British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program – All You Need To Know

Last Updated On 17 January 2023, 7:47 AM EST (Toronto Time)

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an economic immigration program overseen by the Government of British Columbia’s Immigration Programs Branch. 

Under the British Columbia provincial nominee program, the province can nominate foreign workers, international students and entrepreneurs for permanent residency (PR).

It aims to promote government initiatives to fill labour shortages and expand the province’s economy. If the province nominates you, then you and your family can apply to become the permanent residence of Canada.

Table of Contents

• Priorities & Initiatives
• B.C PNP-Skills Immigration
• Requirements
• Priority Occupations
• NOC codes within priority occupations
• Conclusion

Priorities & Initiatives

Under the Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement (CBCIA)., the Province and Canada jointly operate the immigration program known as the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). 

With the help of the British Columbia PNP (BC PNP), the province nominates candidates who support the province’s distinct labour market demands and promote economic growth. 

The province’s strategic priorities and initiatives are in place to ensure that BC PNP operations remain aligned with the StrongerBC Economic Plan. 

Moreover, British Columbia urgently needs more early childhood educators (ECEs) and healthcare professionals.

Therefore, BC PNP gives these professions higher priority because they are important for the province’s economy. 

In addition, priority access to the application process is granted to healthcare professionals in specific occupations and ECEs, giving them a better opportunity to be evaluated as per the program’s qualifying requirements.

Registered candidates on the predetermined list of in-demand health occupations and ECEs with qualified permanent job offers in B.C. will get priority access to the BC PNP.

However, the Health Authority is open to all professions. 

Priority access is achieved by direct-to-apply categories, such as workers employed by a health authority or targeted draws for eligible workers who already have an offer of employment as an ECE or in one of the high-demand professions in healthcare. 

BC PNP Skills Immigration

You can take three routes if you want to immigrate to British Columbia via B.C. PNP:

• British Columbia Express Entry Stream
• Skills Immigration Stream
• Entrepreneur Immigration

The British Columbia Express Entry Stream is only for skilled workers, healthcare professionals, international graduates and post-graduates. 

However, the Skills Immigration Stream includes entry-level and semi-skilled employees, healthcare professionals, international graduates, and post-graduates.

All applicants must have a job offer or be employed, excluding international post-graduates. 

Entrepreneur immigration categories allow British Columbia to attract and select investment-ready entrepreneurs with relevant experience, then nominate them for permanent residency so they can live in the province and run their businesses. 

As a result, international business owners contribute to the British Columbian economy’s expansion and foster diversity in urban and rural areas of the province with their families’ help.

BC PNP: New Changes To Eligibility For Skills Immigration

Requirements

Below are the requirements of the subcategories within the Skill Immigration stream. 

BC PNP for Skilled Workers  

Candidates with an eligible job offer in a skilled occupation fall under this category. A requirement for this category is to have several years of experience in the skilled occupation.  

BC PNP for Healthcare Professional  

People with experience and an eligible job offer as doctors, nurses, psychiatric nurses, or other allied health professionals may apply under this category. However, the job offer must qualify for one of the 11 health occupations. 

BC PNP for International Graduates

Those who graduated from an eligible Canadian university or institution in the last three years fall under this category. In addition, candidates should have a valid job offer from a B.C. employer to be eligible.

BC PNP for International Post-Graduate 

Graduates holding Master’s or Doctoral degrees in the natural, applied, or health sciences from an eligible British Columbia education institution qualify under this category. Moreover, no job offer is needed to apply under this category. 

BC PNP for Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Workers 

This category is for workers in specific entry-level or semi-skilled positions. For example, these positions can include trucking, food processing, hospitality or tourism. Or, entry-level or semi-skilled positions in British Columbia’s Northeast Development Region may qualify for immigration under this program. 

BC PNP for Entrepreneur Immigration (EI)

Within the Entrepreneur Immigration category, applicants can either propose to start a new business or purchase an existing business. Periodic invitations may target start-ups or purchase existing businesses, especially in smaller cities, to maintain a balance. 

