The BC PNP stands for British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program. It is an immigration program that serves the province and is administered jointly with the Canadian government.
The aim of such Provincial Nominee programs is to help provinces identify and nominate skilled immigrants essential to their economy. The program is allocated a number of nominations each year to help fulfil their duty.
Once nominated, a candidate can apply for permanent residency in the province that nominated them.
Who can Apply under the BC PNP?
The BC PNP caters to an array of skilled foreign workers, international students and entrepreneurs who can address the unique needs of BC’s labour market.
What professions are prioritized by the BC PNP?
Professions facing shortages within BC are prioritized by the PNP program.
One among these are health care professionals for BC’s Care Economy. The province is in critical need of health care workers and Early Childhood educators (ECEs). Occupations that fall under this umbrella will find themselves given priority access under the BC PNP.
Tech occupations are another heavily emphasized category under the BC PNP. The BC PNP Tech is a process by which BC tech employers are incentivized to recruit top tech talent. Incentives include tech-only draws, concierge services for tech companies, timely processing of tech applications and outreach programs. A BC company does not need to apply for a conventional Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) when recruiting this way. Nominees are also granted support letters to help them apply for or renew their work permit.
Successful international entrepreneurs with business acumen and funds can also try their luck with the Entrepreneur immigration stream for international entrepreneurs.
Streams under the BC PNP
Skilled professionals and students from specified fields can apply to the BC PNP under the following streams:
- Skilled Worker Stream
- Health Authority Stream
- International Graduate Stream
- International Post-Graduate Stream
- Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) Stream
- BC PNP Tech
Eligibility Requirements under the BC PNP
Skilled Worker stream
Candidates applying to this stream must:
- Have a full-time job offer from an employer located in British Columbia
- The job must be in a skilled occupation Ie. NOC TEER 0,1,2 or 3.
- Must be qualified to perform the duties of the job
- Have a minimum 2 years of full-time work experience in the skilled occupation
- Must be able to support themselves and any dependents
- Must be eligible for legal immigration into Canada
- Meet minimum language requirements if applying for NOC TEER 2 or 3 occupations
Health Authority
Healthcare professionals are some of the most sought-after candidates in the BC PNP. Such physicians, midwifes and nurse practitioners applying under this stream must:
- Have a full-time job offer from a BC public health authority or a letter from an authority that confirms their status as a practicing physician, nurse or midwife in BC.
- Meet any educational, training, experience and other requirements outlined by the public health Authority
International Graduate Stream
Applicants under this stream must:
- Complete a degree, diploma or certificate from a post-secondary institution in Canada in the last three years
- Have accepted a job offer from a BC employer for a NOC TEER 1,2,3 occupation
- Be qualified to work in BC
- Meet language requirements if job is in the NOC TEER 2 or 3 category
- Be able to support themselves and any dependents
- Have legal immigration status
International Post-Graduate Stream
Applicants under this stream must:
- Have eligible graduate level education at a post-secondary institution in BC in the last three years
- Have legal immigration status
- Must intend to live, work and establish themselves in BC
Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) Stream
The stream primarily caters to workers in the tourism/ hospitality and food processing sectors. Applicants must:
- Have a full-time job offer from a BC employer in the specified sectors
- Have previous experience for a minimum of nine years
- Be qualified for the job
- Meet language and education requirements
- Must be able to support themselves and their dependents
- Have legal immigration status
BC PNP Tech
The BC PNP Tech refers to several administrative features that help expedite the applications of Tech professionals.
How to apply
Applicants under the Skilled Worker, International Graduate or the Entry Level and Semi-skilled streams must first register for free at the BCPNP Online portal. Once submitted the BC PNP will issue an Invitation to Apply (ITA) to qualified candidates based on various Economic and Human Capital Factors.
Once invited, applicants have 30 days to submit a complete application to BCPNP Online.
However, those eligible for the Health Authority and the International Post-Graduate stream can skip the registration process and apply directly at BCPNP online.
Results of most recent Draw
The latest BC PNP draw of March 14th, 2023, had 197 Invitations for Skilled Workers and International Graduates in Tech, 23 invitations for Early Childhood educators and assistants, 10 in healthcare, and less than 5 in other priority occupations.
