Glossary

Plain-English definitions for the government terminology used throughout this tool. You'll also see a ? icon next to these terms wherever they appear in the questionnaire and results.

Some terms are used by more than one jurisdiction with a different meaning in each. Those entries are listed once per jurisdiction and labelled with the jurisdiction they belong to.

Additional federal spaces

Up to 10,000 federal immigration spaces available across all provincial nominee programs in 2026 for practice-ready physicians or Francophones — an accounting-only modifier that does not create a new pathway or alter mandatory eligibility.

Administrative Monetary Penalty(AMP)

A financial penalty OINP can levy against an employer for non-compliance; procedural notice/response timelines were shortened from 60 to 30 days under the 2026 amendments.

Alberta Advantage Immigration Program(AAIP)

The provincial program that nominates candidates for Canadian permanent residence based on Alberta's economic and labour-market needs.

Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police(AACP)

The external gatekeeper for the Law Enforcement Pathway — identifies internationally recruited police officers to AAIP.

Alberta Ironworkers and Allied Trades(AIT)

A trade-certification reference used for occupation-specific licensing requirements across several Alberta worker-stream evaluators.

AlbertaEmployerProfile

The normalized employer eligibility model (legal establishment, business longevity, Alberta workplace, revenue/staffing threshold, nominee cap) shared across the worker-stream evaluators that require a job offer.

Approved opportunity

A signed offer from NSHA or IWK Health, on official letterhead, confirming a physician's eligibility for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia and for NSHA/IWK privileges or credentials. Required by both physician pathways.

Arranged employment

A valid, qualifying job offer from a Canadian employer that counts toward the FSW six-factor grid.

Arrima

The online declaration-of-interest and application portal for the PSTQ (and, for submission, PEQ). Arrima is a process platform, not a selection program itself — it does not define eligibility criteria.

Axis A (Published Eligibility Criteria Result)

A result describing only whether an applicant's profile compares against a pathway's published mandatory requirements — separate from whether the pathway can currently be acted on (see Axis B).

Axis A (Published Eligibility Criteria)

Whether the applicant appears to meet a specific evaluator's mandatory requirements, independent of Axis B and Axis C.

Axis B (Operational / Process Availability)

Whether the evaluator can actually be acted on right now — separate from how well the applicant's own facts hold up (Axis A) or how they rank (Axis C).

Axis B (Operational Availability Result)

A result describing whether a pathway can currently be acted on — EOI intake open/closed, or process/ verification gaps — independent of the applicant's own profile facts (see Axis A).

Axis C (Ranking Information)

The applicant's calculated WEOI or Entrepreneur EOI score — never an eligibility signal, and never used to predict an invitation.

BC Provincial Nominee Program(BC PNP)

British Columbia's own provincial nomination program. This tool evaluates its three Skills Immigration streams — Skilled Worker, Health Authority, and the Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative — and its Entrepreneur Immigration streams.

Business Establishment Plan

An Entrepreneur-stream document, assessed by LSI, describing the applicant's proposed or existing Nova Scotia business. Required by both Entrepreneur tracks.

Business Investor Stream

The Entrepreneur Pathway and Farm Investor Pathway together. Uses a separate EOI/self-assessment process from the Skilled Worker Stream and International Education Stream — no EOI draws are currently conducted for this stream; Expressions of Interest are reviewed individually.

Business Performance Agreement

A post-nomination agreement entrepreneur-stream candidates enter into with AAIP, committing to specific business milestones. Information only in this tool — not an evaluated eligibility criterion.

Business Performance Agreement (Nova Scotia)(BPA)

A binding legal agreement with the Province of Nova Scotia, issued only after the Entrepreneur-stream interview is passed. It fixes the investment amount, business field, planned employee count, and location — spending before the BPA is signed does not count toward the investment requirement. (Alberta uses the same term for its own, distinct Rural Entrepreneur Stream agreement — see that entry separately.)

Canadian Experience Class(CEC)

The Express Entry program for people whose qualifying skilled work experience was gained inside Canada.

Canadian Language Benchmark(CLB)

The standard 1–10 scale IRCC uses to compare results across different English language tests. You never enter a CLB number yourself — enter your raw test scores (e.g. IELTS band 7.0) and this tool converts them automatically. Common mistake: assuming CLB is the same number as your test's own raw score — it usually isn't, except for CELPIP.

Capped Sector

A sector (accommodation and food services, trucking, retail trade) limited to a fixed maximum share of nominations, restricted to specific 2026 intake windows.

