Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) 

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allows Canadian provinces and territories to nominate individuals for permanent residency based on their ability to meet specific regional labor market and economic needs.

Each province and territory operates its own unique immigration streams designed to attract skilled workers, business professionals, and international graduates who can contribute to local communities. Receiving a provincial nomination through Express Entry adds 600 additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, significantly increasing the likelihood of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency. 

📝 How the PNP Works: 

Under the PNP, provinces and territories can nominate individuals who possess the skills, education, work experience, and attributes needed to strengthen their local economies. Each province or territory sets its own eligibility criteria and streams aligned with its economic priorities.

Many PNPs include employer-driven streams, allowing candidates to be nominated based on a full-time, permanent job offer from a local employer, provided they meet the province’s nomination requirements.

🗂️ Common PNP Categories: 

Most Provincial Nominee Programs fall into the following categories:

1. Skilled Workers

2. Semi-Skilled Workers

3. Business/Investor Streams

4. International Graduates & Postgraduates

5. Family or Community Connection Streams

6. Health Care Workers

🏛️ Provincial Nominee Programs Across Canada:

• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP)
  
  

• Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)
  
  

• Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
  
  

• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
  
  

• Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)
  
  

• Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP)
  
  

• Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)
  
  

• Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
  
  

• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP)
  
  

• Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)
  
  

• Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)

                                British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) 

Situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, British Columbia (BC) is Canada’s westernmost province and plays a key role in the national economy. The province relies on economic immigration to support its labour-market and growth needs. The BC PNP offers a pathway to permanent residency for individuals who can contribute to the province’s economic development—especially through skilled work, entrepreneurship, or business investment. 

🏞️ Key Components of the BC PNP: 

1. Skills Immigration (SI): This category is designed for skilled and semi-skilled workers, as well as  (historically) international graduates seeking to build their careers  and wish to obtain permanent residency in British Columbia. 

2. Entrepreneur Immigration (EI): For experienced entrepreneurs who wish to establish or purchase and operate a business in B.C.

3. Strategic Projects: For foreign-controlled companies seeking to establish or expand operations in B.C., including key-staff relocation.

1. Skills Immigration Streams: 

(a) Skills Worker Stream: 

This stream is designed for individuals with experience in professional, managerial, technical, trade or other skilled occupations who wish to obtain permanent residency in British Columbia.  Eligible applicants must hold a full-time, permanent job offer in an occupation classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. Candidates are required to meet specific education, work experience, language proficiency, and wage standards to qualify for nomination under this stream.

🎯 Program Priorities:

The BC PNP prioritizes applicants who can support key sectors facing labour shortages, such as:

• Care Economy: Healthcare, childcare, and veterinary care. Prioritized occupations include those in healthcare (e.g., physicians, nurses), childcare (e.g., early childhood educators), and veterinary services.

• Construction Sector: Prioritizes certified workers in select construction occupations to address housing supply needs. Focus on residential construction trades with shortages, especially outside the Lower Mainland.

• Technology Sector: Through BC PNP Tech, prioritizes tech occupations with weekly invitations, expedited processing, and job offers of at least one year (no indeterminate requirement).

• Pilot Programs - Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP): Supports skilled refugees and displaced individuals with modified criteria, fee waivers, and flexible documentation. Eligible for Skilled Worker stream if meeting IRCC requirements and having a job offer in priority occupations (tech in Metro Vancouver Regional District or TEER 0-3 outside).

 For detailed information and to begin the application process, visit the official BC PNP website: Skilled Worker

📋 Requirements for All Skills Immigration Applicants (Updated):

• Intention to Live in BC: Must intend to live and work in BC.

• Economic Benefit: Job offer must provide economic benefit to BC.

• Immigration Status: Must have legal status in Canada if applying from within.

• Language Proficiency: Minimum requirements vary by stream and NOC TEER level (e.g., CLB 4 for TEER 4/5, higher for others).

• Job Offer: Full-time, indeterminate (except in priorities like tech), from an eligible BC employer.

• Eligible Employer: Must be established in BC, in good standing, meet size and operation requirements (e.g., minimum years in operation, full-time employees).

• Qualifications: Meet job duties, experience, education.

• Wages: In line with BC rates; must meet minimum income thresholds based on family size and region.

• Minimum Income: Varies by region (e.g., higher in Metro Vancouver); includes family income requirements.

• Eligible Employment Situations: Includes opportunities for British Columbians; no LMIA required.

• Express Entry BC (EEBC) Option: Available for most streams; requires valid Express Entry profile.

🧾 Key eligibility requirements (as of April 14, 2025 guide) include: 

• A full-time, indeterminate (no fixed end date) job-offer from a B.C. employer in an eligible occupation (classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3). 

• The applicant must have the qualifications and experience required for the role. 

• A minimum of two years of full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience in a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3

• Meet minimum language requirements (CLB levels based on TEER).

•  Wage in line with BC rates.

• Show ability to support self and dependents.

• Employer must support application and meet requirements.

• Employer must meet certain requirements (e.g., employer declaration, no large equity stake by candidate, recruitment requirements) 

• Job offer does not need to be indeterminate if in priority technology occupation or NOC 41200 (university professors and lecturers).

(b) Health Authority

The Health Authority Stream provides a dedicated pathway to permanent residency for healthcare professionals connected to a B.C. public health authority. It is designed to help the province meet its critical demand for medical and allied health workers. 

🧾 Key Eligibility Requirements:

To apply under this stream, you must meet the following:

You hold a full-time, indeterminate (no end date) job offer from one of the recognized B.C. public health authorities:

• • Provincial Health Services Authority

  • First Nations Health Authority

  • Fraser Health

  • Interior Health

  • Island Health

  • Northern Health

  • Vancouver Coastal Health

  • Providence Health Care

📋 Key  Considerations:

• The position must be in a health-care occupation that contributes directly to patient care or clinical services. As of April 14 2025, the stream has been focused specifically on those roles.  

• If you are a physician, nurse practitioner or midwife and are not directly employed by a public health authority, you may still qualify if you have a letter of support/recommendation from an authority or practice group confirming you will work in B.C. in that role. 

• You must meet general program requirements: education/training/licensing for your occupation, language ability (usually Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 or higher, depending on the NOC category). 

Benefits of the Health Authority Stream:

• • • No Points-Based System: Applicants are not required to compete in the SIRS pool, simplifying the application process.

    • Direct Pathway to Permanent Residence: The provincial nomination facilitates a streamlined route to permanent residency.

    • Support from Health Authorities: Applicants receive support from their employer throughout the application process.

    • Flexibility in Employment: Once nominated, healthcare professionals have the flexibility to work across different health authorities in BC, particularly in areas with high demand.

For detailed information and to begin the application process, visit the official BC PNP website: Health Authority Stream

(c) Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Worker Stream

The Entry Level & Semi-Skilled (ELSS) stream offers a pathway to permanent residence for workers in specific entry-level and semi-skilled occupations that support essential industries in British Columbia—most commonly tourism and hospitality, food processing, long-haul trucking and regional occupations in the Northeast Development Region. ELSS is intended to help employers retain workers who have the experience and skills needed in these sectors. 

To be eligible for ELSS you must meet all of the following requirements:

• Have an indeterminate (permanent), full-time job offer from a B.C. employer in an ELSS-eligible occupation. All ELSS occupations are classified as NOC TEER 4 or 5. 

• For the Northeast Development Region  of B.C., workers in any NOC TEER 4 or 5 occupation may be eligible (except live-in caregivers). 

• Have been employed full-time by the same B.C. employer for at least nine (9) consecutive months immediately before registration. 

• Be qualified to perform the job (meet any required certifications, registrations or licensing for the occupation in B.C.). 

• Meet the program’s minimum language, education and wage requirements and demonstrate you can support yourself and eligible dependents. 

