British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)

There are 5 categories of application under the Skills Immigration stream:

1. Skilled Worker

• you have a job offer in BC in NOC 0, A or B (no LMIA required)
• min 2 years of work experience in same position
• must meet min income requirements
• job offer in NOC B requires min CLB 4 on a valid language test

2. Healthcare Professional

• you have a job offer with a public health authority in BC as a physician, nurse, or other health professional such as lab tech, radiation tech, sonographer, pharmacist, occupational therapist, midwife or physiotherapist (no LMIA required)
• you have a min 2 years of work experience in same position
• you meet min income requirements

3. International Graduate

• you have graduated from a public Canadian University or College within the past 3 years, min 8 month program
• you have a job offer in BC for a position that normally requires post-secondary education (no LMIA required)
• you meet min income requirements
• job offer in NOC B requires min CLB 4 on language test results

4. International Post-Graduate

• you have achieved a Masters degree or PhD in natural, applied or health sciences from a BC University within the past 3 years
• you don’t require a job offer
• there are no minimum income requirements to meet

5. Entry Level And Semi-Skilled

• you are currently working in BC in an eligible occupation in the tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking or food processing industry, OR
• you are currently working in the Northeast Development Region in any NOC C or D occupation, except live in caregivers
• you have a job offer from an eligible BC employer (new LMIA not required)
• you have been working full time for at least 9 consecutive months before applying, with the BC Employer who has made you the job offer
• long haul truck drivers require a min of 2 years previous work experience + 9 months with BC employer
• you meet min income requirements
• you have completed education that is equivalent to a Canadian High School Diploma
• you scored a min CLB 4 on a valid language test 

The Express Entry BC program is connected with IRCC’s Express Entry system, and enables qualified individuals to gain the additional 600 CRS points for a Provincial Nomination if they are chosen by the BC PNP.

You must first qualify to submit a profile under Express Entry, which means you meet the minimum criteria for one of the 3 qualifying federal programs – the Federal Skilled Worker Program, The Federal Skilled Trades Program, or the Canadian Experience Class.

The general process to apply for Permanent Residence under Express Entry BC is as follows:

1. submit an Express Entry Profile
2. obtain a job offer in BC
3. create an online profile with BC PNP & register for the program
4. receive an invitation to apply based upon your score with BC PNP
5. receive a BC Provincial Nomination Certificate
6. apply for Express Entry as a Provincial Nominee

All applicants must:

• be qualified to perform the duties encompassed by their job offer,
• meet minimum income requirements depending on family size, and
• meet minimum language requirements

There are 4 categories of application under the EE BC stream:

1. Skilled Worker

• you have a job offer in BC in NOC 0, A or B (no LMIA required)
• you have at least 2 years of directly related work experience

2. Health Care Professional

• you have a job offer in BC as a physician, nurse, or other health professional such as lab tech, radiation tech, sonographer, pharmacist, midwife, occupational therapist or physiotherapist
• you have at least 2 years of directly related work experience
• you can apply directly to BC PNP, no invitation is required

3. International Graduate

• you have graduated from a Canadian University or College within the past 3 years
• you have a job offer in BC in NOC 0, A or B

4. International Post-Graduate

• you have achieved a Masters degree or PhD in natural, applied or health sciences from a BC University within the past 3 years
• you don’t require a job offer
• you can apply directly to the BC PNP, no invitation is required

This stream is for businesspeople with significant financial resources who want to operate a business in British Columbia.  To apply under the BC Entrepreneur program, you must first register in the BC points-based selection system, and receive an invitation to apply.  There are 3 BC PNP Entrepreneur streams.

BC PNP Entrepreneur – Base Category Requirements

To qualify you need at a minimum:

• personal net worth CAD $600,000
• previous business management experience: 3+ years as an active business owner-manager; or 4+ years as a senior manager; or a combination of at least 1 year as an owner and at least 2 years as a senior manager
• min education requires a post-secondary credential or 3 years out of past 5 years as active business owner
• min CLB 4 on a valid language test

And you must be willing/able to do the following:

• establish a new business or purchase an existing business in BC (min 33 1/3 % ownership)
• invest at least CAD $200,000 into the business
• actively manage the business while living in BC
• create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian resident

Application fees: CAD $300 registration, $3500 application fee

BC PNP Entrepreneur – Regional Pilot Requirements

This pilot program is designed to encourage foreign entrepreneurs to start new businesses in smaller B.C. communities, and has been extended until March 31, 2024.  

To qualify you need at a minimum:

• personal net worth CAD $300,000
• previous business management experience: 3+ years as an active business owner-manager; or 4+ years as a senior manager; or a combination of at least 1 year as an owner and at least 2 years as a senior manager
• min education requires a post-secondary credential or 3 years out of past 5 years as active business owner
• achieve a min of CLB 4 on a valid language test (English or French)

And you must be willing/able to do the following:

• visit the intended community to meet with officials and explore your business concept
• establish a new business in a BC community with a population of less than 75,000 people
• invest at least CAD $100,000 into the business
• maintain at least 51% ownership in the business
• actively manage the business while living in BC
• create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian resident

Application fees: CAD $300 registration, $3500 application fee

BC PNP Entrepreneur – Strategic Projects Requirements

The Strategic Projects stream is for foreign corporations intending to establish a subsidiary or branch office in B.C which aligns with their core business.  The stream allows the corporation to obtain Permanent Residence for their key staff.  The project must provide significant economic benefit by making a high value investment in B.C.

To qualify, the company must meet the following requirements:

• be well-established and in good financial standing
• demonstrate investment readiness and capacity for international expansion into B.C.

The criteria for the key staff members are as follows:

• must be a current senior employee of the foreign corporation who have the qualifications and experience necessary to establish the business in B.C.
• are being appointed to an executive, senior managerial or specialized knowledge position in B.C.
• will be paid a wage commensurate with their expertise and consistent with industry norms

Application fees: CAD $300 registration, $3500 application fee plus $1000 for each key staff

The BC Tech pilot is not a separate BC PNP stream – applicants need to apply to BC PNP under one of the existing categories detailed above. However, if you have a job offer in BC that is for one of the 29 identified tech occupations, then you qualify for expedited processing under the Tech Pilot

• min one-year job offer needed
• weekly invitations to apply, faster processing
• application fee: CAD $1150