The British Columbia province, located at the west of Canada, is home to one the largest and enjoyable cities in Canada, Vancouver. BC is also one of the most diverse provinces in the country, with more than one million residents who were born outside Canada. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful city for its stunning natural beauty in Canada, and indeed the world. British Columbia is extremely welcoming to new Canadians, and the province attracts approximately 35,000 immigrants each year.
Through British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program, selected immigrants with the skills and experience targeted by the province could receive a BC PNP Certificate, which will allow that foreign national to apply for Canadian permanent residence.
The BC-PNP is one of the most varied of all the PNPs, with three main immigration streams Express Entry, Skills Immigration and stream for Entrepreneur Immigration.
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC-PNP) is an immigration program through which a broad range of workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs can settle in British Columbia permanently.
The BCPNP accepts applications under three major categories: Skills Immigration, Express Entry BC, Entrepreneur Immigration. each with their own streams.
Skills Immigration is for skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations in B.C. It uses a points-based invitation system. The process involves registering and applying online for the BC PNP and a paper application process for permanent residency. BC PNP Skills Immigration is divided into the following categories:
Express Entry BC aligns with the federal government’s Express Entry immigration selection system, allowing eligible applicants to receive priority processing of both their BC PNP application and if nominated, their permanent residence application. The following Skills Immigration categories may be processed through Express Entry British Columbia:
On January 27, 2016, the government of British Columbia announced a new Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) for the BC PNP. This points-based system gives candidates a registration score that determines whether they may be 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.
The B.C. technology sector is a major driver of economic growth in the province, with tech employment at its highest level ever recorded. The demand for talent in B.C.’s tech sector is increasing faster than the supply.
Introduced by the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in 2017, the Tech Pilot provides a fast-tracked pathway to Canadian permanent residence for international talent with a job offer in one of the pilot’s 29 eligible tech occupations. Eligible candidates in the Skilled Workers and International Graduates categories of the BC PNP’s Skills Immigration and Express Entry B.C. streams are issued invitations to apply in weekly draws.
Individuals who intend to settle and invest in British Columbia may be eligible for Canadian permanent residence under this immigration stream. This program is broken down into two categories: