What is the BC Provincial Nominee Program?

The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for Canadian immigration by the province of British Columbia. Applicants apply directly to British Columbia, and British Columbia nominates accepted individuals to Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for immigration.

To qualify for any Provincial Nominee Program, you must have the skills, education, work experience, and funds needed to settle in the province or territory of your application.

British Columbia currently has 12 immigration streams grouped into 3 categories: (a) Express Entry, (b) Skills Immigration, and (c) Entrepreneur.

Who can apply for the Express Entry Category?

You may qualify for the BC PNP Express Entry Category if you:

• meet minimum requirements for the Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, or Canadian Experience Class program
• have a valid job offer OR graduated from an eligible Canadian program
• are a skilled worker, health care professional, or a Canadian graduate
• have 2 years of related work experience
• meet minimum language, education, and income requirements for your occupation
• have legal status in Canada

Who can apply for the Skills Immigration Category?

You may qualify for the BC PNP Skills Immigration Category if you:

• have a valid job offer either in (a) tourism, hospitality, long-haul trucking, food processing, or (b) technology occupations
• have related work experience OR completed technology studies in Canada
• meet minimum language, education, and income requirements for your occupation
• have legal status in Canada

Who can apply for the Business Category?

You may qualify for the BC PNP Business Category – Entrepreneur Stream if you:

• invest at least $200,000
• have a net worth of $600,000
• have at least 3 years of previous business experience OR post-secondary education
• create at least 1 new job

You may qualify for the BC PNP Business Category – Strategic Projects Stream if you:

• invest $500,000
• have a net worth of at least $800,000
• 3 years entrepreneurship experience OR 5 years managerial experience
• create at least 3 new jobs

Can family members accompany the principal applicant?

Yes, you can bring family members that you declared in your British Columbia PNP application. These include:

• your spouse or common-law partner
• your dependent child (<22 years old)
• your spouse or common-law partner’s dependent child
• a dependent child of a dependent child

How long is the processing time and what are the processing fees?

Processing time depends on the number of active applications, and usually takes a few months.

The processing fee for the BC PNP Express Entry and Skills Immigration categories is $700. The processing fee for the Business Category includes a $300 registration fee, $3,500 application fee, and an additional $1,000 processing fee for each key staff application.

What are the key considerations in submitting an application?

The requirements might look simple on paper, but often applications are rejected because the documents submitted were inaccurate, incomplete, or non-compliant. Here are some key considerations when applying for a British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program:

• What immigration stream is the best match for your background and qualifications?
• How do you show that your work experience matches the required work experience?
• How do you put together a business plan tailored to the British Columbia market?