Priority may also be given to applications from particular business sectors under the E.I. Base category. However, B.C.’s official website will share details regarding the targeted invitation before the draws. 

Minimum requirements

• All applicants should have a full-time job offer from a B.C employer, except International Post-Graduates
• The job offer should provide wages in line with provincial rates. 
• Applicants should be able to show sufficient funds to support themselves, and their dependent family members 
• Applicants must satisfy the minimum language requirements for Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker or the NOC B skill levels 
• Candidates must meet additional eligibility requirements within the subcategories 
• The employer providing a job offer must also meet the eligibility requirements 

New Changes To BC PNP And A Look Back At 2022 Draws

Priority Occupations

B.C holds periodic targeted draws to invite occupations necessary for its economic growth. Below are the priority occupations for which priority draws are conducted. 

• BC PNP Tech occupations
• Care Economy: Healthcare occupations
• Care Economy: Childcare occupations
• Other priority occupations

B.C PNP Tech Occupations 

In cases when local skilled workers aren’t accessible, BC PNP Tech gives B.C. tech firms the flexibility to continue hiring and retaining international talent for tech jobs.

In addition, this program paves the route for permanent residence for foreign workers and international students, enabling them to contribute to expanding the economy in British Columbia.

Another benefit of this category is that it does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Moreover, applicants also receive a work permit support letter to continue their employment while their federal permanent residence application is in progress. 

Similarly, healthcare and childcare occupations are also prioritized in processing as the province is in essential need of these works. 

Below is the breakdown of all the eligible NOC codes that fall under the priority occupations. 

BC PNP Tech Occupations

• 0131 Telecommunication carriers managers
• 0213 Computer and information systems managers
• 0512 Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
• 2131 Civil engineers
• 2132 Mechanical engineers
• 2133 Electrical and electronics engineers
• 2134 Chemical engineers
• 2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
• 2171 Information systems analysts and consultants
• 2172 Database analysts and data administrators
• 2173 Software engineers and designers
• 2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
• 2175 Web designers and developers
• 2221 Biological technologists and technicians
• 2241 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
• 2242 Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
• 2243 Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
• 2281 Computer network technicians
• 2282 User support technicians
• 2283 Information systems testing technicians
• 5121 Authors and writers
• 5122 Editors
• 5125 Translators, terminologists and interpreters
• 5224 Broadcast technicians
• 5225 Audio and video recording technicians
• 5226 Other technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts
• 5227 Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and the performing arts
• 5241 Graphic designers and illustrators
• 6221 Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade

Care economy: Healthcare occupations

• 0311   Managers in healthcare
• 3011   Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
• 3012   Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
• 3111   Specialist physicians
• 3112   General practitioners and family physicians
• 3113   Dentists
• 3122   Chiropractors
• 3124   Allied primary health practitioners
• 3125   Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
• 3131   Pharmacists
• 3132   Dietitians and nutritionists
• 3141   Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
• 3142   Physiotherapists
• 3143   Occupational therapists
• 3144   Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
• 3211   Medical laboratory technologists
• 3212   Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
• 3214   Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
• 3215   Medical radiation technologists
• 3216   Medical sonographers
• 3217   Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.
• 3219   Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
• 3221   Denturists
• 3222   Dental hygienists and dental therapists
• 3223   Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants
• 3232   Practitioners of natural healing
• 3233   Licensed practical nurses
• 3234   Paramedical occupations
• 3237   Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
• 3411   Dental assistants
• 3413   Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates*
• 4151   Psychologists
• 4152   Social workers
• 4153   Family, marriage and other related counsellors
• 4212   Social and community service workers

*For the purposes of the BC PNP, only health care assistants / health care aides are eligible under NOC 3413.

Care economy: Childcare occupations

4214   Early childhood educators and assistants

Other priority occupations

• 3114   Veterinarians
• 3213   Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians

Conclusion

The BC PNP offers numerous opportunities to all skill-level professionals. However, it comes with a job offer requirement for all its programs except for international post-graduates. Moreover, the province organizes targeted draws for priority occupations to fill the labour gaps and also offers incentives to these occupations, such as priority processing.

Source: BC PNP

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