BC PNP

BRITISH  COLUMBIA PNP

PATHWAYS

The BC Provincial Nominee Program offers three ways to become a permanent resident in B.C. Each pathway contains different categories you can apply under, depending on your National Occupational Classification skill level, job, or international student status.

Browse the links below for details of available categories, program requirements, and how to register and apply.

Choose your pathway

1 Skills Immigration

2 Express Entry BC

3 Entrepreneur Immigration

4 Other immigration options

1. SKILLS IMMIGRATION

 

BC PNP Skills Immigration is divided into the following categories:

• A.Skilled Worker Category — This category is for individuals who have received an eligible job offer in a skilled occupation. Workers are expected to have several years of experience in their skilled occupation.

• B.Health Care Professional Category — Under this category individuals with experience and eligible job offers, as physicians, nurses, psychiatric nurses or allied health professionals may apply. An eligible job offer must be acquired for one of 11 qualifying health occupations.

• C.International Graduate Category — This category is for individuals who have graduated from an eligible Canadian university or college in the last three years. A job offer must be obtained from a BC employer to be eligible under this sub-category.

• D.International Post-Graduate Category— This category is for graduates with Masters or Doctoral degrees from an eligible educational institution in British Columbia in the natural, applied, or health sciences programs of study. No job offer is required to apply under this sub-category.

• E.Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category — Workers in certain entry-level or semi-skilled positions in tourism/hospitality, food processing, or long-haul trucking, or those in entry-level or semi-skilled positions living and working in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia, may be eligible for immigration through this program.

A.SKILLED WORKER CATEGORY

This category is open to workers with post-secondary education or training and employment experience in a skilled occupation.

Minimum Requirements for Applicants

In order to be eligible under the Skilled Worker Category, applicants must:

• Have at least two years of full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience in the skilled occupation offered to them, and the credentials and qualification requirements of the position, if applicable;
• Have received an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from an eligible B.C. employer;
• Be in an occupation classified as NOC level 0, A, or B;
  • For occupations classified as NOC level B, applicants must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency in English or French by submitting language test results showing a minimum score of benchmark 4 under the Canadian Language Benchmark 2000 (CLB) in all competencies.
  • For occupations classified as NOC level 0 or A, no language test results are necessary – the BC PNP, however, may require valid language test results at its discretion.
• Demonstrate the ability to meet minimum income requirements and pay for housing and living expenses in British Columbia by showing:
  • Annual wage in the province;
  • Location of residence in the province;
  • Number of dependents.

Minimum Requirements for Employers

Additionally, the employer offering the job must meet the following requirements:

• The business must be established in British Columbia, and have been operating for at least one year;
• The business must already have permanent, full-time employees;
  • If the business is located in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the business must have at least five permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalent) in B.C.;
  • If the business is located outside the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the business must have at least three permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalent) in B.C.;
• The business must show a history of good business practices;
• The employer must meet domestic labour market recruitment requirements;
• The employer must sign an employer declaration stating that all of these requirements are met;
• A written offer of employment must be extended to the applicant on official company letterhead and must meet all of the following requirements:
  • The offer must be signed and dated by both the employer and applicant.
  • The offer must include:
    • A description of job duties;
    • The rate of pay;
    • The working hours for the position (minimum of 30 hours per week);
    • A statement that position is permanent and full time;
    • A list of additional benefits; and
    • A mention of any applicable collective bargaining agreements, if relevant.

B.HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY

Minimum Requirements for Applicants

To be eligible under the Health Care Professional Category, in addition to meeting the general requirements, applicants must:

• Be a professional in one of the following fields:
  • Physician;
  • Specialist;
  • Registered nurse;
  • Registered psychiatric nurse;
  • Nurse practitioner;
  • Midwife; or
  • Allied health professional such as a:
    • Diagnostic medical sonographer;
    • Clinical pharmacist;
    • Medical laboratory technologist;
    • Medical radiation technologist;
    • Occupational therapist; or
    • Physiotherapist.
• Have at least two years full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience in the skilled occupation offered to them, and the credentials and qualification requirements of the position, if applicable;
• Be in an occupation classified as NOC level 0, A, or B;
  • For occupations classified as NOC level B, applicants must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency in English or French by submitting language test results showing a minimum score of benchmark 4 under the Canadian Language Benchmark 2000 (CLB) in all competencies.
  • For occupations classified as NOC level 0 or A, no language test results are necessary – the BC PNP, however, may require valid language test results at its discretion.
• Have received an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from an eligible B.C. public health authority;
• Demonstrate the ability to meet minimum income requirements and pay for housing and living expenses in British Columbia by showing:
  • Annual wage in the province;
  • Location of residence in the province;
  • Number of dependents.
• Midwives must:
  • Have a letter of confirmation from an established practice group in the province confirming acceptance into the group for at least six months, written on official group letterhead and signed by the head of the practice group and the applicant; and
  • Be registered, or eligible to be registered, with the College of Midwives of British Columbia.

