British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

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British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program ( BC PNP)

British Columbia is home to Canada’s third-largest city, Vancouver, and is also one of the most varied in the country. British Columbia has a thriving economy that is based on natural resources industries such as forestry and mining. This province is the proud owner of a stunning and plentiful natural environment, with glittering coastlines and lush forests.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

Immigration Streams in British Columbia

If you want to move to British Columbia, you can do so in one of three ways:

Skilled employees, healthcare experts, international graduates and post-graduates, as well as entry-level and semi-skilled workers, are eligible for the Skills Immigration Stream. Except for international post-graduates, all candidates must have a job offer or an existing position.

Only skilled employees, healthcare experts, international graduates, and post-graduates are eligible for the Express Entry British Columbia stream.

Skills Immigration

Skills Immigration in the BC PNP is broken down into several categories:

Skilled Worker Category

Individuals who have obtained a valid job offer in a skilled profession fall into this category. Workers in skilled jobs are expected to have a few years of experience.

Healthcare Professional Category

Students who have just graduated from a valid Canadian university belong to this category. To be qualified for this sub-category, you must have a job offer from a BC business.

International Graduate Category

Students who have just graduated from a valid Canadian university belong to this category. To be qualified for this sub-category, you must have a job offer from a BC business.

International Post-Graduate Category

Graduates holding Masters or Doctoral degrees in natural, applied, or health sciences from an accredited educational institution in British Columbia fall into this group. Under this category, applicants are not required to have a job offer to be able to apply.

Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category

Employees who have entry-level jobs in tourism, long haul trucking or food production industries might be eligible to apply to immigrate to Canada under this program. Similarly, workers who have entry-level or semi-skilled positions and are employed in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia are also eligible.

Cost For Application: For processing, there is a fee of $1,150. An extra CAD $500 would be charged for a request for review.

Processing time: 2 to 3 months

Minimum Requirements:

  • Unless you fall under the International Post-Graduate Category, you must have accepted a full-time work offer.
  • Unless you belong to the International Post-Graduate Category, a wage offer must be in line with province wage standards.
  • Unless you are applying under the International Post-Graduate Category, you must demonstrate that you are financially stable and can support yourself and your family.
  • Minimum language qualifications must be met (for NOC skill level B, or the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category).
  • The applicant must be able to fulfil any other requirements that are mandated in their category.
  • The employer must also meet eligibility standards relevant to your category. This does not apply to the International Post-Graduate Category.

What is the process like?

The very first step is to register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that British Columbia can evaluate your employment, educational qualifications, residence, language skills, and salary to provincial labor market needs. You can register with BC PNP Online by completing all of the parts of the registration form.

Note that applicants for the International Post-Graduate and Healthcare Professional Categories are not required to register with the SIRS and are allowed to apply directly through BC PNP Online.

After that, you will receive a registration score based on various characteristics, and you will be placed in a pool of candidates for the chosen category. Those who match particular criteria and have a score over a certain level are asked to participate in a provincial draw to apply for a provincial nomination.

Candidates are given a period of 30 days to apply through BC PNP Online after that.

After being granted a provincial nomination, you can fill out an application to the Canadian federal government for permanent residence.

Category

Does the applicant need a job?

Are applications being received now?

More Requirements

Skilled Worker

Yes (Skill Type 0, Skill Level A or B)

Yes

Must have at least two years of specialized work experience.

Healthcare expert

Yes

Yes

A minimum of two years’ experience as a physician, nurse, psychiatric nurse, or other allied health professional is required.

International Graduate

Yes

Yes

In the recent three years, you must have graduated from an eligible institution or college.

International post-graduate

No

Yes

Must have earned a Master’s or PhD in natural, applied, or health sciences from a British Columbia university.

Entry-level and semi-skilled employee

Yes, candidates must be currently employed.

Yes

Must work in the tourist, food processing, or long-haul transportation industries, or live and work in British Columbia’s Northeast Development Region.

Express Entry British Columbia

Express Entry BC works with the Federal Government’s Express Entry System. They allow qualified applicants to have their BC PNP application and, if nominated, their permanent residence application processed first.

