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The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

British Columbia is the westernmost region of Canada. It has a lot of different cultures and a growing economy. Vancouver, the third-largest city in Canada, is located in the province of British Columbia. It is also one of the most diverse areas in the whole country. The economy of British Columbia is based on a strong natural resources sector, with forests and mining being the most important. It is known as one of the most beautiful places in Canada and even the world to visit because of its vast woods and unique climate along the coast.

British Columbia Immigration Streams

There are three options for relocating to British Columbia:

  • Skills Immigration Stream;

  • Express Entry British Columbia Stream;

  • Entrepreneur Immigration.

The Skills Immigration Stream is for skilled workers, healthcare professionals, foreign graduates and post-graduates, and entry-level and semi-skilled workers. Except for foreign post-graduates, all candidates must have a job offer or a job they already have.

The only people who can use the Express Entry British Columbia Stream are skilled workers, professionals in the health care field, foreign graduates, and post-graduates.

Skills Immigration 

The BC PNP Skills Immigration is broken up into the following groups:

- Skilled Worker Category 

People who have been given an eligible job offer in a skilled occupation fall into this group. People expect skilled workers to have worked in their field for several years.

- Healthcare Professionals Category 

People who have experience and a job offer as doctors, nurses, psychiatric nurses, or allied health workers can apply under this category. You must get a job offer for one of 11 health-related jobs that qualify.

- International Graduates Category

People who have graduated from a Canadian university or college in the last three years are qualified for this category. To be qualified for this subcategory, you must have a job offer from an employer in BC.

- International Post-graduate Category

This group is for people who have a Master's or Doctoral degree in the natural, applied, or health sciences from a British Columbia school that meets the requirements. To apply for this subcategory, you don't need to have a job offer.

- Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Workers Category 

People who work in the tourism/hospitality industry, the food processing industry, or long-distance transportation in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia may be eligible to immigrate to another nation through this program.

The filing fee for an application is $1,150. It would cost an extra CAD 500 to ask for a review.

Time to process: 1-2 months

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must have taken a full-time offer for a TEER 4 or 5 job (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);

  • Must have a pay offer that is in line with the provincial wage rates (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);

  • Must show that you can support yourself and your family (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);

  • Must meet the basic language requirements (TEER 2, 3, 4, or 5 (CLB level 4 in all competencies) for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Category);

  • Must meet any other rules that are unique to your group;

  • Except for the International Post-Graduate Category, the employer must also meet certain requirements to be eligible.

What happens:

You must first sign up with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that B.C. can compare your job, education, location in B.C., language skills, and wage to what the labor market wants in the province. With BCPNP Online, you can sign up by filling out all of the parts of the registration form. 

Note: Candidates for the International Post-Graduate Category and the Healthcare Professional Category do not need to register with the SIRS. They can apply straight through BCPNP Online.

Then, you'll get a registration score based on several things, and you'll be put into a selection pool for the category you selected. In a provincial draw, people who meet certain conditions and have a score above a certain threshold are asked to apply for a provincial nomination.

After that, applicants will have 30 days to use BCPNP Online to apply.

If a province chooses you, you can then apply to the Canadian central government for permanent residence.

Category

Is a job required?

Is it currently receiving applications?

Additional Requirements

Skilled Worker

Yes

(NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, 3)

Yes

Must have at least two years of work experience in skilled work.

Healthcare Professional

Yes

Yes

Must have at least two years of experience as physician, nurses, psychiatric nurse or allied health professional.

International Graduate

Yes

Yes

Must have graduated from an eligible university or college in the last three years.

International Post-Graduate

No

Yes

Must hold a Master's or Doctorate in a relevant field from a university in British Columbia.

Entry-level and Semi-skilled worker

Yes, candidates must be currently working.

Yes

Must reside in the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia and hold a job in tourism, food processing, or long-distance trucking.

 

Express Entry BC

Express Entry BC is the same as the federal government's Express Entry immigration selection method. This means that eligible applicants can get their BC PNP application and, if they are nominated, their application for permanent residence is processed faster.

Express Entry British Columbia can handle the following types of Skilled Immigration:

Category of Skilled Worker

  • Skilled Worker Category

  • Health Care Professional Category

  • International Graduate Category

  • International Post-Graduate Category

The fee to apply is CAD 1,150

Time to process: 2 to 3 months

Minimum Requirements:

  • Must have a profile in the government Express Entry system that is still active;

  • Have a Job Seeker Validation Code from the Express Entry system;

  • Except for the International Post-Graduate Category, you must have received a full-time job offer.

  • Must give a wage that is the same as in B.C. Except for the International Post-Graduate Category, wage rates;

  • Except for the International Post-Graduate Category, you must be able to support yourself and your family.

  • Must meet the minimum language standards (except for the International Post-Graduate Category);

  • You must also meet other standards that are unique to your category;

  • Except in the case of the International Post-Graduate Category, the employer must also be qualified.

What happens:

You must already have a current Express Entry profile with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) before you can start.

Then, you must sign up with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that B.C. can compare your job, education, location in B.C., language skills, and wage to what the labor market wants in the province. 

You can join BCPNP Online by completing the registration form in its entirety. Candidates applying under the International Postgraduate or Healthcare Professional categories are exempt from SIRS registration. They can apply straight through BCPNP Online.

Then, you'll get a registration score based on several things, and you'll be put into a selection pool for the category you selected. In a provincial draw, people who meet certain conditions and have a score above a certain threshold are asked to apply for a provincial nomination.

After that, applicants will have 30 days to use BCPNP Online to apply.

If you are chosen, a provincial nomination will be sent to you through the Express Entry method. To officially accept the nomination, you must use the Express Entry system.

 

Category

Is a job required?

Is it currently receiving applications?

Additional Requirements

Skilled Worker

Yes

Yes

Required to have a minimum of two years experience in a skilled occupation (TEER 0-1-1-2).

Healthcare Professional

Yes

Yes

Required two years experience as a physician, nurse, psychiatric nurse, or allied health professional; alternatively, certification as a midwife from a recognized practice group in British Columbia.

International Graduate

Yes

Yes

Must have graduated from an eligible university or college in the last three years.

International Post-Graduate

No

Yes

Must have graduated with a Master's or PhD from a B.C. university in the natural, applied, or health sciences programs of study.

SIRS (Skills Immigration Registration System.)

The Skills Immigration Registration method (SIRS) is a points-based method that gives candidates a registration score that helps decide if they may be invited to apply. 

The score is based on several things, like the amount of education, the number of years of direct work experience, and a B.C. work offer that shows a person's ability to do well on the job market and help the economy of the province.

The SIRS Score

The number of points given to a candidate who has applied under SIRS is based on the things listed below. If and when a candidate is asked to apply, all the information given in the registration will be checked against the information given in the application.

 

Scoring Sections

Maximum Points

Economic

Factors

(80)

Hourly Wage of the B.C. Job Offer

55

Regional District of Employment

25

Human Capital

Factors

(120)

Directly Related Work Experience

40

Highest Level of Education

40

Language

40

Total Points Available

200

 

How does Express Entry work?

Express Entry is a system that the Canadian federal government uses to handle applications for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), which are the three main economic class immigration programs in Canada.

The Express Entry method is also used by a lot of PNP streams. We call these "enhanced" streams. "Base" streams are those that don't use the Express Entry method.

In the Express Entry system, candidates are judged on their age, schooling, work experience, and language skills, among other things. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) gives them a score based on all of these things. In an Express Entry draw, Canada lets the people with the best CRS score apply for permanent residency.

Streams of the PNP that are better, like the Express Entry B.C. stream, and the Express Entry system. B.C. searches the Express Entry pool for suitable applicants based on the information in their profiles. 

Those who use Express Entry and get a regional nomination from B.C. are given an extra 600 CRS points. This makes it almost certain that you will be invited to apply for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw.

Entrepreneur Immigration

If you are a business owner and want to move to British Columbia, you have three options:

Entrepreneur Immigration - Base Category

This category is for top managers or business owners who want to put money into a new business idea in British Columbia.

NOTE: For the time being, the Entrepreneur Immigration - -Base Category is not accepting any new applications. The province is likely to say when this stream will reopen in early 2022.

Fees:

  • $300 to sign up.

  • Use: 3,500 dollars

  • Review Request: $500

Requirements at a minimum:

  • Must be worth at least CAD 600,000 on their own.

