BRITISH COLUMBIA PROVINCIAL NOMINEE (BC PNP)

 

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an immigration program designed to allow BC to increase the economic benefits of immigration to the province.

It allows British Columbia to select immigrants based on their ability to contribute to the BC economy.

The BC PNP was developed under the authority of the Agreement for Canada – BC Cooperation on Immigration. A person nominated under the provincial nominee program may apply for a permanent resident visa through Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) under the provincial nominee category.

As a provincial nominee, the applicant will receive faster processing of his or her application for permanent residence. To determine your eligibility under this program, please click here to complete our questionnaire. 

The program is made up of several categories divided into two main streams: 

EXPRESS ENTRY BC

• EEBC – Skilled Worker  (EEBC-SW)

Express Entry BC is for skilled workers, with post-secondary education or training and a minimum of two years of directly related employment experience in a professional, management, technical, trade, or other skilled occupation, and wish to have priority processing of BC PNP and permanent residence application through Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) Express Entry system. You must have a CIC Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Validation Code. These indicate that you meet the criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to CIC’s Express Entry system.

Additionally, you must meet the BC PNP’s Economic program category requirements:

• You must have been offered and have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer in a skilled occupation as outlined in the National Occupational Classification Matrix (NOC skill level 0, A or B);
• You must be qualified to perform the duties of the job offered to you;
• You must have a minimum of two (2) years of directly related work experience in the job offered to you;
• You must demonstrate that you are able to support yourself (and your dependants)
• You must be eligible for legal immigration status in Canada;
• You may be required to meet minimum language requirements; and,
• As this is a joint application submitted with your employer, must also meet eligibility criteria.

The EEBC applicants must qualify under one of the following categories:

• EEBC – Health Care Professional (EEBC-HCP)

Health care professionals are in demand across British Columbia. Physicians, nurses, psychiatric nurses or allied health professionals, may be eligible to apply under the EEBC – Health Care Professional category.

Health Match BC

If you are looking for opportunities to work as a health care professional in B.C., you’re encouraged to contact Health Match BC. This free provincial service recruits health professionals on behalf of B.C.’s health authorities. In addition to helping you find a job in your field, Health Match BC staff can answer your questions about the BC PNP and assist you with your BC PNP application.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply under the Express Entry BC – Health Care Professional category, you must have the following:

A CIC Express Entry profile number and a Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates you meet the criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to CIC’s Express Entry system:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Canadian Experience Class

You must also have the support or have an indeterminate, full-time job offer from a public health authority as a physician, nurse, psychiatric nurse or allied health professional:

• physician
• specialist
• registered nurse
• registered psychiatric nurse
• nurse practitioner
• an allied health professional such as a:
  • diagnostic medical sonographer
  • clinical pharmacist
  • medical laboratory technologist

In order to be eligible for consideration under this category, in addition to meeting CIC’s Express Entry requirements, you must also meet the BC PNP’s Health Care Professional category requirements:

• You must have been offered and have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer in a skilled occupation as outlined in the National Occupational Classification Matrix;
• You must be qualified to perform the duties of the job offered to you, including all regulatory, registration, and licensing requirements to perform the duties of the occupation in B.C.;
• You must demonstrate that you are able to support yourself (and your dependents);
• You must have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada;
• You may be required to meet minimum language requirements; and,
• As this is a joint application submitted with your employer, your employer must also meet eligibility criteria.

If you wish to apply without the support of Health Match BC, you may also be eligible under the Skilled Worker or EEBC – Skilled Worker categories.

• EEBC – International Graduate (EEBC-IG)

This is for graduates from an eligible Canadian, public, post-secondary institution, with an eligible degree, diploma or certificate within the past two years, and who wish to have priority processing of your BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) and permanent residence application through Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) Express Entry system, they may be eligible to apply under this category.

In order to apply to the BC PNP under the EEBC – International Graduate category, you must have a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates that you meet the criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to CIC’s Express Entry System.

In order to be eligible for consideration under this category, in addition to meeting CIC’s Express Entry requirements, you must meet the BC PNP’s International Graduate category requirements:

• Your program of study, and post-secondary institution must meet eligibility criteria;
• You must have been offered and have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer in a skilled occupation as outlined in the National Occupational Classification Matrix;
• You must be qualified to perform the duties of the job offered to you;
• You must demonstrate that you are able to support yourself (and your dependents);
• You must have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada;
• You may be required to meet minimum language requirements; and,
• As this is a joint application submitted with your employer, your employer must also meet eligibility criteria.

