For someone new to the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) process, unsure whether to apply directly on individual province websites and whether an ECA is required first:
- Get your Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) done first. This is generally treated as a mandatory prerequisite before applying to most PNP streams, since it establishes the Canadian equivalency of your foreign education.
- Complete your language test (e.g., IELTS) alongside your ECA. Both are typically needed before you can meaningfully submit an Expression of Interest (EOI).
- Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the specific province's own online portal. This is separate from — and in addition to — your federal Express Entry profile; provinces run their own intake systems and criteria.
In short, the typical order is: complete ECA → complete language testing → submit EOI directly through your target province's PNP portal. Requirements and portals differ by province, so confirm the specific process on each province's official immigration website before starting.