Express Entry British Columbia can process the following skill immigration categories:

Cost of the application: CAD $1,150

Processing Time: 2 to 3 months

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must have a legitimate Express Entry profile with the federal government;
  • A Job Seeker Validation Code from the Express Entry system is necessary.
  • A full-time employment offer must have been accepted, unless the candidate belongs to the International Post-Graduate Category
  • Unless you are functioning under the International Post-Graduate Category, a wage offer must be in line with B.C. wage rates.
  • Unless you are applying under the International Post-Graduate Category, you must be able to support yourself and your family.
  • Excluding the International Post-Graduate Category, you must meet basic language standards.
  • You must meet other additional category-specific standards; the employer must also be eligible. (except for the International Post-Graduate Category).

What is the process like?

You must have a valid Express Entry profile with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada before getting started with the process (IRCC).

The very first step is to register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that British Columbia can evaluate your employment, educational qualifications, residence, language skills, and salary to provincial labor market needs. You can register with BC PNP Online by completing all of the parts of the registration form.

Note that applicants for the International Post-Graduate and Healthcare Professional Categories are not required to register with the SIRS and are allowed to apply directly through BC PNP Online.

After that, you will receive a registration score based on various characteristics, and you will be placed in a pool of candidates for the chosen category. Those who match particular criteria and have a score over a certain level are asked to participate in a provincial draw to apply for a provincial nomination.

Candidates are given a period of 30 days to apply through BC PNP Online after that.

After being granted a provincial nomination, you can fill out an application to the Canadian federal government for permanent residence.

Category

Does the applicant need a job?

Are applications being received now?

More requirements

Skilled Worker

Yes

Yes

Should have at least two years of specialized work experience.

Healthcare Expert

Yes

Yes

A minimum of two years’ experience as a physician, nurse, psychiatric nurse, or other allied health professional is required.

International Graduate

Yes

Yes

In the recent three years, you must have graduated from an eligible institution or college.

International post-graduate

No

Yes

Must have earned a Master’s or PhD in natural, applied, or health sciences from a British Columbia university.

Skill Immigration Registration System

Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS)

Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) is a system that is based on assigning points. The applicants are given a grade for registration, and it decides whether they are allowed to apply. The score depends on various factors such as educational qualifications, work experience, and availability of a work offer in BC. These factors show the applicant’s ability to thrive in the job market and contribute to the province’s economy.
Click here for more information about the SIRS.

Express Entry

The Canadian federal government utilizes Express Entry as an application management system for the country’s three primary economic class immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

In addition, the Express Entry method is used by multiple PNP streams. These are termed “Enhanced” streams . “Base” streams are those that do not use the Express Entry mechanism.

Candidates are evaluated under the Express Entry system based on a variety of variables, including their age, education, work experience, and language proficiency. According to the Comprehensive Ranking System, they are assigned a score based on these criteria (CRS). When the lottery drawing for Express Entry takes place, the candidates who have the highest CRS values are allowed to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

The Express Entry B.C. stream, for example, is aligned with Enhanced PNP streams. B.C. searches the Express Entry pool for qualified candidates depending on the details in their profiles.

Candidates that receive a provincial nomination from British Columbia will gain an additional 600 CRS points. This virtually ensures that you will get the opportunity apply for permanent residence in the next Express Entry round.

Entrepreneur Immigration

You have three possibilities if you want to immigrate to British Columbia as a business owner:

Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Category

This category is for top executives or business owners who want to put money into a new venture in British Columbia.

NOTE: New Entrepreneur Immigration – Base Category registrations have been temporarily halted. According to the province, this stream is projected to resume in early 2022.

Click here to learn more about the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration — Base Category’s eligibility requirements.

Entrepreneur Immigration - Regional Pilot

This new pilot program is designed for overseas entrepreneurs who want to start a new firm in a small town in British Columbia.
Learn more about the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration — Regional Pilot’s eligibility requirements.