  • Must have experience in business or management

  • Must be able to speak English or French at a CLB level 4 or above.

  • Must start a new business or buy a current one and improve it.

  • Must put at least CAD 200,000 of their own money into the business;

  • Must make at least one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Regional Pilot for Entrepreneur Immigration 

This new test program is for people from outside of Canada who want to start a new business in a small town in British Columbia.

Requirements at a minimum:

  • Must be worth at least CAD 300,000 on their own.

  • Must have three years of experience as an active business owner-manager, four years of experience as a senior manager, or a mix of one year as an owner-manager and two years as a senior manager.

  • Must get the right schooling

  • Must be able to speak English or French at a CLB level 4 or above.

  • The business needs to meet more standards.

Category of Strategic Projects 

Through this group, companies that are run from outside of British Columbia can set up shop there. Up to five important foreign managers, professionals, or technicians who work in the province can be put forward for permanent residency.

Fees for Strategic Projects:

  • $300 to sign up.

  • Use: 3,500 dollars

  • Each key team member costs $1,000.

Minimum Requirements:

  • The company needs to be well-known and in good financial shape;

  • Must show they can spend if they want to grow in B.C.;

  • Must be good for the province's economy in a big way.

How long it takes:

  • Registration score notification: 6 weeks (from the date of registration)

  • Notification of application decision: 4 months (from the date the application was sent).

Working Process: 

If you want to apply for the Entrepreneur Immigration Categories, you must first sign up for BCPNP Online and give a short description of your business idea.

You will get a number based on the information you give. Those who are eligible are put in the qualified pool. The candidates with the best scores are sometimes asked to apply.

Once you are invited to apply, you will have four months to send a full application through BCPNP Online. After that, a BC PNP-approved accounting company must look at how much money you have.

If you are approved, you will get a work permit for two years and will be able to set up your business in B.C. Your business plan can be put into action for up to 20 months. Then, B.C. will be able to give you a province nomination. and apply to live there permanently.

If you are interested in the Strategic Projects Category, you must first make sure that your business is eligible and that your key employees are eligible.

You will first have to go to B.C. to check things out. to find out more about how business works in the area. Then you have to talk to the BC PNP about your business plan.

The next step is for the company to show that it wants to apply. At this point, you will have to give information about your company, the money you plan to spend in B.C., and the qualifications of the key staff you plan to hire.

B.C. will look over your application, and if you're a good fit, you'll be asked to apply. You have 90 days to send in your application. If your application is accepted, you and each key employee will have to sign an agreement with the province called a business Performance Agreement.

Then, each of you will get a letter of support for a work permit, and you can apply for a work permit through IRCC.

When you move to Canada and finish your duties under the Performance Agreement, you must send a final report to BC PNP. After that, you will get a provincial nomination and have 180 days to send your application for permanent residence to IRCC. 

B.C. PNP Tech 

Tech draws are often held in British Columbia, where qualified skilled workers are asked to apply for a provincial nomination.

In 2017, the project began as a pilot program to help the province with its lack of tech workers. The province made it a long-term scheme in June 2021.

This program is for skilled workers who have been offered a job in British Columbia. in one of 29 jobs that qualify. The job offer must also be for at least a year and have at least 120 calendar days left when you apply.

You may also know the complete information about https://www.celpipcafe.com/blog/manitoba-provincial-nominee-program

FAQS

Q1. What do I need to do to move to British Columbia?

If you want to move to British Columbia, you can choose from a few different options:

  • Skilled immigration Stream, 

  • Express Entry Streamfrom British Columbia;

  • or Entrepreneurs Stream.

Step 1: Choose the right stream for you based on your unique situation. Check to see if you can join the chosen stream.

Step 2: Sign up through the SIRS system if you need to.

Step 3: Use BCPNP Online to send in your application.

Step 4: Get a nomination from the province of B.C.

Step 5: Send an application to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to become a permanent resident.

Candidates need to first sign up on BCPNP Online through the SIRS system. There is no need to sign up for the SIRS if you are applying under the International Postgraduate or Healthcare Professional categories. You can apply straight on BCPNP Online.