Minimum Requirements for Employers

The employer offering the job must meet the following requirements:

• The business must be established in British Columbia, and have been operating for at least one year;
• The business must already have permanent, full-time employees;
  • If the business is located in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the business must have at least five permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalent) in B.C.;
  • If the business is located outside the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the business must have at least three permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalent) in B.C.;
• The business must show a history of good business practices;
• The employer must offer the candidate a wage that meets industry standards;
• The employer must meet domestic labour market recruitment requirements;
• The employer must sign an employer declaration stating that all of these requirements are met;
• A written offer of employment must be extended to the applicant on official company letterhead and must meet all of the following requirements:
  • The offer must be signed and dated by both the employer and applicant.
  • The offer must include:
    • A description of job duties;
    • The rate of pay;
    • The working hours for the position (minimum of 30 hours per week);
    • A statement that position is permanent and full time;
    • A list of additional benefits; and
    • A mention of any applicable collective bargaining agreements, if relevant.
• The employer may not make deductions from pay for recruitment, immigration fees, etc.
• The wage offered must be at market rate and comparable to the average salary for that occupation in British Columbia.
• Individuals originally hired on a Labour Market Opinion must receive an equal or greater wage than that stated on the Labour Market Opinion.

C. INTERNATIONAL GRADUATES – CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES OR COLLEGES

This category is for international students who have graduated from a Canadian university or college within two years of applying to the BC PNP. While applicants do not necessarily need prior work experience, applicants are required to obtain a job offer from a B.C. employer.

Minimum Requirements for Applicants

Applicants who meet the following requirements may be eligible under the International Graduate Category:

• Applicants must have obtained one of the following:
  • An undergraduate or graduate degree from an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution; or
  • A diploma from an eligible public post-secondary institution in Canada. Diplomas from private institutions are not eligible for this program.
  • A diploma program must be minimum eight months (two semesters) full-time study.
  • The diploma program is not eligible if more than one-quarter is co-op work or an internship.
• The application must be submitted within two years of the date of completion shown on the official transcript;
• Applicants must have the credentials and qualification requirements of the position, if applicable;
• Applicants must provide evidence that they can support themselves and their dependents in Canada, including the following:
  • Income and employment prospects;
  • Location of intended residence in British Columbia; and
  • Information on number of dependents.
• Have received an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment that typically requires a post-secondary education from an eligible B.C. employer;
  • The offer may be for an occupation classified as NOC level 0, A, or B; or
  • The offer may be for an occupation that is NOC level C or D, where the employer can sufficiently demonstrate a structured plan of career progression with that employer to an NOC 0, A, or B level occupation.
• For for NOC level B, C, or D occupations, applicants must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency in English or French by submitting language test results showing a minimum score of benchmark 4 under the Canadian Language Benchmark 2000 (CLB) in all competencies.
  • No language test results are required for NOC level 0 and A occupations – the BC PNP, however, may request valid language test results at its discretion

Minimum Requirements for Employers

In addition, the employer making the offer of employment must meet the following criteria:

• The business must be established in British Columbia, and have been operating for at least one year;
• The business must already have permanent, full-time employees;
  • If the business is located in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the business must have at least five permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalent) in B.C.;
  • If the business is located outside the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the business must have at least three permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalent) in B.C.;
• The business must show a history of good business practices;
• The employer must offer the candidate a wage that meets industry standards;
• The employer must meet domestic labour market recruitment requirements;
• The employer must sign an employer declaration stating that all of these requirements are met;
• A written offer of employment must be extended to the applicant on official company letterhead and must meet all of the following requirements:
  • The offer must be signed and dated by both the employer and applicant.
  • The offer must include:
    • A description of job duties;
    • The rate of pay;
    • The working hours for the position (minimum of 30 hours per week);
    • A statement that position is permanent and full time;
    • A list of additional benefits; and
    • A mention of any applicable collective bargaining agreements, if relevant.
• The employer may not make deductions from pay for recruitment, immigration fees, etc.
• The wage offered must be at market rate and comparable to the average salary for that occupation in British Columbia.
• Individuals originally hired on a Labour Market Opinion must receive an equal or greater wage than that stated on the Labour Market Opinion.