Care / Build / Innovate

The BC PNP's three 2026 selection-priority objectives (healthcare/care economy, trades/infrastructure, and high-economic-impact/knowledge sectors) — priorities layered on top of existing streams, not separate application streams themselves.

Category-based selection

IRCC's practice of inviting candidates from a specific occupation, language, or experience subgroup rather than the whole Express Entry pool.

CELPIP

Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program — an accepted English test for immigration purposes. What to enter: the four per-skill scores from your CELPIP Score Report; CELPIP is the one test whose raw score already equals its CLB level for every skill.

Certificat de sélection du Québec(CSQ)

The document Quebec issues once it has selected a candidate under one of its own economic-immigration programs. A CSQ is Quebec's own direct selection decision, and does not by itself grant permanent residence; a separate federal admissibility review by IRCC remains required afterward.

Certificate of Qualification

A trade credential issued by a provincial/territorial trades authority certifying competence in a specific skilled trade.

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario(CPSO)

The regulator whose registration status governs the self-employed physician pathway.

Common-law partner

A partner (of any gender) with whom an applicant has cohabited continuously for at least 12 months, recognized similarly to marriage for sponsorship purposes.

Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal(CMM)

The Greater Montréal metropolitan region. Whether an applicant's residence, work, study, business, or job offer is inside or outside the CMM affects PSTQ scoring and several business-immigration thresholds.

Community referral

A participating BC community's formal endorsement of an Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional applicant, required before the applicant can register.

Community Support Letter

A letter required for the Rural Entrepreneur Stream, issued following a mandatory exploratory visit and Business Proposal Summary review.

Comprehensive Ranking System(CRS)

The point score (max 1,200) IRCC uses to rank everyone in the Express Entry pool against each other. It is separate from, and not a guarantee of, meeting any single program's eligibility criteria.

Connection to Manitoba

Skilled Worker Overseas's mandatory gate — exactly one of three types is required: Manitoba Support (a family/friend supporter), Manitoba Experience (past Manitoba work or study), or Manitoba Invitation (an MPNP-issued Invitation to Apply). No connection means Skilled Worker Overseas is not offered, regardless of score.

Declaration of interest

The PSTQ's pre-application step, submitted through Arrima. Meeting the published criteria places a declaration in a scored bank of candidates; it is not itself an application and does not guarantee an invitation.

Designated agency

One of three AAIP-designated organizations (Elite Global Group Ltd., Empowered Startups, Platform Calgary) that must recommend a Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream candidate before they can submit an EOI.

Designated community

One of the specific rural communities IRCC has designated to participate in the Rural Community Immigration Pilot.

Designated Community

A rural Alberta community formally designated by AAIP to recruit and endorse candidates under the Rural Renewal Stream.

Designated employer

An employer specifically authorized to make job offers under a given program, e.g., the Atlantic Immigration Program.

Designated Learning Institution(DLI)

A school authorized to host international students on a study permit.

Direct application

Applying without first registering and waiting for a SIRS-based invitation — unique to the Health Authority stream among the BC PNP streams in this tool.

Échelle québécoise

Quebec's own 1-12 scale for measuring French-language proficiency, used throughout PSTQ, PEQ, and business-immigration French requirements. Structurally distinct from the federal CLB/NCLC scales — never substituted for them.

Economic Development Organization(EDO)

The organization in a Designated Community that issues Endorsement of Candidate letters for the Rural Renewal Stream.

Educational Credential Assessment(ECA)

A paid, third-party check that translates a foreign educational credential into its Canadian equivalent.

Employer Portal

The online system Ontario employers use to register their business and submit job offers before a candidate can register an EOI.

Employer Position Assessment(EPA)

SINP's review of your job offer and employer, replacing the older "Job Approval Form." The employer submits it and SINP conditionally approves it, but you must then log into OASIS and confirm the details yourself within 10 days.

Endorsement of Candidate

A letter issued by a Designated Community's Economic Development Organization, valid for one year, required for the Rural Renewal Stream.

Entrepreneur Expression of Interest(Entrepreneur EOI)

The equivalent registration for the Rural Entrepreneur, Graduate Entrepreneur, and Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Streams. The Farm Stream has no EOI at all.

EOI Ranking System

The unified, 1,000-point scale that ranks the Skilled Worker Stream and International Education Stream declaration pool. Informational only — it never determines eligibility, and current 2026 draws select only from candidates separately holding a Strategic Recruitment Initiative invitation or Temporary Public Policy eligibility.

