Immigrate to British Columbia – British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada. Surrounded by the coastline of the Pacific Ocean and mountain ranges, the British Columbia province is unique in its way. After Ontario, British Columbia is the most sought-after province to visit in Canada. The province already houses more than a million residents born outside of Canada. The province attracts approximately 35,000 immigrants every year. The best way to immigrate to British Columbia is through Canada’s Express Entry System and the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program.

British Columbia Express Entry

The British Columbia Express Entry system enables candidates to migrate more quickly if they have demonstrated interest in the province and possess the necessary skill set and experience required by the province. Individuals interested in immigrating to British Columbia can apply for immigration in two ways. The first way is to contact the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program. If nominated, the candidate can build a new Canada Express Entry profile.

Alternatively, the candidate can start by creating their Express Entry profile. You can show your interest in the British Columbia province within the system. British Columbia will nominate the eligible candidates. Nominated candidates will receive an extra 600 CRS score. This additional 600 CRS score will guarantee that you will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) during the next Express Entry Draw.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program is one of the fastest and effective ways to migrate to British Columbia as a permanent resident. Those willing to immigrate to British Columbia must fall into one of the two categories to be eligible for immigration.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Categories

The two categories of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program are:

1. Skilled Worker Immigration
2. Entrepreneur Immigration

Both categories have their eligibility criteria, and candidates falling under any of these categories must meet the specific criteria to be nominated and selected. Both of these categories are further divided into sub-categories. These sub-categories decide if the candidate is eligible to receive a British Columbia nomination certificate.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Skilled Worker Immigration

The British Columbia Skilled Worker Immigration category is the most popular immigration stream in British Columbia. This category nominates up to 1,350 skilled workers every year. These nominated candidates can then enter the Express Entry British Columbia Stream. Henceforth, their permanent residency for these candidates can be expedited.

The sub-categories of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Skilled Worker Immigration are:

• The Skilled Worker Category- Candidates having a legitimate job offer and holding the required work experience in the relevant work sector can apply for the Skilled Worker Category.
• The Health Care Professional Category- Candidates holding relevant work experience as nurses, physicians, and psychiatric nurses can apply for this category.
• International Post Graduate, BC Degree Category: Foreign candidates holding a Master’s or Doctorate after pursuing a course in British Columbia can apply for this category.
• International Graduate, Canadian Degree Category: This category is open for international students who have graduated from a legitimate and eligible Canadian educational institution in the last two years. An employment offer is a necessity for this category.
• Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category: Candidates who wish to apply for a semi-skilled job, such as tourism, hospitality, or food processing, can apply under this category.

General Requirements for British Columbia Skilled Immigration

The general requirements for the British Columbia Skilled Immigration are as follows:

• The candidate should have a full-time employment offer from an employer in British Columbia
• The candidate must meet all the minimum qualification criteria
• The salary offered by the employer should be considered competitive in the province of British Columbia
• The prospective candidate must prove that they satisfy the minimum income requirement
• The candidate must also have proof of competitive English skills in respect of the occupation National Occupation Code (NOC)
• An assessment fee of CAD 550 is required for the process
• An employer cannot offer employment if the candidate holds a share of more than 10% of the company
• The offered employment must benefit the province of British Columbia

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Skilled Workers Category

The British Columbia skilled workers category is for candidates who hold a university degree or any other post-secondary education certificate, and have the required number of years of working experience in a skilled occupation. The requirements that candidates must meet to be eligible are as follows:

• The applicant must have a jobs in a skilled occupation that falls under a NOC level of O, A or B
• If the employment demands a specific degree or certificate, the candidate must provide all of the same.
• While applying for the BC PNP skilled worker category, the candidate must prove that they possess enough funds and can support their living expenses.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program: Healthcare Professionals

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Healthcare Professional sub-category is open for individuals who work in any of the following occupations:

• Physician
• Registered Nurse
• Specialist
• Registered Psychiatric Nurse
• Nurse Practitioner
• Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
• Clinical Pharmacist
• Medical Laboratory Technologist
• Medical Radiation Technologist
• Occupational Therapist
• Physiotherapist

There are specific requirements for specific workers

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program International Graduates – Canadian Universities

This sub-category is open to international students who hold a graduate degree from a post-secondary educational facility in Canada within the last two years before applying for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program. Work experience is not a requirement, but an employment offer from a British Columbia-based employer is a must.

