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PNP British Columbia

British Columbia, situated on Canada’s west coast, is known for the beauty surrounding its Rocky Mountain landscape and the Pacific Ocean.  It offers a variety of immigration pathways through its Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). These programs are specifically designed to attract and retain newcomers who can address workforce shortages and contribute significantly to the province’s economy and communities.

BRITISH COLUMBIA HAS SEVERAL IMMIGRATION STREAMS, DIVIDED BETWEEN 2 CATEGORIES:

  • British Columbia Skills Immigration
  • BC Skilled Worker
  • BC Health Authority
  • British Columbia Entrepreneur Immigration
  • Entrepreneur Immigration – Base
  • Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional
  • Entrepreneur Immigration – Strategic Projects

Both Skills Immigration streams also have an Express Entry BC option for candidates who qualify for the federal Express Entry system.

The BC PNP’s nomination allocation for 2026 is 6,254. In April 2026, the province announced that it will select candidates according to three priorities, “Care”, “Build” and “Innovate”, and expects at least 35% of nominations to go to candidates working outside Metro Vancouver. The International Graduate, International Post-Graduate and Entry Level and Semi-Skilled streams are no longer available, and the technology-focused draws have ended.

Find out more about the requirements and eligibility by selecting each stream, or contact us for a consultation.

British Columbia

British Columbia Skills Immigration - BC Skilled Worker

The BC Skills Immigration – BC Skilled Worker stream is designed to target workers with a job offer in a skilled occupation who can contribute to British Columbia’s workforce.

Candidates first register in the BC PNP online system. Registrations are scored on work experience, education, language ability, wage and the job’s location in BC, and stay in the pool for up to 12 months. An invitation is needed to apply, and invited candidates have 30 calendar days to submit a complete application.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

To be eligible for applying to this stream, applicants must:

  • Have a full-time, indeterminate (no end date) job offer from an eligible BC employer in an occupation classified as NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3, with the employer's support
  • Have at least two (2) years of full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience
  • Have the minimum education, licence or registration required for the occupation in BC
  • Have a valid language test score in either English or French equal to Canadian Language Benchmark Level 4 (CLB 4) or higher
  • Be offered a wage that meets the BC PNP's minimum wage and income requirements

British Columbia

BC Skills Immigration – BC Health Authority

The BC Skills Immigration – BC Health Authority stream is designed to target workers who have a job offer from one of British Columbia’s public health authorities, such as physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives and allied health professionals.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

To be eligible for applying to this stream, applicants must:

  • Have a full-time, indeterminate (no end date) job offer from a BC public health authority in an eligible occupation, supported by authorized health authority staff
  • Have the work experience required by the BC PNP and by the employer for the position
  • Have the education, licence or registration required for the position
  • Have a valid language test score in either English or French equal to Canadian Language Benchmark Level 4 (CLB 4) or higher
  • Be offered a wage that meets the BC PNP's minimum wage and income requirements

British Columbia

BC Entrepreneur Immigration – Base

The BC Entrepreneur Immigration – Base stream is designed to target experienced business owner-managers who want to live in British Columbia and start a new business, or take over and grow an existing one.

Candidates register online and enter a pool, where the registration stays active for up to six months; registering does not guarantee an invitation. Approved candidates first receive a work permit to come to BC and establish the business, and may then be nominated for permanent residence once they meet the terms of their performance agreement.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

To be eligible for applying to this stream, applicants must:

  • Have at least three (3) years of experience as a business owner-manager within the last 10 years (applicants who do not meet this requirement may instead submit proof of an eligible post-secondary degree for consideration)
  • Have a personal net worth of at least $600,000 CAD
  • Make an eligible personal investment of at least $200,000 CAD in the business
  • Create at least one (1) new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
  • Have a valid language test score in either English or French equal to Canadian Language Benchmark Level 4 (CLB 4)
  • Sign a performance agreement with the province

British Columbia

BC Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional

The BC Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional stream is designed to target experienced entrepreneurs who want to start a new business in a participating regional community in British Columbia.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

To be eligible for applying to this stream, applicants must:

  • Conduct an exploratory visit to the participating community where the business will be established
  • Be referred to the BC PNP by the participating community (the community referral form is valid for 90 days)
  • Propose a new eligible business that aligns with the community's economic priorities
  • Have at least three (3) years of experience as a business owner-manager within the last five (5) years (applicants who do not meet this requirement may instead submit proof of an eligible post-secondary degree for consideration)
  • Have a personal net worth of at least $300,000 CAD, and make an eligible personal investment of at least $100,000 CAD in the business
  • Create at least one (1) new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
  • Have a valid language test score in either English or French equal to Canadian Language Benchmark Level 4 (CLB 4)
  • Sign a performance agreement with the province

British Columbia

BC Entrepreneur Immigration Stream - BC Strategic Projects

The BC Entrepreneur Immigration Stream – BC Strategic Projects stream is designed to target well-established foreign companies who want to expand their operations in British Columbia. The foreign company can facilitate the immigration of up to five (5) key staff members through this stream.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE COMPANY

To be eligible for applying to this stream, companies must:
  • Invest a minimum of $500,000 CAD in the new branch of operations in BC
  • Create at least three (3) new jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each key staff member proposed

Additional eligibility requirements may be imposed depending on the nature of the company.

Note: Successful applicants to this stream typically have at least 150 staff members, with annual revenues of at least $20,000,000 CAD

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE KEY STAFF MEMBERS

To be eligible for applying to this stream, applicants must:

  • Be qualified senior personnel, essential to the organization
  • Create at least three (3) new jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each key staff member proposed

British Columbia

BC PNP Priorities: Care, Build and Innovate

The BC Tech Pilot (later called BC PNP Tech) has ended; the last technology draw was held on December 3, 2024. Since April 2026, the BC PNP has selected Skills Immigration candidates according to three priorities:

  • Care: skilled workers who support public services and community well-being, including in-demand health care occupations, early childhood educators, French-speaking teachers in BC's public K–12 system (CLB 5 or higher in French) and veterinary care occupations
  • Build: certified workers in 9 in-demand construction trades, such as electricians and welders
  • Innovate: high-impact candidates in all sectors, including technology, who can contribute to innovation and long-term economic growth in BC

These priorities guide the province’s targeted invitations. Candidates must still meet all requirements of the BC Skilled Worker or BC Health Authority stream.

Looking for assistance to apply for the Provincial Nominee Program in British Columbia? Contact us for a consultation or fill out the assessment form.

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