Evaluator

One independent unit of engine logic producing its own Axis A/B/C result for a single pathway — not the same as a public-facing AAIP "stream" name, which may bundle several evaluators.

Exceptional talent

PSTQ Stream 4's basis for selection — candidates with an outstanding track record, evidenced by a listed achievement or a positive opinion from a designated Ministère partner, without the FEER, education, or French-language gates that apply to Streams 1-3.

Exploratory visitBritish Columbia

A required visit to a target regional community to discuss a business proposal with a designated community contact, part of the Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional process.

Exploratory visitAlberta

A required in-person visit to a participating rural community, completed before a Rural Entrepreneur Stream candidate can obtain a Community Support Letter.

Express Entry

The online system holding candidate profiles for the three federal economic programs (FSW, CEC, FST), ranked and periodically drawn from. What to enter here: your work history, language scores, and education — the system builds your profile and CRS score from those answers; there's no separate 'Express Entry score' field to fill in.

Express Entry BC(EEBC)

The BC PNP's Express-Entry-linked processing option; not a separate eligibility standard from the underlying Skilled Worker or Health Authority stream.

Expression of Interest(EOI)Ontario

A registration (not an application) that lets OINP know a candidate wants to be considered; candidates are ranked and the highest-ranking are invited to apply.

Expression of Interest(EOI)Saskatchewan

A pre-application step showing SINP you're interested in and meet the thresholds for Occupations In-Demand or Saskatchewan Express Entry; it is not itself an application.

Expression of Interest(EOI)Manitoba

An online profile showing the MPNP you're interested in and meet the published criteria for a Skilled Worker Stream or International Education Stream pathway. It is not itself an application — it is scored under the unified EOI Ranking System and placed into a pool.

Expression of Interest(EOI)Nova Scotia

A profile showing NSNP you meet the published criteria for a stream or sub-criteria. It is not itself an application — it enters a province-wide pool, and periodic draws select EOIs for processing based on provincial priorities, remaining allocation, pool volume, and program integrity considerations.

External-gatekeeper state

One of five states (Confirmed satisfied / Confirmed failed / Pending / Not yet started / Unknown or unable to verify) describing a decision made entirely by a named third party (AACP, a designated agency, a regulatory college, an EDO, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation) outside AAIP's own published criteria.

Farm Proposal Viability

Whether a farm business plan was realistic (historical Farm category only, permanently closed) — SINP judged feasibility/intent, not profitability.

Farm-management review

The qualitative determination of whether a Farm Stream candidate's farm-management skills are sufficient — an external-gatekeeper decision this tool never determines itself.

Federal admissibility

IRCC's separate review of a candidate's federal permanent-residence application after Quebec selection. A CSQ is required to apply, but does not by itself determine the outcome of this federal review.

Federal Skilled Trades Program(FST)

A federal permanent-residence route for people with experience and, usually, a job offer or provincial certificate of qualification in a skilled trade.

Federal Skilled Worker Program(FSW)

A federal permanent-residence route for skilled workers with foreign work experience, ranked by CRS and invited in periodic draws.

Financial intermediary

A private entity under a participation agreement with the Ministère and Investissement Québec, required to place the Investor Program's $1,000,000 investment and $200,000 contribution — the candidate cannot make this investment directly.

Formation, Études, Expérience et Responsabilités(FEER)

Quebec's own six-level (0-5) occupation-skill-category scale, corresponding to the second digit of a NOC code. Numerically mirrors the federal NOC TEER scale but is Quebec's own named construct.

Good Faith Deposit

A refundable deposit (historical Entrepreneur/Farm categories only, both permanently closed) held in trust until program conditions are met.

Halifax Regional Municipality(HRM)

The municipal region that includes Halifax — Entrepreneur stream net-worth and investment thresholds are higher for a business located within HRM than for one located elsewhere in Nova Scotia.

IELTS

International English Language Testing System — one of the accepted English tests for immigration purposes. What to enter: the four per-skill band scores (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) from your IELTS Test Report Form, e.g. 7.0 or 7.5 — never the overall band alone, since each skill converts to CLB separately.

Indeterminate employment

A job offer with no fixed end date — i.e., a permanent position, as opposed to a fixed-term contract.

Internal review

A candidate's right to ask OINP to review a refusal decision for an identified error, within 30 calendar days of the decision.

Invitation to apply

A notice that a candidate has been selected from the pool and may now submit a full application within a fixed deadline.

