British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
Canada’s west coast province offers a number of pathways towards permanent residency through British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). Workers, international graduates and entrepreneurs may be eligible to apply for provincial nomination under one of its immigration streams.
How does BC PNP work?
BC PNP functions in a similar way as all the other Canadian Provincial Nominee Programs.
In the first step, you will need to meet the minimum qualifications for one of its BC PNP streams. Each stream has different requirements. In addition, some are aligned with Express Entry, others are not.
With a stream in mind, you can proceed to completing a free online registration for BC PNP (most streams). The registration is, in fact, your expression of interest to apply for a provincial nomination to BC PNP.
Based on the information provided during the registration, your BC PNP score (SIRS – Skills Immigration Registration System) will be calculated. Candidates with the highest score and then selected during regular draws and receive an Invitation to Apply.
With the Invitation to Apply, candidates complete their BC PNP application online, upload all supporting documents and pay a processing fee.
Upon a positive review, the applicant receives BC PNP Nomination Certificate to apply for permanent residence. Successful candidates will also receive a Work Permit Support Letter either automatically or on request.
BC PNP Immigration Categories
BC PNP accepts applications under three main categories.
- Skills Immigration Category is for candidates in skilled, semi-skilled and in-demand occupations in British Columbia. The category is open to candidates from abroad and within Canada as well as to international graduates of Canadian post-secondary schools.
- Express Entry BC Category provides a faster avenue to permanent residency in British Columbia for skilled workers. Candidates must also qualify for one of the federal programs under Express Entry to benefit from this category.
- Entrepreneur Immigration Category is for business people with high net worth and investment funds who intend to purchase/invest in and actively manage a business in British Columbia.
Skills Immigration
The Skills Immigration Category consists of five streams. Each targets different candidates.
- Skilled Worker Stream is for candidates with at least 2 years of work experience in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A or B) and have a permanent job offer from an employer in British Columbia in the same occupation. Read more.
- Health Professional Stream is for candidates in one of the listed health professions (e.g. physician, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), with at least 2 years of experience in their profession and who have a permanent job offer from a public health authority in British Columbia. Read more.
- International Graduate Stream is for candidates who graduated from a Canadian post-secondary school, have accepted a permanent job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A or B) from an employer in British Columbia. Read more.
- International Post-Graduate Stream is for candidates who have completed a graduate program in natural or health sciences in British Columbia in the past three years. Unlike in other streams in this category, a job offer is not required. Read more.
- Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Stream is for candidates who have accepted a permanent offer from an employer in British Columbia in a specific occupation in tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking, or the food processing industry (For Northeast Development Region all NOC C and D apply); and who have been working for the same employer for at least nine months. Read more.
Express Entry BC
Express Entry BC Category is a BC PNP category that is fully aligned with the federal Express Entry system. Candidates must qualify both under one of the federal Express Entry programs and the Express Enter BC PNP stream. There are four Express Entry-aligned streams in British Columbia.
- EEBC – Skilled Worker Stream is open to skilled workers with at least 2 years of experience in (NOC 0, A or B), have a permanent job offer from an employer in British Columbia in the same occupation and qualify under one of the Express Entry programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program. Read more.
- EEBC – Health Professional Stream is for candidates in one of the listed health professions (e.g. physician, nurse, pharmacist, etc.), with at least 2 years of experience in their profession and who have a permanent job offer from a public health authority in British Columbia. Candidates must also qualify under one of the Express Entry programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program. Read more.
- EEBC – International Graduate Stream is for candidates who graduated from a Canadian post-secondary school, have accepted a permanent job offer in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A or B) from an employer in British Columbia. Candidates must also qualify under one of the Express Entry programs:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program. Read more.
- EEBC – International Post-Graduate Stream is open to candidates who have completed a graduate program in natural or health sciences in British Columbia the past three years. Unlike in other streams in this category, a job offer is not required. Candidates must also qualify under one of the Express Entry programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class or Federal Skilled Trades Program. Read more.
Entrepreneur Immigration
The Entrepreneur Immigration Category does not consist of additional streams. Candidates interested in immigrating as entrepreneurs in British Columbia, must meet the following requirements.
Personal Requirements:
In order to qualify, you need to:
- have a personal net worth of at least CAD$600,000
- demonstrate business and/or management experience
- have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
Business, job and investment requirements
In order to qualify, you will need to:
- establish an eligible new business or purchase and improve an existing business
- make an eligible personal investment of at least CAD$200,000 in the business
- create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in the business