The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an immigration program administered by the province of British Columbia, Canada. It allows the province to nominate individuals for permanent residence in Canada, based on their skills and ability to contribute to the province’s economy.
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Immigration Streams:
The BC PNP offers three primary pathways for skilled individuals and entrepreneurs to immigrate to British Columbia:
● Skills Immigration Stream: This stream targets skilled workers, healthcare professionals, international graduates, and entry-level/semi-skilled workers. Most categories require a job offer or current employment in British Columbia (except for International Post-Graduates).
○ Categories:
■ Skilled Worker: Open to individuals with eligible job offers in skilled occupations and relevant experience.
■ Healthcare Professional: Available to qualified healthcare professionals with job offers in specific fields.
■ International Graduate: For recent graduates of eligible Canadian universities with job offers in British Columbia.
■ International Post-Graduate: Open to graduates with Master’s or Doctoral degrees in specific fields from eligible British Columbian institutions. No job offer required.
■ Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Worker: Applicable to individuals with job offers in specific entry-level or semi-skilled positions in designated sectors or regions.
● Express Entry British Columbia Stream: This stream facilitates immigration for skilled workers, healthcare professionals, and international graduates who already possess an active Express Entry profile.
● Entrepreneur Immigration: Designed for experienced business owners and investors seeking to establish or expand businesses in British Columbia.
General Requirements:
● Most categories require a full-time job offer in a designated skill level position (TEER 4 or 5), except for International Post-Graduates.
● Wages offered must meet provincial wage rates (except for International Post-Graduates).
● Applicants must demonstrate financial self-sufficiency for themselves and dependents (except for International Post-Graduates).
● Minimum language proficiency is required for most categories (CLB 4 in all competencies for Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Worker).
● Additional requirements may apply based on the chosen category.
● Employers must also meet specific eligibility criteria (except for International Post-Graduate Category).
Application Process:
● Submit an application online through the BC PNP website.
● Pay the application fee ($1,150 CAD).
● Provide all required documentation.
● Attend an interview (may be required).
● Receive a nomination decision from the BC PNP.
Processing Time:
Applications typically take 2-3 months for processing.
Additional Information:
● A $500 CAD fee applies for requests to review application decisions.
● Eligibility criteria and requirements may vary for each category.
● Visit the BC PNP website for detailed information and updates.
The BC PNP application process involves these key steps:
- Registration (Skills Immigration Stream only):
○ Complete the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) if applying under the Skills Immigration Stream. This allows British Columbia to assess your eligibility based on factors including your occupation, education, location, language skills, and offered wage compared to provincial labor market needs.
○ Candidates for the International Post-Graduate and Healthcare Professional categories skip this
step and apply directly through BCPNP Online.
- Selection Pool Entry:
○ Regardless of your chosen stream, your profile enters a selection pool based on your registration score (if applicable) and other factors.
- Provincial Nomination Draw:
○ Periodically, British Columbia conducts provincial draws from the selection pool.
○ Individuals meeting specific criteria and exceeding a designated score threshold receive invitations to apply for a provincial nomination.
- Application for Provincial Nomination:
○ Invited candidates have 30 days to submit a full application through BCPNP Online.
- Permanent Residence Application:
○ Receiving a provincial nomination allows you to proceed with a permanent residence application to the Canadian federal government.
Express Entry British Columbia
The Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC)
stream facilitates faster processing for certain BC PNP applicants who also participate in the federal Express Entry system. This stream enables eligible individuals to prioritize both their BC PNP application and, if nominated, their permanent residence application.
Eligible Categories:
● Skilled Worker Category
● Healthcare Professional Category
● International Graduate Category
● International Post-Graduate Category
Minimum Requirements:
● Active Express Entry profile with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
● Valid Job Seeker Validation Code from the Express Entry system
● Full-time job offer (except for International Post-Graduate)
● Wage offer aligned with BC wage rates (except for International Post-Graduate)
● Ability to financially support yourself and dependents (except for International Post-Graduate)
● Minimum language proficiency (except for International Post-Graduate)
● Category-specific requirements
● Eligible employer (except for International Post-Graduate)
Application Process:
- Ensure you have a valid Express Entry
profile. - Register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) if applying under the Skilled Worker, Healthcare Professional, or International Graduate
categories. This allows British Columbia to assess your eligibility based on specific criteria. Candidates for the International Post-Graduate category proceed directly to step 3. Receive a registration score and enter the selection pool. - Meet eligibility criteria and exceed a designated score threshold to receive an invitation to apply for a provincial nomination.
- Submit a full application through BCPNP Online within 30 days.
