BRITISH COLUMBIA PROVINCIAL NOMINEE PROGRAM

The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an economic immigration program designed to help B.C. meet its dynamic Labour market and economic development priorities. The program allows B.C. to select foreign workers and international graduates who have the skills and experience to contribute to B.C.’s economy.

The BC PNP is operated by the Province of B.C. in partnership with the federal government through Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The BC PNP assesses applications and nominates candidates for permanent residence. CIC makes the final decision on each application and issues permanent resident visas to successful applicants.

Skills Immigration stream under the BC Provincial Nominee Program is designed for individuals who would like to live and work in B.C. and become permanent residents of Canada. Moreover, this stream is intended for people with the skills, experience and qualifications needed by B.C. employers.

To be eligible for the program, potential applicants will need to satisfy the criteria in one of the following categories:

• Health care professionals (for physicians, registered nurses and other health care workers)
• Northeast Pilot Project: Entry level or semi-skilled workers who are living in the northeast region of the province

• Have been offered and have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer from a public health authority
• Minimum of two years of directly related work experience
• Meet a certain Occupation Criteria for physicians, registered nurses and other health care workers
• The wage must be competitive with B.C. wage rates for the occupation
• Be able to become economically established
• Be able to support yourself (and your dependents):
• For Skill Level B occupation - Language Proficiency test results (minimum 4 CLB)
• Have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada

Due to the recent rapid growth of the energy sector, the Northeast Development Region of British Columbia has a high demand for workers. In April 2012, the B.C. government launched a two-year pilot project to expand the types of workers eligible for the BC PNP in the Northeast Development Region only. The NEPP has been extended to March, 31, 2016.

If you are currently working in the Northeast Development Region in any occupation listed as NOC Skill Level C or D in the National Occupational Classification Matrix, you may be eligible for the BC PNP – North Pilot Project stream. These occupations usually require completion of secondary school, occupation-specific training or on-the-job training. The occupations include (but are not limited to) mine service workers, heavy equipment operators, machine operators and retail sales clerks.

The Health Care Professional, NEPP and EEBC streams of the BC PNP are employer-driven and are designed to help B.C. businesses attract and retain international workers and students to meet B.C.’s Labour market needs.

In order to be able to submit the application under BC PNP, you along with your employer must meet specific program criteria. Below are the general requirements for employer:

• Be Economically Established in B.C.
• Have permanent, full-time employees
• Have a history of good workplace and business practice
• Sign an employer declaration
• Meet domestic Labour market recruitment requirements
• Offer a Full-Time Job of Indeterminate Length
• Offer a Market Rate Wage

The BC PNP accepts applications from the following public sector and non-profit organizations with a permanent establishment in B.C.

British Columbia introduced Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC) in January 2015 to allow the BC PNP to use CIC's Express Entry system to meet B.C.'s specific Labour market needs.

The EEBC stream will result in faster and more efficient processing for individuals who meet all the EEBC requirements and significantly reduce application processing times. Moreover, the EEBC stream of the BC PNP will help B.C. meet the need for skilled workers.

To be eligible under EEBC program and receive priority processing of BC PNP application, individuals must meet the following requirements:

• Meet CIC’s Express Entry Requirements
• Obtain a CIC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code
• Meet the criteria under one of the BC PNP’s EEBC categories

Note 1: Federal programs also include a language proficiency test and an independent evaluation of your education that is assessed against Canadian standards.

If you are a physician, nurse, psychiatric nurse or allied health professional, you may be eligible to apply to the BC PNP in the health care professional category. In addition, you will have to meet the certain requirements:

• Have been offered and have accepted a full-time, indeterminate job offer from a public health authority
• Minimum of two years of directly related work experience
• Have mandatory certification, licensing or registration for certain occupation
• Meet the criteria of certain occupation
• The wage must be competitive with B.C. wage rates
• Become economically established
• Be able to support yourself and your dependents
• Proficiency in English or French (if you are working in a Skill Level B occupation)
• Must have, or be eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada