The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an economic immigration program administered by the Government of British Columbia’s Immigration Programs Branch.

The program enables the province to select and nominate foreign workers, international students and entrepreneurs to help meet B.C.’s labour market needs, support government priorities, and help grow B.C.’s economy. If you are nominated, you and your family can apply to IRCC to become a permanent resident of Canada.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an immigration program jointly administered by the Province and Canada under the Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement (CBCIA). Through the BC PNP, B.C. nominates applicants who help address the province’s unique labour market needs and contribute to economic development.

B.C. is allocated a set number of nominations each year. Strategic priorities and initiatives help to ensure that the BC PNP is most effectively administered in a way that it remains aligned with the StrongerBC Economic Plan while maintaining program integrity and supporting qualified applicants for success.

Supporting B.C.’s Care Economy

B.C. has a critical need for more health care workers and early childhood educators (ECEs). Under the BC PNP, increasing support for the care economy. Healthcare workers in select occupations and ECEs will be given priority access to apply, which provides a better chance for assessment under the program’s eligibility criteria.

Registrants whose occupation is on a pre-determined list of in-demand health occupations and ECEs, and who have a qualified, permanent job offer in B.C., will be given priority access to the BC PNP. The Health Authority category is open to any occupation.

Priority access is achieved through direct-to-apply categories, such as workers employed by a Health Authority, or targeted draws for qualified workers with a job offer as an ECE or in one of the in-demand occupations in healthcare. As registrants / applicants and employers must continue to meet all relevant program criteria. 

BC PNP Tech

BC PNP Tech provides B.C. tech employers with the continued ability to recruit and retain international talent in tech occupations when local skilled workers are unavailable. This initiative gives in-demand foreign workers and international students a pathway to permanent residence, so they can help grow our economy and build a great life here in B.C.

BC PNP Tech has supported more than 6,000 tech workers to be nominated for permanent residence since its launch in May 2017. BC PNP Tech helps ensure B.C. can continue to attract and retain the talent needed to sustain and grow the technology sector in the province.  

Key Features

BC PNP Tech key features are based on service, timeliness, prioritization and engagement in response to the needs of the industry.

Offer an employer concierge service for companies wishing to support an applicant under BC PNP Tech. If you are a tech employer in B.C. and want to know more about the program or this initiative, 

Conduct targeted tech-only draws to ensure that skilled tech applicants have priority access to the program. We also assign files to a dedicated team, resulting in more timely processing of tech applications.

Continue to proactively engage technology employers and industry stakeholders through targeted outreach and other activities, to keep up to date with the issues facing the tech sector in B.C.

Benefits to applicants: 

• an immigration pathway that does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
• work permit support letters for nominees so they can apply for a new work permit or renew their current work permit and continue to work throughout the federal permanent residence process
• client support services through email and phone until permanent residence

Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP)

In 2018, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) to provide complementary pathways to permanent residence for skilled refugees.

The EMPP helps employers find skilled refugees for positions that can’t be filled domestically due to British Columbia’s labour shortages. Successful EMPP applicants arrive in the province as permanent residents and contribute their skills and experience to their new employer and B.C.’s labour market.

The pilot partners include IRCC, the Province of B.C. (BC PNP), United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and designated non-government organization partners (NGOs). 

IRCC’s role

IRCC will continue intake of EMPP applications under economic immigration pathways. IRCC is also responsible for operational oversight and policy direction of the EMPP. 

The BC PNP’s role

Participating in Phase 2 of the EMPP. for process registrations and applications from EMPP candidates. We are accepting registrations and applications from candidates with the skills and experience to qualify under BC PNP Tech’s key technology occupations. These occupations have strong labour market demand, high median salaries and quality employment.

The Province will initially target up to 50 EMPP skilled refugees who meet the program criteria and who are referred to the BC PNP by a designated NGO partner. 

The role of designated NGO partners

Designated NGO partners will assist in identifying candidates abroad with in-demand skills and qualifications, and will facilitate a match with local opportunities. They also provide the preparation and submission of immigration applications for EMPP candidates.

Designated NGO partners can help employers find skilled refugee candidates abroad who meet the EMPP eligibility requirements. They match those candidates with the skills and qualifications for specific job vacancies. They also help with the preparation and submission of immigration applications for EMPP candidates.

BC PNP Tech Occupations

0131 Telecommunication carriers managers
0213 Computer and information systems managers
0512 Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts
2131 Civil engineers
2132 Mechanical engineers
2133 Electrical and electronics engineers
2134 Chemical engineers
2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
2171 Information systems analysts and consultants
2172 Database analysts and data administrators
2173 Software engineers and designers
2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
2175 Web designers and developers
2221 Biological technologists and technicians
2241 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
2242 Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
2243 Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
2281 Computer network technicians
2282 User support technicians
2283 Information systems testing technicians
5121 Authors and writers
5122 Editors
5125 Translators, terminologists and interpreters
5224 Broadcast technicians
5225 Audio and video recording technicians
5226 Other technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts
5227 Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and the performing arts
5241 Graphic designers and illustrators
6221 Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade 

Care economy: Healthcare occupations

0311   Managers in healthcare
3011   Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
3012   Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
3111   Specialist physicians
3112   General practitioners and family physicians
3113   Dentists
3122   Chiropractors
3124   Allied primary health practitioners
3125   Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
3131   Pharmacists
3132   Dietitians and nutritionists
3141   Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
3142   Physiotherapists
3143   Occupational therapists
3144   Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
3211   Medical laboratory technologists
3212   Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants
3214   Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
3215   Medical radiation technologists
3216   Medical sonographers
3217   Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.
3219   Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
3221   Denturists
3222   Dental hygienists and dental therapists
3223   Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants
3232   Practitioners of natural healing
3233   Licensed practical nurses
3234   Paramedical occupations
3237   Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
3411   Dental assistants
3413   Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates*
4151   Psychologists
4152   Social workers
4153   Family, marriage and other related counsellors
4212   Social and community service workers

*For the purposes of the BC PNP, only health care assistants / health care aides are eligible under NOC 3413.
 Care economy: Childcare occupations

4214   Early Childhood Educators