The BC PNP Skills Immigration pathway is designed for skilled workers and recent graduates and offers them five streams for nomination. Under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), there are two pathways that cater to two different sets of applicants:
- Skills Immigration – for skilled workers and recent international graduates
- Entrepreneur Immigration – for entrepreneurs only
Under BC PNP’s Skills Immigration pathway, there are 5 other streams that offer a provincial nomination to those who qualify for it. These are:
- Skilled Worker
- Health Authority
- International Graduate
- International Post-Graduate (IPG)
- Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS)
All streams cater to different types of applicants who are equipped with different sets of skills, training, and work experience. Understand how these different streams work and what are their eligibility requirements.
Obtaining a nomination through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) makes it easier for applicants to obtain Canadian permanent residency.
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BC PNP Skills Immigration Streams: Overview
Let’s understand how the different BC PNP Skills Immigration streams work.
1. Skilled Worker
The Skilled Worker stream offers a way for skilled workers to immigrate to British Columbia, if they are in a professional, technical, managerial, trade, or other occupation. The BC PNP Skilled Worker stream nominates those who have at least 2 years of full-time work experience in an occupation which must be in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
This stream requires the applicants to have a job offer in the same NOC TEER as mentioned above. The applicant also has to meet minimum language requirements and show that they are financially capable of supporting themselves as well as their dependents in British Columbia.
The BC PNP Skills Immigration’s Skilled Worker stream offers the EEBC option, which means, if an applicant has an Express Entry profile, they may be eligible to apply for PR through it.
2. Health Authority
Through the Health Authority stream, healthcare professionals with an indeterminate job offer may obtain PR. This stream allows only those who are already working for a health authority.
This stream also permits midwives, nurse practitioners, and physicians to obtain provincial nomination.
The applicant has to meet the NOC TEER category requirements according to their job. The authority needs to support the applicant’s application.
Similar to the Skilled Worker stream, the BC PNP Skills Immigration’s Health Authority stream also offers the EEBC option.
3. International Graduate
The BC PNP’s International Graduate stream is designed for international students who have recently graduated from a Canadian institution. The student must have graduated with a degree/diploma from a post-secondary institution.
To be eligible, the graduate needs a job offer in NOC TEER 1, 2, or 3; meet language and financial requirements. They must have graduated from a post-secondary institution within the last 3 years.
The applicant’s employer has to support them throughout the application process. The BC PNP Skills Immigration’s International Graduate offers the Express Entry BC (EEBC) option as well.
4. International Post-Graduate (IPG)
The International Post-Graduate or IPG stream is also for recent graduates of a post-secondary institution. However, these graduates must have completed their studies from a British Columbia post-secondary institution, that too, in a master’s or doctoral program.
Those with a PhD degree may qualify if they meet the requirements.
The eligibility criteria of the International Post-Graduate stream requires graduates to obtain an eligible degree from an eligible study program.
- For master’s degree – the applicant must have studied in an applied, natural or health sciences discipline
- For doctoral degree – the applicant must have studied in a public BC post-secondary institution
- For PhD students – they obtained candidacy at a public post-secondary institution in the province
Like other BC PNP Skills Immigration streams, the IPG stream also has the EEBC option for applicants.
5. Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS)
Entry level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) stream offers a nomination pathway for low-skilled workers with a job offer in occupations in NOC TEER 4 and 5. It particularly targets applicants to hire for the province’s tourism, hospitality as well as food processing sectors.
To be eligible for this stream, the applicant must have a job offer in an eligible occupation in NOC TEER 4 or 5. The applicant must have been employed under the same employer for at least 9 months before they register for this stream.
The same employer should also support you throughout the process. The Entry level and Semi-Skilled stream of the BC PNP Skills Immigration pathway is the only stream that doesn’t offer the EEBC option.
Nomination Application Process – BC PNP Skills Immigration
Here’s an overview of the BC PNP Skills Immigration nomination application process:
- Find the most suitable stream that you qualify for
- After deciding which stream to apply through, register yourself on the BC PNP Online portal. Registration demonstrates that the applicant is interested in immigrating to the province via a particular stream. By registering yourself, you provide information regarding your education, work experience, language skills, etc.
- Based on these factors you will receive a certain score and be placed in a pool of other eligible applicants. The profiles wait for BC PNP draws to be conducted to receive an invite. Your profile will remain active for about a year in this pool.
- Once you receive an invite, apply for nomination through that stream. Within 30 days of being invited, submit a completely filled application.
- Submit a nomination application, after paying the application processing fee
- If BC PNP approves your nomination, you can apply for permanent residency to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Priorities
There are some priority occupations that are in great demand for skilled workers. These occupations support BC’s strategic initiatives and hence, benefit from the targeted BC PNP’s draws. These are:
- Childcare
- Healthcare
- Technology
- Construction
- Veterinary care
Targeted draws help applicants with a job offer in certain NOC codes to receive an invite faster.
