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Applying to Express Entry after an NB PNP nomination when your job offer has no LMIA

Canada • Provincial Nominee Program • immigration 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Documents Needed

  • Job offer letter (no LMIA)

    Acceptable as-is for New Brunswick PNP streams that don't require an LMIA; the same offer can be submitted with the Express Entry application without a separate LMIA.

  • Proof of Funds (POF)

    Not required in this scenario since the applicant already had a valid existing job in Canada — POF is generally a federal Express Entry requirement tied to not having 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience.

Step-by-Step

For applicants who received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) through a New Brunswick PNP stream that doesn't require an LMIA, and are now submitting documents through Express Entry, the group clarified two common points of confusion:

  1. No LMIA is needed for the Express Entry submission either, if your provincial stream (like NB PNP) didn't require one for the nomination — you can submit the same job offer letter without a separate LMIA, since the requirement doesn't retroactively apply once nominated.

  2. Proof of Funds (POF) is typically a federal Express Entry requirement for applicants who haven't yet completed 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience. If you already hold a valid, ongoing job in Canada (even if under 12 months), POF may not be required — check your specific stream and work history against IRCC's current POF exemption rules before assuming you need to show it.

  3. Confirm your employment length and job classification (NOC/TEER level) when preparing your submission, since the exemptions above depend on details like whether the role is permanent, full-time, and correctly classified — a 3-month tenure in a permanent NOC TEER 0/1 role was cited as one qualifying scenario in this thread.


Practical takeaway: don't assume LMIA is required just because it's normally part of standalone work-permit applications — provincially nominated no-LMIA offers generally carry through to the Express Entry stage unchanged, and POF exemptions may also apply if you're already working in Canada.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Do: Submit the same no-LMIA job offer used for your PNP nomination directly with your Express Entry application — no separate LMIA is needed.
  • Tip: Check whether you qualify for a Proof of Funds exemption if you already have ongoing Canadian employment, even under 12 months.
  • Tip: Confirm your job's NOC/TEER classification and permanence, since these determine which exemptions apply.

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