Strategic Projects Category

Foreign-controlled enterprises can set up shop in British Columbia under this category. The province can designate up to five significant foreign management, professional, or technical staff personnel for permanent residence.
Find out more details about the BC PNP Strategic Projects Category’s eligibility requirements.

Entrepreneur Immigration Fees:
  • Registration: $300
  • Application : $3,500
  • Request for Review: $500
Strategic Projects Fees:
  • Registration : $300
  • Application : $3,500
  • Key Staff : $1,000 (each key staff )
Processing Times:

The time it takes to receive a registration score is six weeks (from the date of registration submission).
It takes up to four months to receive a decision on your application (from the date of application submission).

What is the process like?

If you want to apply for the Entrepreneur Immigration Categories, you must first register and submit a brief business plan through BC PNP Online.

You will be given a score based on the information you supply. Candidates that meet the qualifications are listed in the qualified category. Candidates with the highest scores are allowed to apply.
You will have four months from the date you are prompted to apply to send a complete application through BC PNP Online. After that, your personal net worth must be evaluated by a BC PNP-authorized accounting company.

If the application succeeds, you will be granted a two-year work permit and will be able to open a business in British Columbia. You will be given 20 months to put your company idea into action. You will then be able to apply for permanent residency in B.C. after receiving a provincial nomination.

If you want to apply for the Strategic Projects Category, you must first make sure that your firm and key personnel meet the eligibility requirements.

First, you need to travel to British Columbia on an exploring trip to learn more about the local business climate. After that, you must contact the BC PNP to discuss your business plan.
The next stage is for the company to express its desire to apply. At this point, you must supply information about your organization, your projected investment in British Columbia, and the qualifications of the prospective key personnel.

The relevant authorities will review your registration in B.C., and if successful, you will be encouraged to apply. You have 90 days to submit your application. If your application is granted, the province will require you and each key employee to sign a corporate Performance Agreement.
After that, you will each receive a work permit support letter, and you will be allowed to apply for one through IRCC.

When you arrive in Canada and complete your Performance Agreement responsibilities, you must submit a final report to BC PNP. Following that, you will obtain a provincial nomination, and you will be given 180 days to submit your permanent residence application to IRCC.

Category

Requirements

Entrepreneur Immigration

A personal net worth of at least CAD $600,000 is required.


Experience in business or management is required.


Must be able to communicate in English or French (CLB level 4 or higher).


You must either start a new firm or buy and upgrade an existing one.

Must spend at least CAD $200,000 in the business personally;

Must create at least one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Pilot

A personal net worth of at least CAD $300,000 is required.


Must have three years of active business owner-manager experience, four years of senior management experience, or a combination of one year of active business owner-manager experience and two years of senior management experience.

Education criteria must be met.


Must be able to communicate in English or French (CLB level 4 or higher).


Additional standards must be met by businesses.

Strategic Projects Category

The company must be well-established and financially sound

Must show investment capability to expand into British Columbia

Must bring considerable economic benefits to the province.

B.C. PNP Tech

British Columbia organizes Tech draws on a regular basis, inviting qualified skilled people to apply for a government nomination.

In 2017, a project began as a trial program to alleviate the province’s IT labor shortfall. The province made it a permanent program in June 2021.

This program is for skilled employees with an employment opportunity in one of 29 qualified occupations in British Columbia. The job offer must also be for a year at the least and have at least 120 calendar days left when you apply.

Visit the following page to learn more about how it works.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you want to immigrate to British Columbia, you have a few choices to consider:

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

Step 1 Choose the stream that is best for you based on your circumstances. Check to see if you’re eligible for the program you’ve chosen.

Step 2 If necessary, use the SIRS system to register.

Step 3 BCPNP Online is the platform you should use to submit your application.

Step 4 Get a nomination from the province of British Columbia.

Step 5 Submit an application for permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Candidates must first register on BCPNP Online using the SIRS system. You are not required to register for the SIRS if you are applying through the International Post-Graduate Category or the Healthcare Professional Category, and you can apply directly on BCPNP Online.