1. Childcare
There’s only one NOC code prioritized under the childcare category.
- 42202 – Early childhood educators and assistants
Other NOC codes may also be eligible for BC PNP Skills Immigration.
2. Healthcare
If you have a job offer in one of the following NOC codes, you may be able to receive an ITA in targeted draws.
| NOC Code | NOC Title |
|---|---|
| 30010 | Managers in healthcare |
| 31100 | Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine |
| 31101 | Specialists in surgery |
| 31102 | General practitioners and family physicians |
| 31110 | Dentists |
| 31112 | Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 31120 | Pharmacists |
| 31121 | Dietitians and nutritionists |
| 31200 | Psychologists |
| 31201 | Chiropractors |
| 31202 | Physiotherapists |
| 31203 | Occupational therapists |
| 31204 | Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 31209 | Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating |
| 31300 | Nursing coordinators and supervisors |
| 31301 | Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses |
| 31302 | Nurse practitioners |
| 31303 | Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals |
| 32101 | Licensed practical nurses |
| 32102 | Paramedical occupations |
| 32103 | Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 32109 | Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment |
| 32110 | Denturists |
| 32111 | Dental hygienists and dental therapists |
| 32112 | Dental technologists and technicians |
| 32120 | Medical laboratory technologists |
| 32121 | Medical radiation technologists |
| 32122 | Medical sonographers |
| 32123 | Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists |
| 32124 | Pharmacy technicians |
| 32129 | Other medical technologists and technicians |
| 32200 | Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists |
| 33100 | Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants |
| 33101 | Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations |
| 33102 | Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 33103 | Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants |
| 41300 | Social workers |
| 41301 | Therapists in counseling and related specialized therapies |
| 42201 | Social and community service workers |
3. Technology
Though the applicants do not require a permanent job offer but it must last for at least 1 year. Moreover, it must be in one of the following NOC codes.
| NOC Code | NOC Title |
|---|---|
| 10030 | Telecommunication carriers managers |
| 20012 | Computer and information systems managers |
| 21100 | Physicists and astronomers |
| 21210 | Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries |
| 21211 | Data scientists |
| 21220 | Cybersecurity specialists |
| 21221 | Business systems specialists |
| 21222 | Information systems specialists |
| 21223 | Database analysts and data administrators |
| 21230 | Computer systems developers and programmers |
| 21231 | Software engineers and designers |
| 21232 | Software developers and programmers |
| 21233 | Web designers |
| 21234 | Web developers and programmers |
| 21300 | Civil engineers |
| 21301 | Mechanical engineers |
| 21310 | Electrical and electronics engineers |
| 21311 | Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) |
| 21320 | Chemical engineers |
| 21399 | Other professional engineers |
| 22110 | Biological technologists and technicians |
| 22220 | Computer network and web technicians |
| 22221 | User support technicians |
| 22222 | Information systems testing technicians |
| 22310 | Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians |
| 22312 | Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics |
| 50011 | Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts |
| 51111 | Authors and writers (except technical) |
| 51112 | Technical writers |
| 51120 | Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations |
| 52119 | Other technical and coordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts |
| 52112 | Broadcast technicians |
| 52113 | Audio and video recording technicians |
| 52120 | Graphic designers and illustrators |
| 53111 | Motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and performing arts assistants and operators |
4. Construction
The applicant needs to have a full-time, indeterminate job offer in one of the following NOC codes. They must also be certified to perform the job.
| NOC Code | NOC Title |
|---|---|
| 22114 | Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists |
| 72102 | Sheet metal workers |
| 72103 | Boilermakers |
| 72104 | Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters |
| 72105 | Ironworkers |
| 72106 | Welders and related machine operators |
| 72200 | Electricians (except industrial and power system) |
| 72201 | Industrial electricians |
| 72300 | Plumbers |
| 72301 | Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers |
| 72302 | Gas fitters |
| 72310 | Carpenters |
| 72311 | Cabinetmakers |
| 72320 | Bricklayers |
| 72400 | Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics |
| 72401 | Heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
| 72402 | Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics |
| 72500 | Crane operators |
| 73100 | Concrete finishers |
| 73101 | Tilesetters |
| 73102 | Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers |
| 73110 | Roofers and shinglers |
| 73111 | Glaziers |
| 73112 | Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) |
| 73113 | Floor covering installers |
5. Veterinary care
If you have a job offer in any of the following NOC codes, you may obtain an ITA in targeted draws.
- 31103 – Veterinarians
- 32104 – Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
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