British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) offers you a way to immigrate to Canada. Through the BCPNP, British Columbia:
Invites residency applications from non-Canadians who want to make British Columbia their home; and
Nominates successful applicants to the federal government, so they can gain permanent residency in Canada.
The BCPNP offers two pathways for skilled and semi-skilled workers who want to become a permanent resident in B.C. Each pathway contains different categories you can apply under, depending on your occupation skill level, job, or international student status. The two pathways are:
Skills Immigration
Express Entry BC
Skills Immigration
Skills Immigration is for skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations in B.C. It uses a points-based invitation system.
There are five sub-categories found in the Skills Immigration pathway:
Skilled Worker Category – Workers who have received a job offer for skilled employment can apply under this section.
Health Care Professional Category – For health care professional with an eligible job offer and several years’ experience in the health sector as nurses, physicians and associated medical profession.
International Post-Graduate, BC Degree Category – International students who have graduated with a masters or doctorate degree at an eligible education institution within the province of British Columbia.
International Graduate, Canadian Degree – International students that have graduated from an eligible Canadian education institution in the last two years and have a full- time job offer from an employer in British Columbia.
Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category – Workers in Canada with a valid LMIA and work permit employed in certain semi-skilled occupations in hospitality, food processing and long-haul trucking can apply under this sub-category.
Express Entry
The Express Entry BC (EEBC) pathway connects to the federal Express Entry system and enables eligible skilled workers to gain permanent residence in B.C faster than through the Skills Immigration pathway. In order to be eligible applicants must have a valid Express Entry profile as well as meet the general requirements of the category they are applying to. EEBC uses a points-based invitation system.
There are four sub-categories found in the EEBC pathway:
EEBC Skilled Worker Category – Workers who have received a job offer for skilled employment can apply under this section.
EEBC Health Care Professional Category – For health care professionals with an eligible job offer and several years’ experience in the health sector as nurses, physicians and other medical professionals.
EEBC International Post-Graduate, BC Degree Category – International students who have graduated with a masters or doctorate degree at a legitimate education institution within the province of British Columbia
International Graduate, Canadian Degree – International students that have graduated from an eligible Canadian education institution in the last two years and have a full- time job offer from an employer in British Columbia.
BC Tech Pilot Project
The BC Tech Pilot allows candidates working in-demand tech occupations to apply for provincial nomination with expedited processing through the BC PNP. The BC Tech Pilot is not an immigration program. Candidates who have registered a profile for the Skills Immigration or Express Entry categories and who have a job offer in an in-demand tech occupation may receive accelerated application processing and other benefits.
General criteria for all applicants
Have an eligible full-time employment offer (only BC International Post-Graduate applicants are exempted from this requirement)
Meet the minimum requirements to work in the occupation they have been offered a job in
The offered wage must be competitive with the wage offered to Canadian workers and permanent residents in that occupation in BC
Candidate must demonstrate that they satisfy the minimum income requirement
If the occupation is classified as NOC Skill Level B or C the applicant must submit valid language test results showing a French or English language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4
Have received an Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code from the Express Entry system (EEBC applicants only).
BCPNP Application Process
Stage 1: Registration
The first step is registration with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). After registering you will receive a registration score and enter into the selection pool for your chosen category. You stay in the selection pool for up to 12 months, or until you receive an invitation to apply (ITA).
Stage 2: Invitation
Periodically, the highest- ranking registrants will receive an ITA.
Stage 3: Application
If you are invited to apply, you have up to 30 calendar days from the date of invitation to submit a complete application for nomination via the BCPNP online system. HealthCare Professional and International Post-Graduate applicants do not need an ITA and can apply directly through BCPNP Online.
Stage 4: Nomination
If your application is approved you will receive a confirmation of nomination as a provincial nominee from the BCPNP
Stage 5: Permanent Residence
After receiving a BCPNP confirmation of nomination, you must submit an application for permanent residence. Express Entry BC applicants will apply online via the Express Entry system. Skills Immigration applicants will submit a paper based application to the IRCC Centralized Intake Office (CIO) in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.
BCPNP Application Processing Times and Fees
Currently, the average BCPNP processing time for all streams is 60 -90 days.
The BCPNP charges an application fee of $700.
Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Fees and Processing Times
Main Applicant-Processing fee $825 and right of permanent residence fee $500
Spouse or Partner-Processing fee $820 and right of permanent residence fee $500
Each Dependent Child- Processing Fee of $225
The processing time for an applicant with an Express Entry profile and who has applied to a provincial Express Entry stream is 6 months. The processing time for all other applicants is approximately 18 months.
Proof of Funds
You must show that you have sufficient funds to successfully establish yourself and your family in Canada and to pay your immigration costs and travel expenses (if applicable) at the time of your application for permanent residency to IRCC (as well as at Express Entry profile submission stage).The amount of money you need to s determined by the size of your family, as shown below.
| Number of family members | Funds Required ( in Canadian dollars) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $12,960 |
| 2 | $16,135 |
| 3 | $19,836 |
| 4 | $24,083 |
| 5 | $27,315 |
| 6 | $30,806 |
| 7 | $34,299 |
| For each additional family member | $3,492 |
The funds must be in your name or in the name of your accompanying spouse. These funds must be unencumbered by debts or obligations transferable and available to you. Funds must be liquid (i.e. not real estate) and cannot be borrowed. You normally do not have to show that you have these funds if:
You have a valid job offer (offer of arranged employment) in AND
You are currently working or authorized to work in Canada
How can a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant Help?
In addition to making sure the application is complete there are three main areas where an RCIC can help.
Immigration Strategy and Option: An RCIC can advise you on the different options that are available to you to obtain permanent residence in Canada and explain the pros and cons of each option. It is important you choose the best immigration program from the start as this will likely save you time and money in the long run.
Professional Representation: If you do not have a representative assisting you then you will probably only submit the minimum required documentation. Submitting only those documents sometimes is not enough to make your case and to satisfy the program officer or visa officer you meet the requirements of the visa. Generally, it is wise to submit as much evidence as you can above and beyond the minimum required. Your representative can assist you in preparing and submitting a strong application by identifying the weaknesses in your application and advising you how to strengthen your application.
Submission letter: An RCIC will prepare and submit a submission letter on behalf of the applicant along with the application. The submission letter is an important part of the application which summarizes and more importantly demonstrates why you meet the requirements of the visa.
Ready to apply to the BCPNP?
We will:
Review your information and develop a strategy to apply
Submit your profile to the BCPNP Skills Immigration System (SIRS)
Prepare and submit your application for nomination to the BCPNP
Prepare and submit your permanent resident visa application to IRCC
Act as your authorized representative to the BCPNP and IRCC.
If you want to apply for permanent residence through the BCPNP we are here to help! Please complete our free assessment form or contact us and one of our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants will revert to you within 48 hours
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