British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

What is British Columbia PNP in Canada?

BC PNP is a provincial nomination dedicated for the British Columbia province of Canada. In order to give foreign nationals a chance to settle, have a career in Canada and become permanent residents, the federal government made a collection of immigration pathways. To benefit the province in terms of its development and economic growth, the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) is designed to attract skilled workers, laborers, entrepreneurs, and investors to particular areas with a shortage of workers. The British Columbia PNP program operates several categories divided into further streams.

British Columbia, Canada Immigration Streams

Candidates who wish to immigrate to the province of British Columbia have the below-mentioned options to choose from:

Skills Immigration Stream

This stream is meant for international candidates with skills to become a contributing part of BC’s workforce. The other pathways in the British Columbia Skills Immigration target immigrants with employment prospects in the province and candidates who demonstrate the experience needed to contribute to the BC economy successfully. The candidates who provide enough information and confidence to the province can be nominated for Canadian permanent residence.

• Skilled Worker Category

  Candidates who received an eligible job offer in any of the skilled occupations under the province. Note that workers are required to have several years of job experience in their skilled profession to be able to apply under this category.

• Healthcare Professional Category

  Applicants with experience and an eligible job offer with designations such as physicians, nurses, psychiatric nurses, or allied health professionals from public health authorities in British Columbia can apply under this stream. The candidate has to have a job offer acquired for 1 of the 11 qualifying health occupations.

• International Graduate Category

  This nomination stream is for the individuals with an eligible offer letter in British Columbia and who completed their post-secondary education in an eligible Canadian institution in the past three years.

• International Post-Graduate Category

  This category prioritizes the nomination for candidates with recently completed graduate, master’s level, or doctoral degrees from eligible institutions in British Columbia. There is no requirement of any job offer to apply under the International Post Graduate Category.

• Entry Level & Semi-Skilled Worker Category

  The ELSS category targets the immigrations for nomination with semi-skilled work experience in tourism/hospitality, food processing, or trucking in British Columbia. Candidates with semi-skilled positions in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia can also apply. They would need an offer of employment from a BC employer.

Minimum Requirements for Skills Immigration Stream

• The candidates are required to have a full-time job offer in BC (Expect International Post-Graduate Category).
• The wage offered by the employer must match the provincial wage rates (Expect International Post-Graduate Category).
• The employer must meet the eligibility criteria (Expect International Post-Graduate Category).
• Financial standing to support yourself and the accompanying family has to be shown (Expect International Post-Graduate Category).
• Minimum language ability has to be met (NOC skill level B, or for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category).
• There are certain additional requirements specific to your profile and category that are also to be fulfilled.

How to Apply?

• The interested candidates are first required to register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). The province of British Columbia will review your profile based on your education, experience, wage against the provincial market needs, and language abilities.
• Applicants for International Post-Graduate Category and the Healthcare Professional Category can apply directly on BCPNP online portal and are not required to register with SIRS.
• You will then enter the selection pool for the intended category with a score given to you on the basis of the factors mentioned above. Candidates meeting the eligibility criteria will be invited to apply under the British Columbia Provincial Nomination in the draw.
• As you receive the invitation to apply, you will have 30 days to apply for PNP online.
• Provincial nomination for BC will allow you to apply for the Permanent Residency with the Canadian government.

Express Entry British Columbia

This program aligns with the federal government’s Express Entry selection system, resulting in less processing time. The candidates receive priority for the BC PNP application and if nominated, for permanent residence as well.

Minimum Requirements for EEBC:

• Interested candidates must have a Job Seeker Validation Code from Express Entry.
• You would require an accepted full-time offer (except for International Post-Graduate Category).
• You would need to have a profile within the federal Express Entry system.
• A wage offer in line with the province of British Columbia is required (except for the International Post-Graduate Category).
• Your employer should also be eligible for the EEBC (except for the International Post-Graduate Category).
• Financial standing has to be shown to support yourself and your accompanying family members (except for the International Post-Graduate Category).
• Language requirements are to be fulfilled (except for the International Post-Graduate Category).
• There are a few additional requirements as per the stream that you have to fulfill.

