Three pillars driving BC’s 6,254 nominations in 2026
On April 23, 2026, BC restructured the program around three priority pillars. If your occupation aligns, your odds of nomination increase significantly.
British Columbia Program guide
Is the BC Provincial Nominee Program right for you?
A complete guide to eligibility, priority sectors, and the path to permanent residence in British Columbia.
What is the BC Provincial Nominee Program?
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is the province’s economic immigration program. It selects skilled workers and entrepreneurs who can fill labour shortages and support B.C.’s economic priorities. It operates under the 2021 Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement: B.C. nominates candidates and the federal government grants permanent residence.
The process has two stages, each with its own timeline:
Stage 1: Provincial nomination (B.C.). B.C. reviews your application and decides whether to nominate you. Provincial processing takes about 3 months for most complete applications (the BC PNP processes around 80% of cases within that time). This timeline is the same for all Skills Immigration candidates, regardless of how they later apply for permanent residence.
Stage 2: Permanent residence (federal, IRCC). Once nominated, you apply to the federal government for permanent residence. Here the timeline depends on your pathway:
- Express Entry pathway: a B.C. nomination adds 600 points to your CRS, which virtually guarantees a federal Invitation to Apply in the next Express Entry round. Federal processing through this pathway takes about 7 months (IRCC estimate, September 2026).
- Base pathway (non-Express Entry, online through the IRCC Permanent Residence Portal): federal processing takes about 13 months (IRCC estimate, September 2026).
Important update: on April 23, 2026, B.C. announced program changes built around three objectives: Care, Build, and Innovate. Since then, Skills Immigration invitations target priority occupations under Care and Build, and high economic impact candidates under Innovate. The Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) stream is officially closed (its last invitations were issued on December 10, 2024), and B.C. will not launch new student streams. Dedicated technology draws ended on December 3, 2024; technology occupations remain eligible, and B.C. continues to invite top talent from all sectors, including technology, through High Economic Impact invitations. The first rounds under the new priorities took place on May 6, 2026.
ELIGIBILITY
Who qualifies?
Eligibility depends on the specific stream you apply under. Across most BC PNP streams, candidates must meet these baseline requirements. Applicants must also intend to live and work in British Columbia, be admissible to Canada, and pass medical and security checks.
01
Job offer in British Columbia
A full-time, indeterminate job offer from an eligible BC employer, in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation (Skilled Worker stream) or in an eligible health occupation (Health Authority stream). Occupations under the Care and Build priorities receive targeted invitations. If your employer is a BC public health authority, you can apply directly to the Health Authority stream without registering.
02
Work experience
The Skilled Worker stream requires at least 2 years of full-time (or full-time equivalent) paid work experience in any skilled occupation (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3), gained in Canada or abroad within the last 10 years. The Health Authority stream requires the experience set by the BC PNP and your health authority employer. Experience directly related to your job offer is scored separately at registration.
03
Language proficiency
Language requirements depend on the NOC TEER level of your job offer. For TEER 2, 3, 4 and 5 occupations, you must show at least CLB 4 in listening, speaking, reading and writing. For TEER 0 and 1 occupations, a test is not required unless you claim registration points for language or the BC PNP asks for one. Accepted tests: CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training, PTE Core, TEF Canada and TCF Canada. Results are valid for two years. If you use the Express Entry BC option, you must also meet the language level of your federal Express Entry program.
04
Education and minimum income
You must meet the minimum education, training and licensing required for the offered occupation. The BC PNP may ask for an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) during the assessment, but it is not a standard requirement. Your family income in B.C. must meet a minimum set by area of residence and family size, based on the Low-Income Cut-Off published by Statistics Canada. If you use the Express Entry BC option, the IRCC proof of settlement funds requirement may also apply.
PRIORITY PILLARS
The 3 BC PNP priority pillars
Starting May 2026, BC PNP Skills Immigration invitations are organized around three priority objectives. Care and Build target specific occupations facing critical shortages; Innovate targets high economic impact candidates across all sectors.
Care
For workers in healthcare, education, childcare, and veterinary care. Includes physicians, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, allied health professionals, French-speaking public school teachers, early childhood educators, and veterinary professionals. Healthcare workers employed by a BC health authority can apply directly without SIRS registration.
Build
For 9 priority construction trades supporting construction delivery and major infrastructure projects in BC. Includes carpenters, electricians, plumbers, welders, steamfitters and pipefitters, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, and other certified trades.
Innovate
For select high-impact roles that drive economic growth in BC. Targets specialized professionals in technology, science, engineering, and other strategic sectors with demonstrated economic contribution to the province.
