The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an established route for entry-level workers, skilled workers and entrepreneurs to move to British Columbia.
If you bring economic benefits and have the skills and experience that the Province needs you may be eligible for nomination.
The BC PNP’s mandate is to maximize economic benefits in the allocation of nearly 7000 nominations annually, so if you’re interested in moving to beautiful BC, it’s best to apply earlier in the year while more spots are available.
There is still plenty to understand about BC PNP and we’ll dive into this detail now.
As always, a great way to gain understanding and peace of mind is to arrange a consultation.
What Is the BC Provincial Nominee Program?
The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is for the most part an employer-driven scheme where the Province nominates individuals to the Federal government for Permanent Residency. These nominations are based on filling skills shortages which bring economic benefits.
The program uses a points criteria to select individuals whose skills and experiences best fill the Province’s employment needs. It contains different streams which target different skills and parts of the economy. We will go into detail on these later.
One of the big advantages of choosing the PNP path is that a Provincial Nomination earns skilled workers 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) points, thus providing certainty of being picked from the Federal Express Entry pool. The benefit to this is that speeds up the processing from up to two years to six months. This can be the difference between receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Permanent Residence or remaining in the pool for candidates with borderline CRS scores.
The BC PNP has the added advantage of coming with a work permit support letter that allows you to continue working for the employer that provided the job offer while your Permanent Residence is processed.
All provincial nominees must apply to Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for Permanent Residency where their criminal, medical and security admissibility will be assessed.
What Is the Process for the Provincial Nominee Program?
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) process is determined by the specific stream you qualify under, we will touch on these later, but the steps in the process are broadly the same.
The first step is to determine your eligibility, this involves assessing your employer, the job offer and your skills and work experience.
The process begins with submitting an Expression of Interest through the online portal called Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). Like Express Entry, you are then placed into a pool and applicants are chosen in an order of preference defined by the points score.
When you receive your nomination and work permit support letter you can apply to IRCC for Permanent Residency and your Work Permit, so that you may continue working while your PR is processed.
Am I Eligible to Apply for the BC PNP?
The BC PNP requires a full-time (30 hours per week minimum) permanent job offer from a qualifying Canadian employer, there are a few exceptions to this, which we will touch on later.
The job offer should be skilled, except for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) program, fitting into TEER level 0, 1, 2 or 3 and pay the prevailing wage for that occupation.
The applicant should have at least two years of skilled work experience and be able to perform the duties of the position for which they are nominated. Additionally, you will need to prove that you can financially support yourself and any other dependents.
Applicants must have all their education credentials and language skills assessed to be processed under the expedited Express Entry streams.
Finally, applicants must be eligible for (or have) current Temporary Residence status in Canada.
What Are the BC PNP Streams?
The BC PNP offers a wide range of different streams to choose from including;
- Skilled Worker, this is the route for technical, management, professional or trades occupations;
- Health Care Professional, this stream is for doctors and nurses and other healthcare professionals;
- International Graduate, for those who have graduated from an eligible BC institution in the last three years;
- International Post-Graduate, for those who have graduated with a Doctorate or Ph.D.;
- Entry Level and Semi-Skilled, this pathway is for people who have worked for 9 months in selected occupations in hospitality and food service, food processing and long-haul truck driving;
- Entrepreneur Immigration is for people with previous business experience who want to invest in a business and hire Canadian employees.
