Nomination by a province or territory has been the most common single route to permanent residence for Italian citizens in most years since 2019, according to the admissions data of IRCC, Canada's immigration department. Under the Provincial Nominee Program, every province and territory except Quebec and Nunavut nominates people who have the skills and experience its economy needs and who want to live there. Younger Italians can start with International Experience Canada (IEC), Canada's work permit programme for young people: since November 2022, Italians may take part twice, in any category. Paid skilled work in Canada can then count toward the Canadian Experience Class, the permanent residence programme for people with Canadian work experience.

For permanent residence, book the language test and the credential assessment of your degree first; police certificates come with the application itself, although an IEC work permit usually needs them too. From Italy they need care, because IRCC asks for two: the certificato del casellario giudiziale (criminal record certificate) and the certificato dei carichi pendenti, which lists criminal proceedings still under way. Italy's Ministry of Justice says that, until a national register of pending proceedings is running, the second must come from the prosecutor's office (Procura della Repubblica) at the court for your place of residence; you can apply in person, by post or through someone you delegate. Both are normally issued in Italian, so IRCC needs an English or French translation, with the translator's affidavit and a certified copy of the original.

The mistake to avoid is moving abroad before you apply to IEC. IRCC requires Italian applicants in every category to prove they are residents of Italy when they apply, with an Italian address and a residence certificate (certificato di residenza). An Italian who moves abroad for more than a year must register with AIRE, the register of Italians living abroad, and that registration removes them from their municipality's register of residents. If Canada is part of your plan, apply while you still live in Italy.