British Columbia

Provincial Nominee
Program

Skills Immigration
Program Guide
(Includes Express Entry BC)
 In the event of a discrepancy between the BC PNP website and the BC PNP program guides, the
information in the program guides shall be considered correct. Please check our website regularly to
ensure you are using the most up-to-date version of the applicable program guide.

The BC Provincial Nominee Program

Email: [email protected]
Website: WelcomeBC.ca/PNP

The offices of the BC Provincial Nominee Program are located on the traditional territory of the
Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples, who have been stewards of this area for
many generations.

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Table of Contents
Updates to This Edition ............................................................................................................................................................ 5
Definitions ................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Part 1: The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) ........................................................................................................ 7
1.1 About the Skills Immigration Program Guide ......................................................................................................................7
1.2 General Information ................................................................................................................................................................9
1.3 Using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) .....................................................................................................10
1.4 Declaration and Consent ......................................................................................................................................................11
1.5 Misrepresentation..................................................................................................................................................................11
1.6 Inspections and Information Gathering .............................................................................................................................12
1.7 Beware of Immigration Fraud ..............................................................................................................................................12
Part 2: Representatives and Recruiters ............................................................................................................................... 13
2.1 Getting Help with Your BC PNP Application .......................................................................................................................13
2.2 Paid Representatives .............................................................................................................................................................13
2.3 Unpaid Representatives ........................................................................................................................................................14
2.4 Declaring A Representative ..................................................................................................................................................14
2.5 Changing or Removing Your Representative .....................................................................................................................15
2.6 Third-Party Recruiters ...........................................................................................................................................................15
2.7 Fees for Recruitment .............................................................................................................................................................16
Part 3: Requirements for all Skills Immigration Applicants ............................................................................................ 16
3.1 Intention to Live in British Columbia...................................................................................................................................16
3.2 Economic Benefit to British Columbia ................................................................................................................................16
3.3 Immigration Status in Canada .............................................................................................................................................17
3.4 Language Proficiency ............................................................................................................................................................17
3.5 Job Offer ..................................................................................................................................................................................19
3.6 Eligible B.C. Employer ............................................................................................................................................................20
3.7 Qualifications ..........................................................................................................................................................................20
3.8 Wages ......................................................................................................................................................................................21
3.9 Minimum Income...................................................................................................................................................................21
3.10 Eligible Employment Situations .........................................................................................................................................23
3.11 Opportunities for British Columbians ...............................................................................................................................23
Part 4: The Skills Immigration Streams ............................................................................................................................... 23
Program Priorities ........................................................................................................................................................................24
4.1 Skilled Worker Stream ...........................................................................................................................................................25
4.2 Health Authority Stream .......................................................................................................................................................26
4.3 International Graduate Stream ............................................................................................................................................28
4.4 International Post-Graduate Stream ...................................................................................................................................30
4.5 Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) Stream........................................................................................................................33
Part 5: Using the Express Entry BC (EEBC) Option .............................................................................................................. 35
5.1 Meet criteria for one of IRCC’s Express Entry programs...................................................................................................35
5.2 Obtain a valid IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code .................................................36
5.3 Apply to the BC PNP using one of the Express Entry BC (EEBC) options ........................................................................36
5.4 Maintain your Express Entry profile ....................................................................................................................................36

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 5.5 Changing streams after registration/application ..............................................................................................................37
Part 6: Employer Requirements ............................................................................................................................................ 37
6.1 Generate Economic Benefit to British Columbia ...............................................................................................................37
6.2 Established in British Columbia ...........................................................................................................................................38
6.3 Business Structure .................................................................................................................................................................38
6.4 Complete and Sign Employer Declaration Form ...............................................................................................................38
6.5 Legally operate the business in B.C. ....................................................................................................................................39
6.6 Supporting Documentation..................................................................................................................................................39
6.7 Minimum Number of Years in Operation in British Columbia .........................................................................................40
6.8 Minimum Number of Full-Time Employees in British Columbia .....................................................................................41
6.9 Follow laws and regulations .................................................................................................................................................41
6.10 Make Genuine Efforts to Recruit Locally...........................................................................................................................42
6.11 Genuine Need for the Position ..........................................................................................................................................44
6.12 Ineligible Employers ............................................................................................................................................................44
6.13 Commercial Vehicle Safety Certification ...........................................................................................................................45
6.14 Employer Responsibilities...................................................................................................................................................45
6.15 Other Considerations ..........................................................................................................................................................46
Part 7: Process ......................................................................................................................................................................... 46
7.1 Registration ............................................................................................................................................................................46
7.2 Registration Scoring Factors ................................................................................................................................................48
7.3 Invitations to Apply (ITA) .......................................................................................................................................................48
7.4 Application ..............................................................................................................................................................................50
7.5 Choosing to Withdraw Your BC PNP Application ...............................................................................................................52
7.6 Decision ...................................................................................................................................................................................52
7.7 Request for Review ................................................................................................................................................................53
7.8 Conditions of Nomination ....................................................................................................................................................54
7.9 How to Notify the BC PNP of Changes After Nomination ................................................................................................56
7.10 Extension of Nomination ....................................................................................................................................................56
7.11 Cancellation of Your Nomination ......................................................................................................................................56
7.12 Obtaining a Work Permit ....................................................................................................................................................57
Part 8: Registration Scoring Factors .................................................................................................................................... 58
Human Capital Factors ................................................................................................................................................................58
8.1 Directly related work experience .........................................................................................................................................59
8.2 Highest level of education ....................................................................................................................................................61
8.3 Language proficiency ............................................................................................................................................................63
Economic Factors .........................................................................................................................................................................64
8.4 Hourly wage of the B.C. job offer .........................................................................................................................................65
8.5 Area of employment within B.C. ..........................................................................................................................................67