Invitation to Apply(ITA)

The formal invitation to submit a full permanent residence application, sent after an Express Entry draw.

Invitation to apply for permanent selection

The PSTQ's next step after a declaration of interest, issued by the Ministère to candidates drawn from a targeted pool. Receiving one allows submitting a full application for Quebec selection — it is never modeled as a predictable outcome from a score alone.

IWK Health

The Halifax-based health centre (with NSHA) that can issue a signed "approved opportunity" for the physician pathways.

Job offer

A valid, qualifying offer of employment from a Canadian employer, sometimes required to be LMIA-backed or program-designated. What to enter: whether you hold a genuine written offer today, not one you're merely pursuing or expect to receive.

Job Seeker Validation Code

A code confirming a candidate's federal Express Entry profile is linked and ready for BC PNP review.

Labour Market Impact Assessment(LMIA)

A federal assessment confirming a job offer to a foreign worker will not negatively affect the Canadian labour market. Where to find it: your employer applies for and receives this directly from Employment and Social Development Canada — it isn't something you request yourself. Common mistake: confusing a job offer letter with an LMIA — many roles need both, but they're different documents from different sources.

Letter of Advice to Apply(LAA)

An invitation, issued from the EOI pool, that lets you submit a full MPNP application.

Letter of Interest(LOI)

An invitation from LSI (Labour, Skills and Immigration) that gates the Express Entry: Physicians track only — the EOI must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the letter's issuance date. The Skilled Worker Physicians sub-criteria has no such gate.

Look West strategy

The BC government's broader 2026 economic strategy that the April 23, 2026 BC PNP restructuring was aligned to.

Low Income Cut-Off(LICO)

Statistics Canada's income threshold table, used to set the minimum income a Super Visa host must show.

Maintained statusOntario

Continued legal immigration status in Canada while a new application or extension is being decided, provided the extension application was submitted before the previous status expired.

Maintained statusNova Scotia

Continuing to hold implied status in Canada under an expired temporary-resident document while an extension application is pending. NSNP requires valid, non-expired status at EOI submission — maintained status alone does not satisfy this gate.

Minimum Necessary Income(MNI)

The minimum income a Parents and Grandparents Program sponsor must show, scaled to family size, over specific tax years.

Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration(MIFI)

The Quebec government ministry responsible for Quebec's immigration selection programs, French-language integration, and the Quebec family undertaking process.

Ministerial Instructions

A formal legal instrument IRCC uses to open, close, or adjust intake for a program without new legislation.

MPNP

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program — Manitoba's own immigration-selection program, operated under the Canada–Manitoba Immigration Agreement.

NAICS

A code identifying what industry your employer is in — SINP uses it to decide whether a job falls in a Priority, Capped, or Other sector under the 2026 nomination allocation model.

Named counties (revenue tier)

A specific list of counties outside the Greater Toronto Area, defined in O.Reg 422/17, to which the $500,000 (rather than $1,000,000 or $250,000) employer revenue threshold applies.

National Occupational Classification / Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility(NOC / TEER)

Canada's official job-classification system; TEER measures the training, education, experience, and responsibility required for an occupation (0 = management, 1 = usually a university degree, through 5 = short-term demonstration only, no formal education). Use the TEER associated with the NOC code that best matches your actual job duties, not your job title alone — a title can map to more than one NOC, so consult the official NOC description if you're unsure which one fits. If the question lets you leave this blank, leaving it blank is better than guessing: a guessed value is used exactly as entered, while a blank answer is correctly treated as missing information, which may lead to a verification-required or incomplete result instead of a wrong one. This is general guidance, not immigration advice.

Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens(NCLC)

The French-language equivalent of the CLB scale, used for TEF Canada and TCF Canada results. As with CLB, enter your raw test scores and the NCLC level is derived automatically.

Nominee cap

The maximum number of AAIP nominees an employer below the revenue/staffing threshold may sponsor, scaled by years of continuous Alberta operation (employer nominee-cap-by-tenure).

North American Industry Classification System(NAICS)Alberta

The classification system used to identify an employer's primary business activity, most relevantly for the Accelerated Tech Pathway.

North American Industry Classification System(NAICS)Nova Scotia

The employer's business-sector code. NSNP uses this to route job offers into the Construction sub-criteria (sector 23) and to identify the currently-paused Accommodation and Food Services sector (sector 72).