Priority occupations by BC PNP pillar
The occupations B.C. prioritizes for targeted invitations under its 2026 objectives: Care, Build and Innovate. Open any occupation to see the job titles it covers.
Care 36 occupations
Skilled workers in healthcare, veterinary care and education. Health workers employed by a B.C. health authority may also qualify through the Health Authority stream.
30010 Managers in health care
31100 Specialists in clinical and laboratory medicine
31101 Specialists in surgery
31102 General practitioners and family physicians
31103 Veterinarians
31110 Dentists
31112 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
31120 Pharmacists
31121 Dietitians and nutritionists
31200 Psychologists
31201 Chiropractors
31202 Physiotherapists
31203 Occupational therapists
31204 Kinesiologists and other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
31209 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
31300 Nursing coordinators and supervisors
31301 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
31302 Nurse practitioners
31303 Physician assistants, midwives and allied health professionals
32101 Licensed practical nurses
32102 Paramedical occupations
32103 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
32104 Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians
32111 Dental hygienists and dental therapists
32112 Dental technologists and technicians
32120 Medical laboratory technologists
32121 Medical radiation technologists
32122 Medical sonographers
32123 Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists
32200 Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists
33101 Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
33102 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
41220 Secondary school teachers (French-speaking only)
41221 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (French-speaking only)
41300 Social workers
42202 Early childhood educators and assistants
Trained as an ECE outside Canada?
To work as an Early Childhood Educator or ECE Assistant in a licensed child care facility in B.C., you must be certified by the B.C. ECE Registry, which has a certification pathway for internationally trained applicants.
Build 9 certified trades
Construction and infrastructure trades. To receive a targeted invitation, you need a valid trade certificate issued by SkilledTradesBC, or an apprenticeship registered with SkilledTradesBC, that matches the job offered.
72106 Welders and related machine operators
72200 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
72201 Industrial electricians
72300 Plumbers
72301 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
72310 Carpenters
72400 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
72401 Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
72402 Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
Innovate High economic impact
The Innovate pillar has no fixed list of occupations. B.C. issues High Economic Impact invitations to attract top talent from all sectors, including experienced entrepreneurs. Occupations on the former priority technology list remain eligible for the BC PNP.
Source: Government of British Columbia, WelcomeBC (BC PNP sector-specific selection of workers); job titles from the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada. Verified July 2026. Priority lists are set by the province and change over time; confirm current eligibility before applying. welcomebc.ca
HOW TO APPLY
The application process
Most BC PNP applications follow a four-stage process through the BCPNP Online system.
01
Registration and SIRS score
Submit a free registration through BCPNP Online. The Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) scores your profile out of 200 points based on hourly wage, regional location, education, work experience, and language proficiency. Health Authority stream candidates apply directly, without registering.
02
Invitation to Apply
BC runs periodic targeted draws under each pillar. In each draw, B.C. invites the highest-scoring registrants or those who meet the selection factors set for that draw, such as a minimum wage. You then have 30 calendar days to submit a complete application through BCPNP Online and pay the $1,750 application fee.
03
Provincial nomination
The BC PNP reviews your application against the eligibility criteria. Provincial processing takes about 3 months for most complete applications. If approved, you receive a Confirmation of Nomination, which authorizes you to apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
04
Federal permanent residence
With the nomination, apply to IRCC for permanent residence. Through Express Entry, the +600 CRS points give you an invitation to apply; IRCC then processes the application in about 7 months. Base PNP applications take about 13 months. Both require medical exams, police certificates and background checks.
Recent BC PNP draws
The BC PNP invites candidates in periodic rounds (draws). Check each round’s dates, minimum SIRS scores, and number of invitations on the official page:
WelcomeBC Invitations to Apply pageLICENSED REPRESENTATION
Why hire an RCIC?
Under Canadian law, only Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs), lawyers, Québec notaries and, in Ontario, licensed paralegals can represent applicants before IRCC for a fee. For the BC PNP, paid representatives must be RCICs, lawyers or Québec notaries. Any other paid representation is unauthorized and puts the application at risk.
A licensed RCIC is accountable to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), bound by a strict code of professional conduct, and trained in current immigration law. For BC applications specifically, this means accurate SIRS scoring, correct stream selection, employer eligibility verification, and timely filing within BC’s 30-day application window.
Megrez Immigration Consultants has operated in Vancouver since 1996. Every BC immigration file at the firm is structured, reviewed, and submitted under direct RCIC supervision.
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