***The ELSS stream does not offer an Express Entry BC (EEBC) option; nominations from this stream are submitted through the Skills Immigration pathway only 

📝 Employer responsibilities:

An eligible employer must:

• Provide a valid, indeterminate full-time job offer in an ELSS-eligible occupation.

• Demonstrate that they meet BC PNP employer requirements (e.g., business legitimacy, compliance with wages and employment standards).

• Support the employee’s BC PNP application as required in the program guide.

Benefits of ELSS:

• Provides a realistic route to permanent residency for workers in essential regional and sectoral roles.

• No Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is required for the BC PNP nomination itself (standard employer compliance still applies).

• Recognizes on-the-ground work experience in B.C., which helps retain trained staff within the province.

• Employers in BC can hire skilled workers from abroad to fill labor shortages in critical sectors. The Northeast Development Region offers additional opportunities for workers in various occupations.

For detailed information and to begin the application process, visit the official BC PNP website: Entry Level and Semi-Skilled.

2. Entrepreneur Immigration : 

The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) stream provides international entrepreneurs with a pathway to immigrate to British Columbia by establishing businesses that foster innovation and stimulate economic growth within the province. Operating under a “temporary to permanent” model, successful applicants first come to B.C. as temporary residents to launch and manage their business, and upon meeting specific performance criteria, may qualify to apply for permanent residency. Within this stream, the Regional Pilot offers an additional opportunity for entrepreneurs who wish to start a new business in one of B.C.’s participating smaller communities—outside major urban centres—allowing them to contribute directly to local economic development while building their new life in British Columbia. 

(a)  Entrepreneur Immigration -Base Category: 

Base Category is designed for experienced business owners and senior managers who wish to establish a new business or purchase and expand an existing one in British Columbia. The goal of this stream is to attract innovative entrepreneurs whose businesses will contribute to the province’s economic growth, job creation, and regional development. 

To qualify, applicants must meet specific personal, business, investment, and job creation requirements:

• Personal Net Worth: Minimum of CAD $600,000.

• Investment: Minimum CAD $200,000 personal investment into the proposed business.

• Experience: Demonstrated business ownership or senior management experience (or equivalent to a two-year post-secondary diploma in business or management).

• Language: Minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in English or French.

• Status: Must have legal immigration status in Canada (if applicable) and be lawfully admitted in their current country of residence.

• Job Creation: The business must create at least one full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

🔄 Application Process:

1. Business Concept Preparation:
   Prepare a detailed business proposal aligned with your background, skills, and the economic priorities of British Columbia.

2. Registration:
   Create a profile through the BC PNP Online portal and submit your business concept. Registrations are scored based on human capital, business viability, and economic benefit.

3. Invitation to Apply (ITA):
   High-scoring candidates enter a qualified pool and may remain there for up to 180 days. If invited, you must complete a net worth verification by an approved accounting service and submit a full application within four months.

4. Work Permit & Business Setup:
   Once approved, the BC PNP issues a Letter of Support to apply for a temporary work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You and your dependents can then move to B.C. to establish the business.

5. Performance Agreement:
   Upon arrival, you’ll sign and fulfill a Performance Agreement outlining your investment, job creation, and operational targets.

6. Nomination for Permanent Residence:
   After successfully operating the business for approximately 20 months and meeting all commitments, you can submit a Final Report to the BC PNP. If approved, you’ll receive a provincial nomination, enabling you to apply to IRCC for permanent residency under the Provincial Nominee Class.
   
   

Program Fees:

• Registration Fee: CAD $300

• Application Fee: CAD $3,500

(a)  Entrepreneur Immigration -Regional Pilot :

Regional Pilot is designed to attract international entrepreneurs who are eager to start a new business in one of British Columbia’s participating smaller communities. This program aims to encourage economic growth and diversification in regional areas while offering newcomers the chance to settle and thrive outside major urban centers.

