Apply for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
You may have an opportunity to fast track your Canadian permanent residence by applying for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). Learn more below, and fill out our free immigration assessment form and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your eligibility and options.
2022 British Columbia's Provincial Nominee Program
British Columbia, home to the country’s third-largest town, Vancouver, is also one of the most varied provinces in Canada. The economy of British Columbia is based on a large natural resources industry, with a concentration on forestry and mining. Its natural environment, with its enormous woods and distinct coastal climate, is regarded as one of the most beautiful in Canada, if not the world.
If you are interested in living and working in British Columbia, the British Columbia PNP Program may be for you. British Columbia is one of Canada’s fastest growing provinces with cities such Vancouver and Victoria. Job opportunities in British Columbia are an attractive option for many foreign workers seeking stable, long term employment.British Columbia boasts ample natural resources and opportunities in resource centric careers. The BC PNP program allows applicants to immigrate directly to British Columbia.
Successful applicants will receive a British Columbia Provincial Nomination Certificate, which will speed-up the Canada Immigration (Permanent Resident) Visa application process. Under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), you may qualify under one of two streams.
Three British Columbia PNP Streams for Fast Track Canada Immigration
- BC PNP Skills Immigration
- BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration
- BC PNP Tech Pilot
1) BC PNP Skills Immigration
Requirements for the BC PNP Strategic Occupations Stream
Must have a job offer from an employer in British Columbia that cannot be filled by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and be either. The exception being applicants applying under the International Postgraduate group.
Fluency in English or French
Meet the BC minimum income requirement
There are 4 categories within in the Skills Immigration Category that an Applicant will file under. You will need to have an Express Entry profile.
A Skilled Worker
Must have a job offer in skill type 0, A, and B of NOC;
A Healthcare Professional
Physicians, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and midwives
An International Graduate
- This is for students that have graduated from a Canadian school and wish to apply to the BC PNP program.
International Post-Graduate
- This is for students that have earned either a Master’s degree or a Doctoral Degree from an institution located within British Columbia.
A Semi-Skilled Worker in select tourism/hospitality occupations, and food processing occupations
International Post-Graduates Pilot Project (ending on May 28, 2013)
- International students who have obtained masters or doctorate degree in the natural, applied or health sciences from eligible, recognized BC institutions within the last two years may apply even if they have not obtained a job offer from a BC employer.
Application Fee: $1,150 for processing. A request for review would cost an additional CAD $500.
Processing Time: 2-3 months
How to Apply: You must first register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that British Columbia may compare your employment, education, location in British Columbia, language ability, and pay to provincial labor market demands. You can register by completing all of the registration sections on BCPNP Online.
Note: Candidates for the International Post-Graduate Category and the Healthcare Professional Category do not need to register with the SIRS and can apply directly through BCPNP Online.
You will subsequently be assigned a registration score based on a variety of criteria and placed in a selection pool for the chosen category. Those who satisfy particular conditions and earn a score over a certain level are asked to participate in a provincial draw for a provincial nomination.
Candidates will then have 30 days to apply through BCPNP Online.
If you get a provincial nomination, you can subsequently apply to the Canadian federal government for permanent residence.
2) BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration
The Entrepreneur Immigration stream of the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is a path to immigrate to Canada and settle in B.C. for experienced entrepreneurs who can support innovation and economic growth in the province.
Requirements for the BC PNP Entrepreneur Base Category
To qualify, you must:
- have a personal net worth of at least CAD$600,000
- demonstrate business and/or management experience
- have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada
- have basic English or French language proficiency equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher
Requirements for the BC PNP Entrepreneur Regional Pilot
To qualify, you must:
- minimum of $300,000 in personal net worth
- more than three years of experience as an active business owner-manager or more than four years of experience as a senior manager or a combination of at least one year of experience as an active business owner-manager and at least two years of experience as a senior manager.
- a post-secondary credential or experience as an active business owner-manager with 100% ownership of the
business for at least three of the past five years. - basic English or French language proficiency equivalent to Canadian Language
Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher
Entrepreneur Immigration Fees:
- Registration: $300
- Application : $3,500
- Request for Review: $500
Strategic Projects Fees:
- Registration : $300
- Application : $3,500
- Key Staff : $1,000 (each key staff )
Processing Time:
- Registration score notification: 6 weeks (from date of registration submission)
- Application decision notification: 4 months (from date of application submission)
How to Apply:
If you are interested in the Entrepreneur Immigration Categories, you must first register with BCPNP Online and submit a brief company plan.
You will be assigned a score based on the information you submit. Candidates that meet the qualifications are put in a qualified pool. The top scorers are invited to apply on a regular basis.
If you are asked to apply, you will have four months to complete your application via BCPNP Online. Following that, your personal net worth must be reviewed by a BC PNP-authorized accounting company.
If you are successful, you will be granted a two-year work permit and will be able to establish your business in British Columbia. You will have up to 20 months to put your company strategy into action. You will then be eligible to apply for permanent residency in Canada after receiving a provincial nomination from British Columbia.