D. INTERNATIONAL POST-GRADUATES – B.C. UNIVERSITIES OR COLLEGES

This category is for individuals who have obtained a master’s or doctoral degree in the natural, applied or health sciences from a British Columbia institution. No job offer is needed to apply to this program.

Minimum Requirements for Applicants

In order to be eligible under this category, applicants must:

• Have obtained a master’s or doctoral degree from an eligible British Columbia institution within two years of applying to the BC PNP in one of the following fields:
  • Agriculture;
  • Biological and biomedical sciences;
  • Computer and information sciences and support services;
  • Engineering;
  • Engineering technology;
  • Health professions and related clinical sciences;
  • Mathematics and statistics;
  • Natural resources conservation and research; or
  • Physical sciences.
• Provide evidence that they intend to reside permanently in B.C., such as:
  • The length of current or previous periods of residence in B.C.;
  • The applicant’s connections to B.C. through work, study, or family; or
  • A description of any settlement activities that the applicant has undertaken.

E. ENTRY LEVEL AND SEMI-SKILLED CATEGORY

This category is for individuals currently living and working in B.C. in an eligible occupation within the tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking, or food processing industries, or in a NOC skill level C or D occupation in the Northeast Development Region of the province.

Minimum Requirements for Applicants

In order to be eligible under the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Category, applicants must:

• Have been employed in a full-time position in an eligible occupation in B.C., having been in that position for at least nine consecutive months immediately before applying. Work conducted during a program of study or with an Off-Campus Work Permit does not qualify. Eligible occupations are divided into three categories:
  • Tourism/Hospitality;
  • Long-haul Trucking (individuals employed in this industry must have had at least two years of experience as a long-haul truck driver in the last three years, in Canada or abroad, before registering with the BC PNP); and,
  • Food processing.
  • Individuals currently working in the Northeast Development Region of B.C. in any C or D level occupation (excluding live-in caregivers) may be eligible for this category. Eligibility in this region is not restricted to occupations in the tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking, of food processing industries;
• Maintain full-time employment throughout the application process. Work conducted during a program of study or with an Off-Campus Work Permit does not qualify;
• Have received an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from an eligible B.C. employer, in an eligible occupation (see below);
• Demonstrate the ability to meet minimum income requirements and pay for housing and living expenses in British Columbia by showing:
  • Annual wage in the province;
  • Location of residence in the province;
  • Number of dependents;
  • Entry level and semi-skilled applicants must show a history of meeting this requirement for the previous nine months in the position;
• Have completed secondary education;
• Have any licensing or certification required for the job; and,
• Submit language proficiency test results showing a proficiency in English of at least CLB 4 in all components (listening, speaking, reading, writing).

If the applicant is no longer eligible to work for the supporting employer when he or she receives an Invitation to Apply for the BC PNP, but still has status in Canada (for example, as a visitor) or has left Canada, he or she may submit an application as long as:

• He or she met the conditions at the time of registration for the BC PNP; and,
• the job offer remains valid throughout the application process.

In this case, the employer must demonstrate recruitment efforts for the vacant position during the period when the candidate is not authorized to work.

Minimum Requirements for Employers

In addition to the above, the employer must also fulfill certain criteria, as follows:

• • The business must be established in British Columbia, and have been operating for at least two years;
  • The business must already have permanent, full-time employees.
    • If the business is located in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the business must have at least five permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalent) in B.C.;
    • If the business is located outside the Greater Vancouver Regional District, the business must have at least three permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalent) in B.C.;
  • The business must show a history of good business practices;
  • The employer must offer the candidate a wage that meets industry standards;
  • The employer must also meet domestic labour market recruitment requirements.
  • A written offer of employment must be extended to the applicant on official company letterhead and must meet all of the following requirements:
    • The offer must be signed and dated by both the employer and applicant.
    • The offer must include:
      • A description of job duties;
      • The rate of pay;
      • The working hours for the position (minimum of 30 hours per week);
      • A statement that position is permanent and full time;
      • A list of additional benefits; and
      • A mention of any applicable collective bargaining agreements, if relevant.