Then, you'll get a score for registering and be added to the pool. You will get an invitation to apply for provincial nomination if you meet certain standards and get a score above a certain threshold. Then, you'll have 30 days to fill out an application through BCPNP Online.

If you are chosen, the province will give you a nomination. After that, you can apply to the Canadian central government for permanent residence.

If a province nominates you through the Express Entry method, you can choose to accept the nomination.

Q2. How hard is it to move to B.C.?

Coming to live in B.C. may be simple for one candidate but hard for another. Because of this, it is best to choose the right stream for you based on your situation.

For example, if you've been offered a job in B.C. in a skilled trade, you'll need a work permit. You might want to apply for the Skilled Worker group under the Express Entry B.C. program if you have an Express Entry profile. a waterway.

Q3. Who can get the BC PNP?

The BC PNP is for skilled workers, entry-level and semi-skilled workers, foreign graduates and post-graduates, and healthcare professionals.

You don't need an Express Entry record to be able to move to British Columbia. But most people who want to immigrate need to have a job offer unless they are going as an international post-graduate. To do this, you need to have finished from a university in B.C. that is on the list. with a Master's or PhD in a field of study in the natural, applied, or health sciences.

Also, entrepreneurs who want to start a business or buy a business in B.C. can choose from three choices.

Q4. How can I stay permanently in B.C.?

You must first figure out which type and line of immigration you qualify for. After you do this, you must sign up with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) so that B.C. can compare your job, education, location in B.C., language skills, and wage to what the labor market wants in the province.

With BCPNP Online, you can sign up by filling out all of the parts of the registration form.

If you are applying for the International Post-Graduate Category or the Healthcare Professional Category, you do not need to register with the SIRS. Instead, you can apply straight through BCPNP Online.

Then, you'll get a registration score based on several things, and you'll be put into a selection pool for the category you selected. In a provincial draw, people who meet certain conditions and have a score above a certain threshold are asked to apply for a provincial nomination.

After that, applicants will have 30 days to use BCPNP Online to apply.

If you are chosen, a provincial nomination will be sent to you through the Express Entry method. You have to use the Express Entry method to accept the nomination.

Q5. Does BC PNP mean you'll get PR?

If you get a regional nomination, you will be able to apply to the Canadian government for permanent residence.

You get 600 more Comprehensive Ranking method (CRS) points if a province nominates you through the Express Entry method. This makes it almost certain that you will be asked to apply for permanent residency.

Getting a nomination from a province puts you in a great situation when you apply to IRCC for permanent residence.

Before deciding whether to give you permanent residence, IRCC will look at your application and make sure you pass an eligibility check.

Q6. How is it to live in British Columbia?

The level of living in B.C. is a lot. The people of B.C. are warm and friendly. People from all over the world move to the area every year, which makes it very different.

Vancouver Island has a mild climate. The summers are warm and dry, and the winter, fall, and spring are wet and rainy. It doesn't snow all the time. Northern B.C. has cooler weather.

Q7. How much does it cost to live in B.C.?

How much it costs to live in B.C. where you live makes a difference. The province has its cost-of-living calculator that lets you see how much healthcare, housing, taxes, energy, and transportation costs in different parts of the province.

Q8. How is the weather in B.C.?

Vancouver Island and the places along the south coast have a mild climate. The summers are warm and dry, and the winters, fall, and spring are wet and rainy.

In Canada, the winters are the mildest along the coast. It doesn't get much colder than 0 degrees Celsius, and it doesn't snow very often.

In the middle parts of B.C., summers are up to 30 degrees Celsius warmer, and winters are colder and snowier.

Northern B.C. has even colder weather. The winters last longer, and there is more snow.

Q9. Are winters warm in B.C.?

Yes. Winters are very warm in places along the south coast, like Vancouver Island. It doesn't get much colder than 0 degrees Celsius, and it doesn't snow very often.

Q10. Is health care in B.C. for free?

Yes. The Medical Service Plan (MSP) is free for Canadians and permanent residents who live in B.C.

This includes things like doctor's fees, services from doctors and midwives, dental and oral surgery, eye checks, and some orthodontic services. It also pays for tests like X-rays to find out what's wrong.

Other services may be paid for, such as extra care from other healthcare providers. Among these are acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, naturopathy, physical therapy, and podiatry that doesn't involve surgery.