If you are interested in the Strategic Projects Category, you must first ensure that your organization and key personnel are qualified.
You will first be needed to undertake an exploration visit to British Columbia in order to learn more about the local business climate. After that, you must contact the BC PNP to discuss your business plan.
The following step is to register the company’s interest in applying. At this point, you will be expected to supply information about your organization, your projected investment in British Columbia, and the credentials of the prospective key personnel.
B.C. will assess your registration and, if successful, invite you to apply. You have 90 days to submit your application. If your application is granted, you and each key member of your team will be required to sign a corporate Performance Agreement with the province.
You will then each obtain a work permit support letter and be able to apply for a work permit through IRCC.
When you arrive in Canada and complete your Performance Agreement responsibilities, you must submit a final report to BC PNP. Following that, you will obtain a provincial nomination and have 180 days to apply for permanent residency with IRCC.
3) BC PNP Tech Pilot
BC’s tech industry is growing exponentially. Therefore, British Columbia is invested in recruiting talented tech workers to fill the demand. As a result, the BC PNP Tech Pilot was introduced.
In 2017, the effort began as a pilot program to solve the province’s labour deficit in the technology sector. The province declared it a permanent program in June 2021.
This program is for skilled employees who have a job offer in one of the 29 qualified occupations in British Columbia. The job offer must also be for at least one year and have at least 120 calendar days remaining at the time of application.
Through this process, the applications of tech applicants are prioritized and weekly invitations are extended to qualified applicants. Learn more about the BC PNP Tech Pilot and which jobs qualify under this pilot program.
BCPNP FAQ's
The BC PNP is intended for skilled workers, entry-level and semi-skilled employees, foreign graduates, international post-graduates, and healthcare professionals.
To be eligible to come to British Columbia, you do not need to have an Express Entry profile. Unless you are applying as an international post-graduate, candidates must normally have a work offer in order to be eligible to immigrate. To do so, you must have earned a Master’s or PhD in a natural, applied, or health sciences degree at an accredited British Columbia university.
Furthermore, entrepreneurs looking to start or purchase a firm in British Columbia have three possibilities.
Immigrating to British Columbia may be simple for one applicant but challenging for another. As a result, based on your unique scenario, it is best to select the appropriate stream.
For example, if you have a job offer in a skilled occupation in British Columbia and an Express Entry profile, you may opt to apply for the Skilled Worker category within the Express Entry B.C. stream.
Please contact us if you need assistance determining the best approach to immigrate to British Columbia.
You must first determine which immigration stream and category you qualify for. After that, you must register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that British Columbia may compare your employment, education, location in British Columbia, language ability, and pay to the provincial labour market demands.
You can enroll by completing all of the registration forms on BCPNP Online.
You do not need to register with the SIRS if you are applying for the International Post-Graduate Category or the Healthcare Professional Category, and you may apply directly through BCPNP Online.
You will subsequently be assigned a registration score based on a variety of criteria and placed in a selection pool for the chosen category. Those who fulfill specific criteria and earn a score over a certain level are asked to participate in a provincial draw for a provincial nomination.
Candidates will then have 30 days to apply through BCPNP Online.
If you are chosen, you will be nominated by your province using the Express Entry system. You must accept the nomination through the Express Entry method.
As explained in detail above, you have a few choices to consider:
Entrepreneur Immigration, Express Entry British Columbia Stream, and Skills Immigration.
1st step: Choose the appropriate stream based on your individual scenario. Determine your eligibility for the specified stream.
Step 2: If necessary, register with the SIRS system.
Step 3: Fill out the BCPNP Online application.
Step 4: Obtain a provincial nomination from British Columbia.
Step 5: Apply for permanent residency with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The quality of life in British Columbia is excellent. British Columbians are kind and hospitable. The province is incredibly diversified, and every year, numerous individuals from all over the world move to the province.
To learn more about living in British Columbia, visit our page on British Columbia for New Immigrants.
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
You must already have a valid Express Entry profile with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada before you begin (IRCC).
You must next register with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that British Columbia may compare your employment, education, location in British Columbia, language proficiency, and pay to provincial labor market demands. You can register by completing all of the registration sections on BCPNP Online.
Why Hire Us to Help with Your British Columbia PNP Application?
While the procedures for applying for an British Columbia PNP may seem uncomplicated, some applicants apply without seeking any help from an immigration lawyer, thinking that they can “do it themselves”.
For British Columbia PNPs, there is a higher risk of refusal in cases where the application is not properly prepared. The standards are very high.
The documentation and processes involved in successfully obtaining a PNP are complex and usually require legal expertise.
We have helped hundreds of individuals and their families successfully immigrate to Canada through the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program. Our experienced immigration lawyers will be able to assess your case and recommend a course of action to best serve your needs.
The first step towards your British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program application is getting an assessment of your case. Fill out our free immigration assessment form and we will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your eligibility and options.
Book a consultation and start your immigration process now!