Through this pilot, entrepreneurs from around the world are invited to explore the wide range of business opportunities available throughout B.C. By establishing a new business in a designated community, entrepreneurs not only contribute to the local economy but also gain the opportunity to experience the lifestyle and community spirit that make these regions unique.

Successful candidates under the Regional Pilot receive a temporary work permit to come to B.C. and operate their proposed business. Once they have met the terms and conditions outlined in their Performance Agreement—which typically include investment and job creation targets—they may be nominated for permanent residence by the BC PNP.

This pathway follows a temporary-to-permanent immigration model, allowing entrepreneurs to first establish their business successfully before becoming eligible to apply for Canadian permanent residency.

How it works : 

• You begin by connecting with a participating community, finding one whose economic priorities align with your business plans.

• The community may invite you for an in-person exploratory visit, allowing you to meet the local contact, assess the region and present your proposed business.

• The community issues a referral, enabling you to register under the Regional Pilot.

• After registration and receiving an invitation to apply, you establish your business, sign a Performance Agreement, come to B.C. on a work permit, operate and grow the business, and once you meet the terms you may be nominated for permanent residence. 

📋 Key Eligibility Requirements: 

To qualify under the Regional Pilot, you must meet all of the following: 

• Personal net worth of at least CAD $300,000.

• Eligible personal investment of at least CAD $100,000 into the proposed business.

• Business must be located in a participating regional community (outside Metro Vancouver) and aligned with the host community’s economic development priorities.

• You must hold at least 51% ownership of the business.

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

• Demonstrate business or management experience: e.g., 3+ years as an owner-manager in the last 5 years; or 4+ years as a senior manager.

• Meet minimum language proficiency: CLB 4 in English or French.

• Have, or be eligible for, lawful immigration status in your current country of residence.

• You must conduct an exploratory visit to the region before referral is issued.

For full eligibility criteria, ineligible business types and detailed process, consult the “Entrepreneur Immigration – Regional Program Guide”. WelcomeBC 

3. Strategic Projects Stream :

The Strategic Projects Stream is designed for foreign corporations seeking to establish or expand operations in British Columbia, supporting business growth while contributing to the province’s economy. This stream allows companies with recognized strategic investment prospects to apply for provincial nomination, enabling the permanent relocation of up to five key personnel with specialized knowledge or senior management experience. Both the foreign corporation and the nominated staff must meet specific eligibility requirements to ensure they are qualified to operate in B.C. and contribute effectively to the province’s economic development. 

Corporate Eligibility Requirements:

To participate in this stream, the foreign corporation must:

• Make a minimum equity investment of CAD $500,000 toward operations in B.C.

• Establish a new business or purchase and expand an eligible existing business in the province.

• Create at least three new full-time equivalent jobs for Canadian citizens or permanent residents for each nominated key staff member (up to five key staff).

• Be well-established and financially stable, demonstrating the capacity for international expansion into B.C.

• Provide significant economic benefit to the province through their investment.
  
  

📝 Key Staff Eligibility Requirements:

Eligible key staff members must:

• Be current senior employees of the foreign corporation with essential qualifications or experience.

• Be appointed to an executive or senior managerial position, or possess specialized knowledge critical to the proposed B.C. operation.

• Be employed in a permanent full-time capacity in the B.C. operation.

• Receive a salary consistent with their expertise and industry standards.
  
  

⚠️ Ineligible Key Staff Members:

BC PNP will not accept applications from individuals who:

• Are prohibited from entering Canada.

• Do not have lawful status in their country of residence.

• Are in Canada out of status, including those whose restoration of status is not applied for within the 90-day eligibility period.

• Are working in Canada without proper authorization.

• Have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada.

• Are under a removal order in Canada or elsewhere.

This stream provides foreign corporations with a structured pathway to expand in British Columbia while ensuring that key personnel integral to the business can relocate and contribute to the province’s economic development.

For the latest details on all streams, download the current Skills Immigration Program Guide from https://www.welcomebc.ca/immigrate-to-b-c/about-the-bc-provincial-nominee-program/guides-forms-reports-documents.