Notice of intent to select

Issued by the Ministère to a business-immigration candidate who meets conditions except a final purchase/investment/takeover step, enabling a federal work-permit application to continue the process in Quebec.

Notification of Interest

The equivalent of an EOI, but for the (now closed) Express Entry-linked streams, which used a federal Express Entry profile instead of a standalone Ontario registration.

Nova Scotia Health Authority(NSHA)

One of the two health authorities (with IWK Health) that can issue a signed "approved opportunity" for the physician pathways.

Nova Scotia Nominee Program(NSNP)

Nova Scotia's own immigration-selection program, operated under the Canada–Nova Scotia Agreement on Immigration. Consolidated from 10 streams into 4 (Skilled Worker, Nova Scotia Graduate, Entrepreneur, Nova Scotia: Express Entry) effective February 18, 2026.

OASIS

The Government of Saskatchewan's online application portal for SINP candidates and employers.

OHIP billing eligibility

Whether a physician is able to bill through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) — a mandatory requirement for the self-employed physician pathway.

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program(OINP)

The provincial program that nominates candidates for Canadian permanent residence based on Ontario's economic and labour-market needs.

Ontario Public Service(OPS)

The Government of Ontario's public service. OPS and OPS entities cannot act as the employer for any Workforce Priority pathway.

Operational availability

Whether Ontario's Workforce Priority intake channel can currently be used at all, shown as Axis B — distinct from whether an applicant's own profile compares against the published criteria.

Participating community

A BC community formally enrolled in the Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional stream.

Permanent job offer

NSNP's own definition: the employee works all year, and the job is not seasonal — distinct from a generic full-time/part-time distinction.

Permanent selection

Quebec's own economic-immigration decision (culminating in a CSQ), distinct from and prior to IRCC's separate federal permanent-residence and admissibility review.

Points Assessment Grid

A 110-point scoring system used only for Employment Offer, Occupations In-Demand, and Saskatchewan Express Entry — 60 points is the minimum required. The itemized point sub-allocations behind this build's checks are not independently verified; use SINP's own "Assess Your Eligibility" tool to calculate your actual score.

Post-Graduation Work Permit(PGWP)

An open work permit granted after graduating from an eligible Designated Learning Institution program.

Priority Sector

A sector (e.g., healthcare, agriculture, technology) with a protected minimum share of Saskatchewan's 2026 nomination allocation and no intake-window restriction.

Professional order

The specific Quebec regulatory authority governing a regulated profession — not the Ministère. A professional order's denial of recognition is treated as a hard failure of the relevant requirement; the Ministère itself recommends not starting this process until after a PSTQ invitation.

Programme de l'expérience québécoise(PEQ)

A criteria-based (not competitively ranked) reception program for temporary foreign workers and Quebec graduates with existing Quebec ties. Can run in parallel with a PSTQ declaration of interest.

Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés(PSTQ)

Quebec's main points-based skilled-worker selection program, operated through Arrima. Replaced the Programme régulier des travailleurs qualifiés (PRTQ) effective November 29, 2024. Has four streams, each with its own eligibility criteria and, for Streams 1-3, a shared itemized scoring grid.

Proof of funds

The documentation (bank statements, etc.) showing settlement funds are genuinely available.

Provincial Nominee Program(PNP)

A program letting provinces and territories nominate candidates for permanent residence based on their own criteria. A provincial nomination adds a flat 600 points to your federal CRS score, on top of whatever score you already have from language, education, and experience.

PTE Core

Pearson Test of English Core — an accepted English test for immigration purposes, scored 10–90 per skill (not a 0–9 band like IELTS). What to enter: the four per-skill scores from your PTE score report. Common mistake: entering the overall score instead of each per-skill score.

Public health authority

One of BC's regional health service organizations (e.g., a regional health authority) — direct employment by one is generally required for the Health Authority stream.

Quebec family undertaking

A Quebec-specific process (an engagement/undertaking with MIFI) layered onto an existing federal family-class sponsorship case where the sponsor is a Quebec resident — required on top of, never instead of, the federal sponsorship process administered by IRCC.

Quebec selection

The general term for any of Quebec's own economic-immigration selection decisions (PSTQ, PEQ, or business immigration), culminating in a CSQ. Distinct from — and never a guarantee of — the separate federal admissibility review.

Recent Ontario graduate

A reduced work-experience window (and possible language exemption) referenced for applicants who recently graduated from an Ontario institution — the official definition has not been published, so this tool collects supporting facts only and never lets an applicant self-certify this status directly.