• The employer may not make deductions from pay for recruitment, immigration fees, etc.
• The wage offered must be at market rate and comparable to average salary for the occupation in British Columbia.
• Individuals originally hired on a Labour Market Opinion must receive an equal or greater wage than that stated on the Labour Market Opinion.

ELIGIBLE OCCUPATIONS

NOC	Occupation
6525	Hotel Front Desk Clerks
6531	Tour and Travel Guides
6532	Outdoor Sport and Recreational Guides
6533	Casino Occupations
6511	Maîtres d’hotel and Hosts/Hostesses
6512	Bartenders
6513	Food and Beverage Servers
6711	Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Occupations
6731	Light Duty Cleaners
6732	Specialized Cleaners
6733	Janitors, Caretakers and Building Superintendents
6721	Support Occupations in Accommodation, Travel and Facilities Set-Up Services
6741	Dry Cleaning, Laundry and Related Occupations
6742	Other Service Support Occupations

Occupations in the Food Processing Industry
NOC	Occupation
9461	Process Control and Machine Operators, Food and Beverage Processing
9462	Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters, Poultry Preparers and Related Workers
9463	Fish and Seafood Plant Workers
9465	Testers and Graders, Food, Beverage and Associated Products
9617	Labourers in Food, Beverage and Associated Products Processing
9618	Labourers in Fish and Seafood Processing

Occupations in the Trucking Industry
NOC	Occupation
7511	Long-Haul Truck Driver

2. EXPRESS ENTRY BRITISH  COLUMBIA

A. SKILLED WORKER CATEGORY (INCLUDING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS CATEGORY)

The Skilled Worker category is for international skilled workers who have post-secondary education or training and employment experience in a professional, management, technical, trade or other skilled occupation. The candidate’s occupation must be classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) matrix as skill level 0, A, or B.

Candidates applying under the Skilled Worker category must have a full-time permanent qualifying job offer in a skilled occupation from a B.C. employer. Candidates with a job offer in a regulated occupation that requires mandatory certification or licensing must demonstrate that they meet provincial requirements for the particular occupation when they make their application under this category.

Category	Employment	Occupation	Experience	Education	Other requirements
Skilled Worker	Full-time job offer from an eligible B.C. employer	Occupation Skill Level 0, A or B	Minimum 2 years of directly related work experience	Applicable credentials or qualifications	Candidate must be eligible for a federal economic immigration programCandidate must meet minimum income requirements (see below)
Health Care Professionals	Full-time job offer from a Public Health Authority in B.C.	Physicians, specialists, nurses, psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives and allied health professionals	Directly related work experience	Applicable licensing or registration	Candidate must be eligible for a federal economic immigration programCandidate must meet minimum income requirements (see below) Candidate must meet all the requirements of the BC PNP Skills Immigration – Health Care Professional Category

B. INTERNATIONAL POST GRADUATE CATEGORY

B.C. employers have made it known that they are seeking workers with graduate degrees in the sciences, and the government of B.C. has reacted accordingly.

Individuals with a master’s or doctoral degree in the sciences received within the past two years from an eligible program at a post-secondary institution in B.C. may be eligible to apply under the International Post Graduate category, as long as the post graduate degree was obtained in one of the following natural, applied or health sciences:

• Agriculture
• Biological and biomedical sciences
• Computer and information sciences and support services
• Engineering
• Engineering technology
• Health professions and related clinical sciences
• Mathematics and statistics
• Natural resources conservation and research
• Physical sciences

Candidates must provide evidence of their intention to reside in B.C. This evidence may include:

• the length of any previous and/or current period of residence in B.C.;
• connections to B.C. through work, study or family; and/or
• a description of any actions taken to settle in B.C., such as finding a job or place to live.

Category	Employment	Education	Other requirements
International Post Graduate	Job offer not required	Master’s or doctoral degree from an eligible B.C. institution. Only open to natural, applied or health sciences graduates.	Candidate must be eligible for a federal economic immigration programCandidate must meet minimum income requirements (see below)

C.INTERNATIONAL GRADUATES CATEGORY

International graduates who have graduated from a Canadian university or college within the past two years may be eligible to apply under the International Graduates category. Candidates applying under the International Graduates category must have a full-time permanent qualifying job offer in a skilled occupation from a B.C. employer.

