BRITISH COLUMBIA PROVINCE NOMINATION PROGRAM

The BC PNP is British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program. Through this program, prospective immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province may receive a British Columbia Provincial Nomination Certificate, which will allow that foreign national to apply for Canadian permanent residence with processing times that are faster than other Canadian immigration classes.

The BC PNP accepts applications under two main immigration categories:

Skills Immigration (including Express Entry British Columbia)

Business Immigration

Each these categories may have one or more sub-categories. Below we provide you with additional information about each of these categories to help you determine if the BC PNP is right for you. On January 27, 2016, the government of British Columbia announced that it is implementing a new Immigration System for the BC PNP on points-based system gives candidates a registration score that determines whether they are invited to apply. The score is based on a number of factors — such as level of education, years of direct work experience and a B.C. employment offer — that reflect an individual’s ability to succeed in the labour market and contribute to the provincial economy.

SKILLS IMMIGRATION

BC PNP Skills Immigration is divided into a number of sub-categories:

Skilled Worker Category — This sub-category is for individuals who have received an eligible job offer in a skilled occupation. Workers are expected to have two years of experience in their skilled occupation.

Health Care Professional Category — Under this sub-category individual with experience and eligible job offers, as physicians, nurses, psychiatric nurses or allied health professionals may apply. An eligible job offer must be acquired for one qualifying health occupations.

Physician

Specialist

Registered nurse

Registered psychiatric nurse

Nurse practitioner

An allied health professional such as a:

Diagnostic medical sonographer

Clinical pharmacist

Medical laboratory technologist

International Graduates, B.C. Degree Category — This sub-category is for graduates with Masters or Doctoral degrees from an eligible educational institution in British Columbia. No job offer is required to apply under this sub-category if you have graduate from following education field

Agriculture

Biological and biomedical sciences

Computer and information sciences and support services

Engineering

Engineering technology

Health professions and related clinical sciences

Mathematics and statistics

Natural resources conservation and research

Physical sciences

International Graduates, Canadian Degree Category — This sub-category is for individuals who have graduated from an eligible Canadian university or college outside of British Columbia in the last two years. A job offer must be obtained to be eligible under this sub-category. Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category — Workers in certain entry-level or semi-skilled positions in tourism/hospitality, food processing, or long-haul trucking may be eligible for immigration through this program.

Northeast Pilot Project Category — Individuals living and working in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia, including in occupations considered semi- and unskilled, may be eligible for this program without the need for a job offer.

EXPRESS ENTRY BRITISH COLUMBIA

Under the Express Entry Province Nomination is for any applicants for Canadian permanent residence in under through its Express Entry British Columbia stream, which aligns with the federal government’s Express Entry immigration selection system. The British Columbia Express Entry stream allows eligible applicants to receive priority processing of both their BC PNP application, and if nominated, their permanent residence application.

The Skilled Worker category (including Health Care Professionals), International Graduates category, and International Post Graduates category may be processed through Express Entry British Columbia

To Be Eligible under Express Entry Province Nomination

have obtained Express Entry profile number and a Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates you meet the criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs

Have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer from a B.C employer in a skilled occupation as outlined in the National Occupational Classification Matrix (NOC skill level 0, A or B)