Registration class

The category of a professional's registration with their regulator (for physicians: independent, academic, or provisional with the CPSO) — determines whether the registration qualifies for the self-employed physician pathway.

Regulated profession

An occupation appearing on Quebec's Liste des professions réglementées, requiring a practice licence to exercise in Quebec. Routes PSTQ candidates to Stream 3 and gates the Self-Employed Worker program's regulated-occupation requirement.

Return for Service Agreement(RFS)

A signed, binding 2-year commitment to live and work in Nova Scotia, required by the Express Entry: Physicians track only. The Skilled Worker Physicians sub-criteria has a lighter, unsigned commitment declaration instead — not a formal RFS Agreement.

Rural community

A census division with a population under 150,000, referenced as the basis for a reduced revenue threshold — the reduced dollar figure itself has not been officially published, so a rural-community claim always requires verification rather than a threshold determination.

Seasonal employment

Work that does not run all year. NSNP job offers must be permanent, which explicitly excludes seasonal positions across every Skilled Worker sub-criteria.

Second Review

A request to have a refused SINP decision reconsidered, subject to a $250 CAD fee.

Sector association

A membership organization that can confirm an employer's eligibility under the Tourism and Hospitality Stream, as an alternative to the WCB-industry list.

Settlement funds

Unencumbered, liquid funds an applicant must show to support themselves and family after arriving in Canada, with the required amount scaled by family size. What to enter: funds you could access immediately if needed (chequing/savings balances), not the value of property, vehicles, or retirement accounts you can't easily withdraw from. Common mistake: including borrowed money or a line of credit — these funds must genuinely be your own.

Skills Immigration category

The BC-only, non-Express-Entry-linked application track covering the Skilled Worker, Health Care, and Health Authority streams.

Skills Immigration Registration System(SIRS)

BC's 200-point scoring grid (Human Capital up to 120 + Economic up to 80) used to rank most Skills Immigration candidates for invitation.

Spousal sponsorship

The process by which a Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsors their spouse for permanent residence.

Strategic Recruitment Initiative

MPNP-organized recruitment missions, exploratory visits, or targeted outreach (employer, Francophone, regional, or ethnocultural community connections). Current Manitoba Skilled Worker Stream draws select only from candidates holding this kind of invitation or Temporary Public Policy eligibility.

Support organization

A specialized Quebec-based organization providing a committed service offer (an Offre de service en innovation or en repreneuriat) required by the Entrepreneur Program's Innovative Business and Business Takeover streams.

Talent Pathway

One of three direct, no-score sub-categories (Health, Agriculture, Innovation and Tech) with their own eligibility criteria instead of the Points Assessment Grid.

TCF

Test de connaissance du français — an accepted French test for immigration purposes; this tool uses the TCF Canada variant. What to enter: the exact raw score for each skill from your result slip. Common mistake: Speaking and Writing are scored on a different scale from Listening and Reading — enter each exactly as shown, never estimated or rounded.

TEF

Test d'évaluation de français — an accepted French test for immigration purposes; this tool uses the TEF Canada variant. What to enter: the exact raw point score for each of the four skills from your official TEF Canada result slip — each skill uses its own point scale, so don't attempt to convert it to NCLC yourself.

Temporary Public Policy(TPP)

A federal policy facilitating work permits for prospective MPNP candidates — one of the two categories current Skilled Worker Stream draws select from.

Validated job offer

A job offer specifically validated by Quebec's Ministère under the Regulation respecting immigration to Québec — a distinct process from other provinces' employer-assessment gates (e.g. Alberta/Saskatchewan's EPA-style processes), never conflated with them.

WCB industry

A Workers' Compensation Board – Alberta industry classification, used to determine an employer's eligibility under the Tourism and Hospitality Stream.

Work experience

Paid, skilled employment counted toward eligibility and scoring — generally full-time (or the full-time-equivalent in hours) and at a qualifying skill level (TEER 0–3 for most federal/provincial programs). What to enter: every job separately, with accurate start/end dates and hours per week — unpaid or purely volunteer work does not count, and overlapping part-time jobs are combined by hours, not simply added as separate years.

Worker Expression of Interest(WEOI)

The self-declared registration every worker-stream evaluator candidate must submit and pay for before being invited to apply. No minimum score is required to submit one.

Workforce Priority stream

The single OINP stream, launched June 26, 2026, that replaced 8 former streams; contains three pathways evaluated in this tool (TEER 0-3, TEER 4-5, self-employed physician).