Candidates eligible under this category must have a degree, diploma or certificate from a recognized post-secondary institution in Canada. Candidates with an undergraduate or graduate degree must have obtained the degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution authorized to grant degrees. Candidates with a diploma or certificate must have obtained the diploma or certificate from a public post-secondary institution in Canada. Private institutions are not eligible. The program must have entailed at least eight months (two semesters) of full-time study. The program is not eligible if the candidate spent more than one-quarter of the program time in a co-op work term or internship.

Category	Employment	Occupation	Experience	Education	Other requirements
International Graduate	Full-time job offer from an eligible B.C. employer	Occupation Skill Level 0, A or B	Not required	Eligible degree or diploma from a Canadian college or university	Candidate must be eligible for a federal economic immigration programCandidate must meet minimum income requirements (see below)

3. ENTREPRENEUR IMMIGRATION STREAM

Entrepreneur Category

Applications are assessed on a number of factors, including:

• Business and/or work experience;
• Personal net worth and source of funds;
• Adaptability; and
• Business proposal, which includes proposed investment and job creation in B.C.

Minimum Personal Requirements

• Active and ongoing management of the day-to-day business operations;
• Demonstrated residence in B.C. within 100 kilometres of the business;
  • The applicant must demonstrate B.C. residence for at least 75 percent of the time while on a work permit
• Admissibility to Canada.
  • The applicant must not:
    • Be prohibited from entering Canada
    • Be or have been in Canada illegally
    • Have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada
    • Be under a removal order in Canada
• Personal net worth of at least $600,000 (including cash, assets in bank accounts, fixed deposits, real properties, investments, etc) under the candidate’s name or candidate’s spouse’s name. The net worth must be legally obtained and verifiable;
• A minimum of two years of post-secondary education or experience as an active business owner-manager with 100 percent ownership of the business for at least three of the past five years;
  • The 100 percent ownership may be shared between the applicant, the applicant’s spouse, and any dependent children.
• Work experience — the candidate must demonstrate that he or she has sufficient knowledge and experience to successfully establish his or her business in B.C. The candidate must have a minimum of:
  • more than three years of experience as an active business owner-manager, or
  • more than four years of experience as a senior manage, or
  • a combination of at least one year of experience as an active business owner-manager and at least two years of experience as a senior manager.

Minimum Business Requirements

The registration must include a short business concept that will be assigned points based on proposed commercial viability, transferability of the candidate’s skills, and economic benefits. If the candidate is subsequently invited to apply, he or she will be required to submit a comprehensive business plan. The BC PNP will consider registrations to establish a new business, purchase an existing business, form a partnership with an existing business, and partner with a local or foreign entrepreneur to establish a new business.

Minimum Investment Requirements

In order to register, the candidate must demonstrate that he or she will make an eligible personal investment of at least $200,000 CAD in the proposed business. If proposing a Key Staff Member, the candidate must demonstrate that he or she will make an eligible personal investment of $400,000 CAD.

 

Minimum Job Requirements

Candidates must demonstrate that they will create at least one permanent new full-time equivalent job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in the proposed business as well as the likelihood of supporting long-term employment of Canadians or permanent residents in the business. Job creation requirements differ for candidates who proposed to include a Key Staff member on their application.

NOTE: An Entrepreneur Immigration Registration is not an application to the Entrepreneur Immigration stream or a guarantee that a candidate will be invited to apply.

Strategic Projects Category

Foreign companies looking to establish a presence in British Columbia can do so through this category. In the process, the company can propose up to five key staff members to work and become permanent residents in Canada.

Minimum Requirements for Companies

To be eligible under this category of the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Stream, companies must:

• Provide evidence of good business practices and success outside of Canada;
• Demonstrate that the key staff members proposed are qualified senior personnel who are essential to the establishment and operation of the business in B.C.;

• Only propose key staff members who are eligible for immigration status in Canada. The BC PNP will not accept applications of key staff members who:

• • Are prohibited from entering Canada,
  • Have not been lawfully admitted in their country of current residence,
  • Are in Canada without authorization or are out of status,
  • Are working in Canada without authorization,
  • Have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada,
  • Are under a removal order in or outside of Canada.

Minimum Requirements upon Application Approval

If an application is approved, the company must perform the following:

• Sign a Performance Agreement with the provincial government;
• Make a minimum equity investment of $500,000 to establish or purchase and expand an eligible business;
• Create at least three new jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each proposed key staff member; and
• Establish or purchase and expand a company that is incorporated or federally incorporated and registered extra-provincially in BC.

