TThe BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an economic immigration program designed to help B.C. meet its dynamic labour market and economic development priorities. The program allows B.C. to select foreign workers and international graduates who have the skills and experience to contribute to B.C.’s economy. The BC PNP also selects entrepreneurs who are ready to invest in the economy and create jobs for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
The BC PNP is operated by the Province of B.C. in partnership with the federal government through Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The BC PNP assesses applications and nominates candidates for permanent residence. CIC makes the final decision on each application and issues permanent resident visas to successful applicants (provincial nominees).
Categories under BC PNP:
Categories under Skills Immigration
For experienced entrepreneurs who intend to invest in and actively manage an eligible business in the province.
Skilled Worker Category
This sub-category is for individuals who have received an eligible job offer in a skilled occupation. Workers are expected to have two years of experience in their skilled occupation.
Health Care Professional Category
Under this sub-category individual 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 qualifying health occupations.
o physician
o Specialist
o Registered nurse
o Registered psychiatric nurse
o Nurse practitioner
o An allied health professional such as a:
– Diagnostic medical sonographer
– Clinical Pharmacist
– Medical laboratory technologist
International Graduates, B.C. Degree Category
This sub-category is for graduates with Masters or Doctoral degrees from an eligible educational institution in British Columbia. No job offer is required to apply under this sub category if you have graduated from following education field
o Agriculture
o Biological and biomedical sciences
o Computer and information sciences and support services
o Engineering
o Engineering technology
o Health professions and related clinical sciences
o Mathematics and statistics
o Natural resources conservation and research
o Physical sciences
International Graduates, Canadian Degree Category
This sub-category is for individuals who have graduated from an eligible Canadian university or college outside of British Columbia in the last two years. A job offer must be obtained to be eligible under this sub-category.
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 may be eligible for immigration through this program.
Northeast Pilot Project Category
Individuals living and working in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia, including in occupations considered semi and unskilled, may be eligible for this program without the need for a job offer.
Canadian Experience Class:
This program allows those with work experience in Canada to become permanent residents
Family sponsorship:
This option is a way for citizens and permanent residents over the age of 18 to sponsor their relatives to come to Canada.
Live-in Caregiver Program:
Through this program, qualified individuals can come to Canada to care for children, elderly persons or persons with disabilities in private homes.
Federal Skilled worker program:
This program offers permanent residency to skilled professionals who can contribute to Canada’s economy.
Federal Skilled Trades Program:
This program offers permanent residency for qualified skilled trades workers who can contribute to Canada’s economy.
The Self-Employed Program:
This program is for people who will become self-employed in Canada.
Start-up Visa Program:
Entrepreneurs with the skills and ideas to build an innovative business in Canada may be eligible for this program.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program:
This program allows foreign workers to come to Canada to fill short-term labor and skill shortages.
Express Entry British Columbia
This stream is for the applicants for Canadian Permanent Residence. It also allows eligible applicants to receive priority processing of both their BC PNP application and if nominated, their permanent residence application.
The Skilled Worker category (including Health Care Professionals), International Graduates category, and International Post-Graduates category may be processed through Express Entry British Columbia
To Be Eligible for Express Entry Province Nomination
Have obtained Express Entry profile number and a Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates you meet the criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs
Have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer from a B.C employer in a skilled occupation as outlined in the National Occupational Classification Matrix (NOC skill level 0, A or B)
