing effort to use its immigration allocation to address labour-market and regional needs.
Newfoundland and Labrador Does Not Publish Specific Occupations for This Draw
One important point for applicants is that the province did not disclose the specific NLPNP streams, occupations or sectors represented by the candidates invited on September 18.
Therefore, it is not possible to say that the latest draw specifically targeted nurses, truck drivers, construction workers, IT professionals or another particular occupational group.
Instead, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism uses its EOI prioritization criteria when reviewing candidates.
What Factors Can Influence Selection?
The province’s EOI prioritization criteria identify several factors that may influence selection.
These include:
- Employment in healthcare;
- Employment outside major urban centres;
- Graduation from a Newfoundland and Labrador post-secondary institution;
- French-language ability; and
- Other provincial labour-market and immigration priorities.
These factors are used to guide the province’s selection decisions, but they do not guarantee an invitation.
The province can adjust its priorities depending on labour-market requirements and available immigration spaces.
How the Newfoundland and Labrador EOI System Works
Newfoundland and Labrador introduced its Expression of Interest model in February 2025 for economic immigration applications.
Under this system, candidates first submit an EOI instead of immediately submitting a complete provincial immigration application.
The general process works as follows.
Step 1: Create an EOI Profile
Candidates submit an Expression of Interest through the province’s Immigration Accelerator Portal.
The profile contains information about factors such as:
- Education;
- Employment;
- Work experience;
- Language ability;
- Occupation;
- Job offer; and
- Intention to establish in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Step 2: Enter the Candidate Pool
Once submitted, the EOI enters the provincial candidate pool.
The province periodically reviews profiles and selects candidates according to its current priorities.
Step 3: Receive an Invitation
Selected candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).
The invitation allows them to proceed to the next stage of the provincial immigration process.
Step 4: Submit the Application
NLPNP candidates must submit their complete provincial nomination application.
For AIP candidates, the employer plays an important role in the endorsement process.
Step 5: Receive Nomination or Endorsement
Successful NLPNP applicants receive a provincial nomination, while successful AIP candidates receive the relevant endorsement.
Step 6: Apply for Permanent Residence
After nomination or endorsement, the candidate can submit their permanent residence application to the federal government.
Most Candidates Need a Job Offer
For most economic immigration pathways covered by Newfoundland and Labrador’s EOI system, a valid job offer from an employer in the province is required.
The province notes an exception for certain entrepreneur streams under the NLPNP.
Therefore, candidates should not assume that simply creating an EOI profile will make them eligible for selection.
They must also satisfy the requirements of the specific immigration pathway for which they are being considered.
Candidates Have 60 Days After an Invitation
Receiving an invitation creates an important deadline.
Candidates selected through the province generally have 60 days to submit their complete application for provincial nomination or endorsement.
Applicants should use this period to collect documents such as:
- Passport and identity documents;
- Education records;
- Employment letters;
- Work-experience evidence;
- Language test results;
- Job-offer documents;
- Police certificates, where required;
- Family documents; and
- Other documents required by the applicable program.
Incomplete applications or applications that do not meet the relevant program requirements can affect the final outcome.
EOI Profiles Remain Valid for 12 Months
An EOI profile submitted through Newfoundland and Labrador’s system remains active for 12 months.
If a candidate is not selected during that period, the profile expires.
Candidates who still want to be considered may need to submit a new EOI profile, subject to the applicable program rules.
This makes it important to keep track of the profile’s validity period.
Candidates should also ensure that their information remains accurate when circumstances change.
For example, they may need to update relevant information after:
- Changing employers;
- Obtaining a new job offer;
- Completing additional education;
- Gaining additional work experience; or
- Receiving new language-test results.
What Happens After a Provincial Nomination?
A provincial nomination is an important step, but it does not automatically grant Canadian permanent residence.
The process can generally be summarized as:
EOI → Invitation → Provincial application → Nomination/endorsement → Federal PR application → IRCC processing → Permanent residence
The federal government remains responsible for the final permanent residence decision.
Applicants must therefore continue to satisfy federal requirements, including applicable admissibility requirements.
If the permanent residence application is approved, the applicant can receive confirmation of permanent residence and complete the process of becoming a Canadian permanent resident.
Provincial Nomination and Express Entry
Some provincial nomination pathways are connected to Express Entry.
For an Express Entry-linked provincial nomination, an eligible candidate can receive additional CRS points, which can affect their position in the federal Express Entry pool.
However, candidates should confirm whether their specific Newfoundland and Labrador pathway is Express Entry-linked before assuming that a nomination will provide additional CRS points.
Not every provincial immigration pathway operates through Express Entry.
Current Processing Times
The latest processing figures reported for Newfoundland and Labrador’s programs showed different processing periods depending on the pathway.
As of the August 10 update cited in recent provincial immigration reporting:
| Application Type | Reported Processing Time |
|---|---|
| Base PNP | 13 months |
| Enhanced PNP | 7 months |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 26 months |
Processing times can change, so applicants should check the latest federal information when planning their immigration timeline.
Why Newfoundland and Labrador Uses Frequent Smaller Draws
The province’s 2026 selection history shows that Newfoundland and Labrador has used a mixture of larger and smaller invitation rounds.
For example, the province issued 445 invitations on March 6 and another 445 on July 28, while several later selections issued fewer than 150 invitations.
The variation reflects the province’s EOI-based approach, where candidate selection can be adjusted according to current priorities and available spaces.
This means applicants should not assume that every future draw will have the same number of invitations or the same NLPNP-to-AIP distribution.
Who Should Consider Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration?
The province may be relevant for foreign workers and graduates who have:
- A qualifying job offer in Newfoundland and Labrador;
- Experience in an occupation needed by the provincial labour market;
- Healthcare experience;
- Employment outside major urban centres;
- Graduated from a Newfoundland and Labrador institution;
- French-language ability; or
- Other characteristics aligned with the province’s current immigration priorities.
However, meeting one of these factors does not guarantee selection.
The final invitation decision depends on the province’s selection priorities and the requirements of the applicable immigration pathway.
Key Takeaways
- Newfoundland and Labrador issued 62 invitations on September 18, 2026.
- 61 invitations went to NLPNP candidates.
- 1 invitation went through the Atlantic Immigration Program.
- This was the province’s 15th selection round of 2026.
- Newfoundland and Labrador has issued 2,654 invitations through its provincial economic immigration programs in 2026.
- The total includes 2,259 NLPNP invitations and 395 AIP invitations.
- The province did not disclose the specific occupations or NLPNP streams represented in the September 18 selection.
- Healthcare workers, people employed outside major urban centres and graduates of Newfoundland and Labrador institutions can be among the factors considered under the province’s EOI prioritization criteria.
- Most candidates require a qualifying job offer.
- Selected candidates generally have 60 days to submit their complete provincial application.
- EOI profiles remain active for 12 months.
- Provincial nomination or AIP endorsement is followed by a separate federal permanent residence application.
Conclusion
Newfoundland and Labrador’s September 18, 2026 immigration selection provided 62 candidates with an opportunity to move forward through the province’s economic immigration programs.
The majority of invitations went through the NLPNP, while one candidate was selected through the Atlantic Immigration Program. The relatively small size of the latest draw also demonstrates how invitation numbers and program distribution can vary from one selection round to another.
For prospective immigrants, Newfoundland and Labrador’s EOI system makes it important to maintain an accurate profile, hold a qualifying job offer where required and understand the province’s current selection priorities.
Candidates who receive an invitation should also act quickly because the provincial application generally needs to be submitted within 60 days.