Following mentioned are the categories for processing of Express Entry British Columbia:

• Skilled Worker Category
• Health Care Professional Category
• International Graduate Category
• International Post-Graduate Category

How to Apply?

• Firstly, an already applied Express Entry file with IRCC is required to apply under EEBC.
• Register yourself with the Skilled Immigration Registration System (SIRC) so the province can review your job, educational qualifications, and area in British Columbia.
• Your wage and language ability is also checked by the province.
• Complete all the required elements of the application with the BC PNP online portal.
• Applicants for International Post-Graduate Category and the Healthcare Professional Category are not required to register themselves with the SIRC and can apply through BC PNP online portal directly.
• Based on several factors you will receive a registration score and then would be further entered into the selection pool for the chosen category.
• A certain threshold has to be met to get invited to apply for the provincial nomination.
• After receiving an Invitation to apply (ITA), candidates are given 30 days to apply through BCPNP online.
• Selected candidates will receive a provincial nomination through Express Entry.

Entrepreneur Immigration

This stream focuses on international candidates with demonstrated experience in managing, operating, and owning a business. Entrepreneurs wishing to invest a certain capital and experience inside the province of British Columbia can apply. Candidates would be required to purchase a new or existing business in British Columbia and operate and manage the business-related activities. The stream is ideal for individuals with good financial standing or already established businesses in a foreign country and wish to make an establishment in British Columbia as well. The candidates eligible will receive a PNP through British Columbia supporting applications for PR in Canada.

There are three main streams under Entrepreneur Immigration in Brtish Columbia:

• British Columbia Entrepreneur

  Candidates with Senior Managerial skills or are business owners interested to invest finances in an intended business in the province of British Columbia.

• British Columbia Entrepreneur Regional Pilot

  Candidates interested in establishing a business in a small community in the province of British Columbia can apply under this stream.

• British Columbia Strategic Projects

  Foreign companies can have a business operation in British Columbia with this category. Nomination for PR of up to 5 foreign managerial, professional or technical staff members can be done through this program.

How to Apply?

• A short business concept and an application has to be provided through BC PNP online portal by the interested candidates for the Entrepreneur Immigration Categories.
• According to the business plan and other information you provide, if eligible, you will enter the qualified pool. The candidates with the highest score will be invited to apply.
• After the invitation, the candidates will have 4 months to submit a full application through the British Columbia online portal.
• Your net worth will be reviewed and analyzed by a BC PNP authorized accounting firm.
• With the successful completion of the process, you will then establish your intended business in British Columbia. You will be given a 2-year work permit for it.
• Candidates are given up to 20 months to work on the business plan and on the basis of the same will receive a provincial nomination from BC to further apply for a permanent residence.
• You can apply in the Strategic Projects Category, but make sure that your company and the key staff of your company are eligible.
• You are also required to visit British Columbia to examine the local business environment. After your visit, you will then have to contact BC PNP to discuss the business proposal.
• The immediate next step is to register your company’s interest to apply. In this, you need to provide the company details, your proposed investment in British Columbia, and the qualifications of the proposed key staff.
• The registration will be reviewed by the province, and further you will be invited to apply.
• Applicants are given 90 days, within that time they must submit the applicant.
• As your application is approved, the main applicant and each key staff member must sign a corporate Performance Agreement with British Columbia. All the applicants will then receive a work permit support letter. A work permit through IRCC is also to be applied.
• After you enter Canada and complete the requirements under the Performance Agreement, submit a final report to BC PNP. This will lead you to the provincial nomination and will be given 180 days to submit your application for PR to IRCC.

B.C. PNP Tech

This category invites foreign nationals to apply for British Columbia’s demanding tech occupations. BC holds Tech Draws, inviting eligible skilled tech workers to apply under the program. Programs under the Skills Immigration category are to be reviewed to apply under the program as the Tech program is aligned with BC skills immigration. The processing under this category is faster.

The skilled workers would require a job offer, of at least one-year duration and have 120 calendar days remaining at the time of applying, in British Columbia in one of the 29 eligible occupations in tech.