On Canada’s west coast, British Columbia is known for the incomparable natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

British Columbia, home to the country’s third-largest metropolis, Vancouver, is also one of the most various provinces in the country. The economy of British Columbia is based on a large natural resources industry, with forestry and mining being particularly important.

Because of the province’s economic growth and labour shortages, it is a popular immigration destination in Canada.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) that allows foreign individuals to become permanent residents of Canada in British Columbia. The PNP aimed to attract immigrants in areas that will benefit the province, such as skilled workers, workers in sectors with a labour shortage, entrepreneurs, and investors. There are three types of immigration streams in effect in the province:

• Skills Immigration Stream;
• Express Entry British Columbia Stream;
• Entrepreneur Immigration.

SKILL IMMIGRATION

Skilled workers, healthcare professionals, international graduates and post-graduates, entry-level and semi-skilled workers are eligible for the Skills Immigration Stream. Except for international post-graduates, all candidates must have a job offer or an existing position.

The categories of BC PNP Skills Immigration are as follows:

• SKILLED WORKERS: Individuals who have obtained an eligible job offer in a skilled occupation fall into this category. Workers in skilled occupations are expected to have several years of experience.

• HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: Individuals with experience and employment offers as physicians, nurses, psychiatric nurses, or allied health professionals may apply in this group. One of 11 qualifying health occupations must acquire an eligible job offer.

• INTERNATIONAL GRADUATES: Individuals who have just graduated from an eligible Canadian university or college fall into this category. To be qualified for this sub-category, you must have a job offer from a BC business.

• INTERNATIONAL POST-GRADUATE: Graduates holding Masters or Doctoral degrees in natural, applied, or health sciences from an accredited educational institution in British Columbia fall into this group. This sub-category does not require a job offer to apply.

• ENTRY-LEVEL AND SEMI-SKILLED WORKERS: Workers in specific entry-level or semi-skilled jobs in tourism/hospitality, food processing, or long-haul trucking and those in entry-level or semi-skilled jobs residing and working in British Columbia’s Northeast Development Region may be eligible for immigration under this programme.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Must have accepted a full-time job offer (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);
• Must have a wage offer in line with the provincial wage rates (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);
• Must show you can support yourself and your family (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);
• Must meet minimum language requirements (for NOC skill level B, or the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category);
• Must meet any additional requirements specific to your category;
• The employer must also be meet eligibility criteria (except for the International Post-Graduate Category).

EXPRESS ENTRY BRITISH COLUMBIA

Express Entry BC is linked to the federal government’s Express Entry immigration selection system, allowing qualified applicants to have their BC PNP application and, if nominated, their permanent residence application processed first.

Express Entry British Columbia accepts the following skill immigration categories:

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

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Must have a valid profile with the federal Express Entry system;
• Must have a Job Seeker Validation Code from the Express Entry system;
• Must have accepted a full-time job offer (except for the International Post-Graduate Category)
• Must have a wage offer in line with B.C. wage rates (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);
• Must be able to support yourself and your family (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);
• Must meet minimum language requirements (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);
• Must meet additional requirements specific to your category;
• The employer must also be eligible (except for the International Post-Graduate Category).

ENTREPRENEUR IMMIGRATION

You have three possibilities if you want to immigrate to British Columbia as an entrepreneur:

• ENTREPRENEUR IMMIGRATION (BASE CATEGORY): This category is for top executives or business owners who want to put money into a new venture in British Columbia. NOTE: New Entrepreneur Immigration – Base Category registrations have been temporarily halted. This stream is projected to resume in early 2022, according to the province.

• ENTREPRENEUR IMMIGRATION (REGIONAL PILOT): This new pilot programme is designed for overseas entrepreneurs who want to start a new firm in a small town in British Columbia.

• STRATEGIC PROJECTS CATEGORY: Foreign-controlled enterprises can set up shop in British Columbia under this category. The province can designate up to five significant foreign management, professional, or technical staff personnel for permanent residence.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

CATEGORY	REQUIREMENTS
ENTREPRENEUR IMMIGRATION (BASE CATEGORY)	Must have a personal net worth of at least CAD $600,000 Must demonstrate business or management experience Must meet language requirements in English or French (CLB level 4 or higher). Must establish a new business or purchase and improve an existing business Must make a personal investment of at least CAD $200,000 in the business; Must create at least one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
ENTREPRENEUR IMMIGRATION (REGIONAL PILOT)	Must have a personal net worth of at least CAD $300,000 Must have three years of experience as an active business owner-manager, or four years of experience as a senior manager, or a combination of one year of experience as an owner-manager and two years of experience as a senior manager. Must meet education requirements Must meet language requirements in English or French (CLB level 4 or higher). Business must meet additional requirements
STRATEGIC PROJECTS CATEGORY	A company must be well established and in good financial standing; Must demonstrate investment capacity to expand into B.C.; Must provide significant economic benefit to the province.

B.C. PNP TECH.

British Columbia holds Tech draws regularly, inviting qualified, skilled people to apply for a government nomination.

In 2017, the effort began as a trial programme to alleviate the province’s I.T. labour shortfall. The province made it a permanent programme in June 2021.

This programme is for skilled employees with a job offer in one of 29 qualified occupations in British Columbia. The job offer must also be for at least a year and have 120 calendar days left when you apply.