After that, you’ll receive a registration score and be added to the pool. You will be invited to apply for provincial nomination if you match particular criteria and have a score above a certain level. After then, you’ll have 30 days to apply for BCPNP Online.

If you succeed, you will get a provincial nomination, after which you can apply to the Canadian federal government for permanent residency.

You will have the opportunity to accept a provincial nomination if you applied using the Express Entry procedure.

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Entry-level and semi-skilled workers, skilled workers, foreign graduates, foreign post-graduates, and healthcare experts are all eligible for the BC PNP.

To immigrate to British Columbia, you do not need to have an Express Entry profile. Unless you are applying as an international post-graduate, you will normally require a job offer to be eligible to immigrate. To do so, you must have earned a Master’s or PhD in a natural, applied, or health sciences program from an accredited university in British Columbia.

To begin, you must determine which immigration stream and category you qualify for. After that, you must register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that British Columbia can compare your employment, education, location in the province, language skills, and salary to the provincial labor market needs.

You can register with BCPNP Online by completing all of the parts of the registration form.

There is no need for you to register with the SIRS if you are applying for the International Post-Graduate Category or the Healthcare Professional Category, and you can apply directly through BCPNP Online.

After that, you’ll receive a registration score based on a variety of characteristics, and you’ll be placed in a pool of candidates for the chosen category. Those who match particular criteria and have a score over a certain level are asked to participate in a provincial draw to apply for a provincial nomination.

Candidates will have 30 days to apply through BCPNP Online after that.

If you are chosen, you will be nominated by a province using the Express Entry system. The nomination must be accepted using the Express Entry method.

If you are given a provincial nomination, you will be able to apply to the Canadian government for permanent residency.

An extra 600 Comprehensive Ranking Procedure (CRS) points are provided if you earn a provincial nomination through the Express Entry system. This will ensure that you will be granted permission to apply for permanent residency.

Obtaining a provincial nomination puts you in a strong position when applying for permanent residency with the Immigration and Refugee Council of Canada (IRCC).

IRCC will examine your application and ensure that you pass an admissibility test before deciding whether or not to grant you permanent residence.

The quality of life in British Columbia is excellent. The people of British Columbia are polite and hospitable. Every year, many individuals from all over the world immigrate to the province, making it an extremely varied province.

The climate on Vancouver Island is pleasant, with hot, dry summers and wet, rainy winters, fall, and springs. It doesn’t snow very often in this area. Northern B.C. has a cooler climate.

The cost of living in British Columbia will depend on where you reside. The government provides its own cost-of-living calculator and you can use this to compare various daily expenditures across the province, such as healthcare and utilities.

The climate in Vancouver Island and the areas along the south coast is pleasant, with bright, dry summers and damp, cool winters, fall, and springtime.

Winters in the coastal region are very mild. It rarely gets below 0 degrees Celsius, and it rarely snows.

Warmer summers (up to 30 degrees Celsius) and colder, snowier winters characterize B.C.’s central areas.

Northern B.C. has much colder temperatures and longer winters with plenty of snow.

Yes. Winters are warm throughout the south coast, including on Vancouver Island. It rarely gets below 0 degrees Celsius, and it rarely snows.

Yes. The Medical Service Plan (MSP) is free for Canadians and permanent residents who live in British Columbia.

This includes necessary medical treatments such as doctor consultation fees, physician and midwifery services, dentistry and oral surgery, eye tests, and some orthodontic procedures. Diagnostic services are also covered.

Other services, such as supplementary services offered by other health care providers, may be covered. Acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, naturopathy, physical therapy, and non-surgical podiatry are all examples of this.

Contact Us If You Require Assistance.

With over decades of experience, Total Visa Immigration is a prominent Canadian immigration law practice. Many immigration consultants, paralegals, and experts work with Total Visa Immigration to help you come to Canada.

The first step in immigrating to Canada via the PNP or another skilled worker option is to fill out an evaluation form. If you qualify for Canadian immigration, a member of the Total Visa Immigration team will contact you to assist you as much as possible.

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