- If nominated, receive a provincial
nomination through the Express Entry system. Accepting the nomination is
mandatory to proceed.
Additional Notes:
● Processing times and specific requirements may vary for each category.
● Please consult the BC PNP website for detailed information and current guidelines.
SIRS Scoring: Points Breakdown
The Skills Immigration Registration System
(SIRS) assigns points to candidates based on factors relevant to their potential success in the British Columbia labor market. To be eligible for an invitation to apply, candidates must achieve a minimum score.
Here’s a breakdown of the scoring system
| Scoring Section | Maximum Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Factors (80 Points) | - | - |
| Hourly Wage of B.C. Job Offer | 55 | Points awarded based on the wage offered in the B.C. job offer, compared to provincial wage rates. |
| Regional District of Employment | 25 | Points awarded based on the location of the B.C. job offer, with higher points for regions with greater labor market needs. |
| Human Capital Factors (120 Points) | - | - |
| Directly Related Work Experience | 40 | Points awarded based on the number of years of direct work experience in the candidate's skilled occupation. |
| Highest Level of Education | 40 | Points awarded based on the highest level of education attained by the candidate. |
| Language | 40 | Points awarded based on the candidate's proficiency in English and French, as determined by recognized language tests. |
Total Points Available: 200
Entrepreneur Immigration:
British Columbia offers three options for experienced entrepreneurs wishing to immigrate and establish businesses in the province:
Entrepreneur Immigration – Base Category:
- Available: Temporarily suspended. Expected to reopen in early 2024.
- Target: Senior managers or business owners.
- Focus: Invest funds into a proposed business in British Columbia.
Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Pilot:
- Target: International entrepreneurs.
- Focus: Establish a new business in a small community in British Columbia.
Strategic Projects Category:
- Target: Foreign-controlled companies.
- Focus: Set up an operation in British Columbia.
- Nominations: Up to five key foreign staff for permanent residence.
Fees:
- Registration: $300 (all categories)
- Application: $3,500 (entrepreneur categories)
- Key Staff: $1,000 (Strategic Projects, per staff)
- Request for Review: $500 (optional, all categories)
Processing Times:
- Registration Score: 6 weeks
- Application Decision: 4 months
Application Process:
- Registration and Business Concept: Submit registration and brief business concept online.
- Scoring and Pool Entry: Receive a score based on provided information and enter a qualified pool.
- Invitation to Apply: High-scoring individuals receive invitations to submit full applications.
- Application Submission: Complete and submit the application within 4 months.
- Net Worth Review: Authorized accounting firm assesses personal net worth.
- Work Permit and Business Establishment: Upon success, receive a 2-year work permit and establish the business within 20 months.
- Provincial Nomination and Permanent Residence: Implement the business plan and achieve milestones to receive a provincial nomination and apply for permanent residence.
Strategic Projects Category:
- Company and Key Staff Eligibility: Ensure company and key staff meet eligibility criteria.
- Exploratory Visit and Proposal: Make an exploratory visit and discuss your business proposal with BC PNP.
- Registration of Interest: Register company’s interest with details, investment plan, and key staff qualifications.
- Invitation to Apply and Application Submission: Submit a full application within 90 days if invited.
- Performance Agreement and Work Permits: Sign a Performance Agreement with the province and apply for work permits upon approval.
- Final Report and Provincial Nomination: Submit a final report after fulfilling obligations and receive a provincial nomination.
- Permanent Residence Application: Submit your permanent residence application to IRCC within 180 days.
Minimum Requirements for BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Streams
| Category | Personal Net Worth | Business Experience | Language | Investment | Job Creation | Additional Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneur Immigration | CAD $600,000 | Demonstrated | CLB 4+ | CAD $200,000 | 1 full-time | New or acquired business |
| Regional Pilot | CAD $300,000 | 3 years (owner/manager) or 4 years (senior manager) | CLB 4+ | N/A | N/A | Education & business requirements |
| Strategic Projects | Well-established company, good financials | Investment capacity for B.C. expansion | N/A | N/A | N/A | Significant economic benefit to the province |
Visit the official website: https://www.welcomebc.ca/
Not for all streams. Some, like the Technology stream, do not require a job offer for priority technology occupations. However, having a job offer generally strengthens your application.
This varies depending on the specific stream, but generally includes having relevant work experience, education, and meeting minimum scores on English language tests.
You must first apply for nomination to the provincial government through the BC PNP website. If nominated, you then apply for permanent residence to the federal government.
- Skills Immigration: for skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations.
- Entrepreneur Immigration: for experienced entrepreneurs who will create and manage a business in BC.
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is the primary program for skilled workers and entrepreneurs seeking permanent residency in British Columbia.