Newfoundland and Labrador invites over 100 candidates to submit an application for nomination or endorsement

Newfoundland and Labrador immigration draw: May 28 invitations and what applicants should do next

The Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism (OIM) for Newfoundland and Labrador held its sixth provincial immigration draw of 2026 on May 28, issuing 103 invitations through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). This round matters because it continues a steady downtrend in invitation volumes after heavy activity earlier in the year, and it affects candidates who are in the province’s Expression of Interest (EOI) pool or planning to submit one.

May 28 draw and the immediate context

On May 28 the province invited 103 candidates: 84 through NLPNP and 19 through the AIP. That allocation means NLPNP received the lion’s share of invitations in this round (81.6%). The province did not disclose which NLPNP streams or which occupations were targeted in this selection. Candidates invited under NLPNP are asked to submit a provincial nomination application; AIP invitees are asked to submit an employer-led endorsement application. Invited applicants have 60 days to file a complete application.

This was Newfoundland and Labrador’s smallest draw so far in 2026, closing a month (May) that nevertheless saw three separate rounds of invitations — the most draws held in a single month this year. The OIM has repeatedly run selection rounds since March, with invitation totals falling from the large March 6 round (445 invites) toward smaller, more selective draws in April and May.

How the year’s draws compare and the trend to watch

The OIM’s draws in 2026 have been front-loaded compared with 2025. From January 1 to May 28 the province issued 1,379 invitations in total. Of that total, 83.9% went to NLPNP candidates. Comparing year-over-year activity, the province has issued 795 more invitations so far in 2026 than it did in the same period in 2025; last year the province held just two draws accounting for 584 invitations in this timeframe.

Monthly and per-draw totals for 2026 (to May 28) were:

March 6 — 445 (NLPNP: 362; AIP: 83)
March 30 — 245 (NLPNP: 209; AIP: 36)
April 13 — 210 (NLPNP: 177; AIP: 33)
May 1 — 190 (NLPNP: 157; AIP: 33)
May 11 — 186 (NLPNP: 168; AIP: 18)
May 28 — 103 (NLPNP: 84; AIP: 19)

Those totals show an unmistakable narrowing of invitation counts across successive selection rounds. With the OIM not publishing stream- or occupation-level details for the May 28 draw, applicants should expect continued selectivity and plan accordingly.

Why the decline in invitations matters

Fewer invitations per draw can mean more competition for those in the EOI pool and a longer wait for candidates hoping to be selected. For prospective applicants, reduced invitation volumes raise the importance of ensuring EOIs are as competitive and up to date as possible. Administrative details that used to be relatively low risk — such as an incomplete job offer letter or missing proof of ties to the province — can have a bigger impact when selection margins tighten.

A smaller draw size also further emphasizes the role of prioritization. The OIM has said it may prioritize candidates who work in healthcare occupations, who have employment outside major urban centres, who show strong prospects for long-term settlement, or who have ties to the province through local graduation. Candidates who meet those priorities may be relatively better positioned when invitation numbers fall.

Who is most affected and who should act now

The following applicant groups should pay close attention to the change in invitation volumes:

EOI registrants already in Newfoundland and Labrador’s pool — lower invitation counts increase competition and make updates to an existing EOI important.
AIP-eligible employers and their candidates — employers are responsible for submitting AIP endorsement applications within 60 days of invitation, so they must be ready to act quickly.
Skilled workers with job offers outside major urban centres, healthcare workers, and recent graduates with local ties — these profiles align with OIM stated prioritization factors and may have a relative advantage.
Entrepreneur-stream applicants — those streams do not require a job offer before EOI, but the same selectivity pressures apply to any stream the OIM chooses to prioritize.

If you are not yet in the EOI pool, now is the moment to confirm whether you meet program requirements and prepare a strong submission. If you are already in the pool, consider whether new evidence (employment changes, language test results, additional education, or stronger settlement ties) can be added within the 12-month EOI validity window to improve your ranking.

Practical steps to improve readiness

The OIM’s process is straightforward on paper: submit an EOI, provide occupation, education, language proficiency and settlement plans, and wait to be invited. In practice, selectivity means details matter. Key actions applicants and employers can take include:

Confirm EOI completeness and accuracy — ensure occupation codes, language scores, and job offer details match supporting documents.
Keep documents current — language test results and job offers can change an EOI’s competitiveness; update the OIM as necessary within the 12-month validity window.
Prepare for the 60-day clock — if invited, have a full application package ready. For AIP, ensure the employer is prepared to submit the endorsement application.
Demonstrate settlement intent — evidence such as plans for housing, community ties, or local education can matter where long-term settlement is a stated prioritization factor.
Target prioritized profiles where possible — those working in healthcare, outside large urban centres, or with local graduation ties may be looked upon favourably.

Remember that EOIs expire after 12 months. If your EOI lapses, you must submit a new one to remain under consideration.

What this means for applicants

The May 28 draw is a reminder that provincial selection patterns can shift within a single year. Applicants should treat the EOI as a living submission: update it when your situation improves, be prepared to act quickly if invited, and maintain realistic expectations about timing. Smaller draws increase the payoff for careful preparation and accurate documentation. For employer-supported AIP candidates, coordination with the employer is essential because the employer must file the endorsement application.

The OIM’s non-disclosure of stream- and occupation-level targeting in the May 28 round reduces the ability to reverse-engineer selection criteria from a single draw. Instead, track the broader pattern: 2026 has had higher overall invitation totals than the same period in 2025, yet recent draws are trending smaller. That pattern suggests the OIM may be moving from larger mass selections earlier in the year toward more targeted, priority-driven rounds.

Key takeaways

On May 28, 2026 Newfoundland and Labrador issued 103 invitations: 84 NLPNP and 19 AIP.
May has been the busiest month for draws in 2026 so far, but the May 28 round was the smallest draw of the year, signaling a downward trend in per-draw invitation volumes.
As of May 28 the province has invited 1,379 candidates in 2026, with 83.9% of invites going to NLPNP applicants.
Candidates must submit an EOI to be considered; EOIs remain valid for 12 months and an invited candidate has 60 days to submit a complete application.
The OIM may prioritize healthcare occupations, employment outside major urban centres, long-term settlement prospects, and local graduates — applicants meeting these criteria could be at an advantage.

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