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British Columbia Immigration

British Columbia Immigration

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.


British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

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.


British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Streams

The BCPNP accepts applications under three major categories: Skills Immigration, Express Entry BC, Entrepreneur Immigration. each with their own streams.

  • SKILLS IMMIGRATION STREAMS
    Skills Immigration is for skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations in B.C. It uses a points-based invitation system and a paper application.
  • EXPRESS ENTRY BC STREAMS
    The Express Entry streams enable the province to nominate qualified candidates for admission to Canada under the federal Express Entry immigration system.
  • ENTREPRENEUR IMMIGRATION
    The Entrepreneur category is aimed at high net worth individuals who wish to invest and operate a business in British Columbia and eventually settle in the province.

Skills Immigration

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: ​

  • Skilled Worker Category — This category is for individuals who have received an eligible job offer in a skilled occupation. Workers are expected to have several years of experience in their skilled occupation.
  • Healthcare Professional Category — Under this category individuals 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 of 11 qualifying health occupations.
  • International Graduate Category — This category is for individuals who have graduated from an eligible Canadian university or college in the last three years. A job offer must be obtained from a BC employer to be eligible under this sub-category.
  • International Post-Graduate Category— This category is for graduates with Masters or Doctoral degrees from an eligible educational institution in British Columbia in the natural, applied, or health sciences programs of study. No job offer is required to apply 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, or those in entry-level or semi-skilled positions living and working in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia, may be eligible for immigration through this program.

Express Entry British Columbia

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:

  • Skilled Worker Category
  • Health Care Professional Category
  • International Graduate Category
  • International Post-Graduate Category

Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS)

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 BC PNP Tech Pilot

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.


Entrepreneur Immigration

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:

  • Entrepreneur Immigration Category — This category is for senior managers or business owners who intend to invest funds into a proposed business in British Columbia.
  • Entrepreneur Immigration — Regional Pilot — This new pilot is for international entrepreneurs looking to establish a new business in a small community in British Columbia.
  • Strategic Projects Category Through this category, foreign-controlled companies can set up an operation in British Columbia. Up to five key foreign managerial, professional or technical staff members can be nominated for permanent residence in the province.