Eligibility Criteria for Applicants –

·        Applicants must have either a post-graduate or a graduate degree from a University or college in Canada. A full-time 12-month diploma is considered only when a Canadian post-secondary institution provides it

·        The diploma will not be counted if more than quarter of it is done as an internship

·        Application for BC PNP must be within 2 years of finishing the education

·        Applicants must provide proof of income or employment expectation, area of residence and information about dependents

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program International Post-Graduates

This sub-category of BC PNP is for candidates who have studied at a British Columbia institution and have secured a graduate or doctorate in applied, health and natural sciences. However, a job offer is not a must to apply under this sub-category.

Individuals willing to apply under this sub-category must meet the following eligibility criteria:

The applicant must have graduated from a certified British Columbia educational institute in one of these study fields:

• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Agriculture
• Engineering and Engineering Technology
• Computer and Information Sciences and support services
• Physical sciences
• Natural Resources Conservation and Resources
• Applied health sciences

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Semi-Skilled Worker Category

Candidates willing to apply under the BC PNP semi-skilled worker category must meet the following requirements:

• The candidate should be living in the province of British Columbia
• The candidate should be working in a specific niche job within the tourism, hospitality industry, long-haul trucking, or food processing industry.
• Should be working on a National Occupation Code (NOC) level in the Northeastern region of British Columbia
• The candidate should have been employed in a permanent job for at least 9 months before registering a PNP application.
• Should have a sustaining full-time work during the application process
• The candidate should provide a letter of employment signed by both the employer and the applicant detailing working hours, salary, and additional benefits
• Salary offered should be competitive in the current industry
• Should have proof of at least 12 years of schooling
• Should be proficient in English with a Canadian Language Benchmark of 4

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Northeast Pilot Project

The BC PNP Northeast Pilot Project has been closed and is now merged with the BC PNP.

Earlier, this stream allowed candidates from the Northeastern Region of British Columbia, who had expertise in semi-skilled professions, to attend the institution in the Northeast. There was no need to have a job offer while applying under this stream.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Business Immigration

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program for Business Immigration also offers an opportunity to live and work in the province of British Columbia as a permanent resident for individuals who wish to invest in the Canadian economy. There are four sub-categories found in the Business immigration section of the BC PNP. The business immigration sub-categories are as follows:

• Entrepreneur Category: This sub-category is for candidates looking to invest in business in the province of British Columbia
• Regional Entrepreneur Category: This stream is for candidates willing to invest in business in the region of British Columbia, other than Vancouver
• Strategic Projects Category: This sub-category applies to candidates with a foreign-based business established in British Columbia. Up to five individuals contributing to the industry through managerial, technical, or professional roles can be nominated for this sub-category.
• Regional Business Succession Option: This stream is for candidates willing to run an already established business in a region of British Columbia.

British Columbia Immigration Processing Time

The processing time for people participating in the BC PNP process can vary. According to the official immigration website of British Columbia, the standard processing time for applications is 3-4 months.

Cost to Apply for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

The processing fee for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program is CAD 550. While registering for an Entrepreneur program, you need to pay a non-refundable amount of CAD 300.

British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Ineligibility

A candidate will be ineligible for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program if they are inadmissible to Canada for any reason. The reasons could include being illegally admitted to their resident country, working illegally in Canada, having an unresolved refugee claim, being a resident of Canada without authorisation, or being under a Canadian removal order.