 

SKILLS IMMIGRATION PROCESS

Stage 1: Registration

The first step is registration with our Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). Registering allows us to assess your job, location in B.C., education, language ability and wage. We will review this against B.C. labour market needs.

Registration is free. All registrants must meet minimum program and category requirements.

WHO SHOULD REGISTER?

Only applicants under the  Skilled Worker, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled, and International Graduatecategories need to register with SIRS. HealthCare Professional and International Post-Graduate applicants can apply directly through BCPNP Online. Applicants to all other Skills Immigration categories must first register through BCPNP Online.

WHAT IS SIRS?

SIRS is a points-based registration and application system that helps B.C. select the best workers to meet labour market needs. By registering, you are expressing interest to apply to the BC PNP. It is not an application for permanent residence.

HOW DO I REGISTER?

• Create an online profile with BCPNP Online
• Complete all sections of the registration
• Submit your registration

A registration does not guarantee that you will be invited to apply.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

You get a registration score based on various factors. You also go into a selection pool for your chosen category. You stay in the selection pool for up to 12 months, or until you receive an invitation to apply.

WHAT FACTORS AFFECT MY SIRS SCORE?

Key economic factors include:

• The National Occupation Classification skill level of your B.C. job offer. This lets us prioritize high-demand occupations.
• The annual wage you are offered. The right wage helps you settle successfully in B.C.
• The location of your employment.

Factors that influence your ability to settle in B.C. including your:

• directly related work experience
• level of education
• English language proficiency

The BC PNP reserves the right to make changes to SIRS without prior notice, including changes to the scoring grids, the length of time your registration can remain in the selection pool, and the number and frequency of registrants invited to apply. For help registering and applying online, please refer to the BC PNP Skills Immigration and Express Entry BC Technical Guide (PDF, 1MB).

STAGE 2: INVITATION

Eligible registrants under the Skilled Worker, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled, and International Graduate categories will receive an invitation to apply under the Skills Immigration stream.

Invitations are issued based on the BC PNP’s annual nomination allocation and processing capacity. However, a registration does not guarantee that you will be invited to apply.

HOW WILL I BE RANKED?

We rank your registration score alongside other registrants in the same category. Your score is based on your job, its location in B.C. and your offered wage, as well as your work experience, education and language ability. Periodically, we conduct a draw to invite the highest-scoring registrants to apply.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU INVITE?

The number and frequency of invitations is based on annual nomination allocations set by IRCC. The number of invitations also depends on our ability to ensure timely processing of applications.

View current information about invitations to apply, including draw dates, number of invitations issued and minimum scores.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

If you are invited to apply, you have up to 30 calendar days from the date of invitation to submit a complete application via BCPNP Online. An invitation to apply does not guarantee you will be approved for nomination.

What if I am not invited to apply?

We only invite the highest-scoring registrants from the selection pool. If you do not receive an invitation, you can take steps to improve your score. For example, you can improve your language skills or education level.

STAGE 3: APPLICATION

Submit your Skills Immigration application through BCPNP Online.

After receiving an invitation to apply, Skilled Worker, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled, and International Graduate candidates can apply online. HealthCare Professional and International Post-Graduate applicants do not need an invitation, and can apply directly through BCPNP Online.

HOW DO I SUBMIT AN APPLICATION?

You have 30 calendar days to apply through BCPNP Online. Your application requires a $700 processing fee. For more information about how to apply online, please refer to the BC PNP Skills Immigration and Express Entry BC Technical Guide (PDF, 1MB).

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

We will assess your application according to the Provincial Immigration Programs Act and Provincial Immigration Programs Regulation and the criteria specific to your Skills Immigration category. If approved, you will receive a nomination that you can use to apply for permanent residence. We may decline your application if your application details differ from your registration information.

STAGE 4: NOMINATION

Receive a provincial nomination and apply to IRCC for permanent residence.

How does it work?

If your application is approved, we will send you or your authorized representative:

• a confirmation of nomination
• a nomination package advising you of the next steps to submit your federal application for permanent residence as a provincial nominee to IRCC

What happens next?

After receiving your BC PNP confirmation of nomination, please submit a complete application for permanent residence to the designated IRCC visa office. You must submit your application before the expiry date listed on your nomination certificate.

WORKING IN B.C. DURING PROCESSING

A nomination by the BC PNP does NOT authorize you to work while IRCC is processing your application. If you want to work in B.C. during this period, you must ensure you have authorization to work while in Canada.

BC PNP