EEBC – International Post Graduate (EEBC-IPG)

Individuals with graduate degrees in the sciences are highly sought after by employers in the technology, health care and other sectors.

You may be eligible to apply under this job offer-exempt category if you have graduated from an eligible B.C. public post-secondary institution with an eligible masters or doctorate (PhD) degree within the past two years. Masters degrees and doctorates are eligible if your program of study was in the natural, applied, or health sciences:

• 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 conversation and research
• physical sciences

BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) applications and applications for permanent residence through Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) Express Entry system are priority processed.
Further details regarding the classification of these programs of study can be found on Statistics Canada’s Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) website.

In order to apply to the BC PNP under the Express Entry British Columbia – International Post Graduate category, you must have a CIC Express Entry Profile Number and Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates that you meet the criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs subject to CIC’s Express Entry System.

In order to be eligible for consideration under this category, in addition to meeting CIC’s Express Entry requirements, you must meet the BC PNP’s International Post Graduate category requirements:

• Your program of study and post-secondary institution must meet eligibility criteria;
• In the absence of a job offer, you must demonstrate your intent to economically establish in B.C., and;
• You must be eligible for legal immigration status in Canada.

Skills Immigration – Northeast Pilot Project 

Due to the recent rapid growth of the energy sector, the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia has a high demand for workers. In April 2012, the B.C. government launched a two-year pilot project to expand the types of workers eligible for the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in the Northeast Development Region only.

The Northeast Pilot Project has been extended to March, 31, 2016.

You may be eligible for the BC PNP if you are currently working in the Northeast Development Region in any occupation listed as Skill Level C or D in the National Occupational Classification Matrix. These occupations usually require completion of secondary school, occupation-specific training or on-the-job training. The occupations include (but are not limited to) mine service workers, heavy equipment operators, machine operators and retail sales clerks.

If you have a work permit under the federal Live-In Caregiver program, you are not eligible for the BC PNP as this federal program already provides participants with a pathway to permanent residence.

All other requirements of the entry level and semi-skilled worker category remain the same, including:

• nine months of full-time employment with the supporting employer immediately prior to the date of application
• minimum education
• English language proficiency
• a family income that meets or exceeds the BC PNP’s income threshold.

Please note that this category is not eligible under the Express Entry British Columbia stream. 

Entrepreneur Immigration 

British Columbia is one of North America’s most dynamic places to do business. Entrepreneurs benefit from our strategic location, low taxes, competitive operating costs and a multicultural workforce that is well-educated, highly-skilled and productive.

If you are an entrepreneur who is ready to invest in and actively manage a business in the Province, you may be eligible for the BC Provincial Nominee Program’s (PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration stream. This stream provides a pathway to permanent residence for experienced businesspeople who can establish themselves in B.C. and invest in and operate a commercially viable business that can provide significant economic benefits to the Province. To find out whether you are eligible to apply under this program please Click Here to Complete our questionnaire

Your application will be assessed on a number of factors, such as:

• your business and/or work experience;
• your personal net worth and source of funds;
• your adaptability; and,
• your business proposal, which includes your proposed investment and job creation in B.C.

The BC PNP has introduced a mandatory registration system for all prospective applicants to the Entrepreneur Immigration stream. 

The BC PNP will periodically invite the highest-scoring registrants to submit applications.

Below is a general overview of the eligibility criteria of the BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration stream.

Entrepreneur Immigration Requirements:

• General Nomination Requirements
  • active and ongoing management of the day-to-day business operations
  • demonstrated residence in B.C.
  • admissibility to Canada

• Personal Requirement
  • personal net worth of at least $600,000
  • business and/or management experience

• Business requirements
  • establish a new business or purchase and improve an existing business

• Investment requirements
  • make an eligible personal investment of at least $200,000 in the business

• Job requirements
  • create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in the business

It is your responsibility to demonstrate that you meet the program requirements.

An Entrepreneur Immigration Registration is not an application to the Entrepreneur Immigration stream or a guarantee that you will be invited to apply.

The BC PNP may refuse your application if the information in your registration is materially different from your application.