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Updates to This Edition
In an effort to clarify information presented in previous editions of the Skills Immigration
Program Guide, there have been updates to the information within the guide. Please carefully
review the information in this guide before submitting an application.
The following list outlines the main updates made to the program guide.

January 17, 2025

Minor edits throughout for formatting and grammatical consistency and accuracy.

Section 4.2 Health Authority stream: updated criteria for obtaining employer support before
applying
Section 6.4: Complete and Sign Employer Declaration Form: updated to align with section 4.2
(c)

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Definitions

“Act” means the Provincial Immigration Programs Act.

“BCPNP Online” means the BC PNP’s online registration and application system.

“Director” means the Director of Provincial Immigration Programs, or persons acting for the
Director.

“Distance education” means a program of study in which the majority of the credits earned by
the student toward the completion of a program of study were earned by completing online
courses.

“Misrepresentation” means the action of providing false or misleading information and/or

withholding or concealing information where the withholding or concealing tends to create a
false or misleading impression of the circumstances, and where the person providing or
withholding the information knew or ought to have known that it was false or misleading, or
tended to create a false or misleading impression. See section 1.5 for further information about
misrepresentation.

“Paid representative” means:

a) A lawyer who is a member in good standing of the Law Society of BC or any other
Canadian Law Society, the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, or the Chambre des notaires du
Quebec; or,

b) An immigration consultant who is a full member in good standing of the College of

Immigration and Citizenship Consultants.

“Regulation” means the Provincial Immigration Programs Regulation.

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Part 1: The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an economic immigration program
that enables the province to strategically select prospective immigrants to help address labour
market needs and contribute to economic development across British Columbia.
The BC PNP is administered in partnership with the federal government in accordance with the
2021 Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement (CBCIA). The Government of Canada
allocates a limited number of nominations each year to British Columbia.
The Provincial Immigration Programs Act (Act) and the Provincial Immigration Programs
Regulation (Regulation) govern the provincial administration of the BC PNP.

Overview of Skills Immigration, including Express Entry BC (EEBC)

Skills Immigration is for workers and recent graduates with the skills, education and experience
that are needed in B.C.
Skills Immigration is made up of five streams, each designed for people with different types of
skills and experience. Four of these streams also have an Express Entry BC option.
If approved as a provincial nominee, you and your dependent family members can apply to
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to become permanent residents of Canada
in the Provincial Nominee Class.
Before registering or applying to the BC PNP, please carefully review the information in this guide
to ensure you meet the requirements for the stream you select.

1.1 About the Skills Immigration Program Guide

The BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide will help you get started on a path toward
permanent residence. This guide provides you with complete and comprehensive information
about the program’s general eligibility requirements, stream-specific criteria, and registration &
application process.
Part 1: About the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)

The first part of this guide introduces the purpose of the BC PNP and describes Skills Immigration
and its streams, as well as important information about fees, your responsibilities and what you
can expect throughout the process. It also explains misrepresentation and its consequences, and
the importance of protecting yourself from immigration fraud.
Part 2: Representatives and Recruiters

Part 2 of this guide provides information about using an immigration representative to help you
with your immigration application, including how to declare that you have authorized a

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representative to act on your behalf, and how to change your representative. Information about
provincial licensing requirements for third-party recruiters is also provided.
Part 3: Requirements for all Skills Immigration Applicants

Part 3 explains the general requirements for all applicants with or without a job offer.
Part 4: The Skills Immigrations Streams

Part 4 provides an overview of all five Skills Immigration streams, including how we use the
National Occupational Classification (NOC) system and which streams can also use the Express
Entry option. The rest of Part 4 describes the eligibility criteria for each of the streams in detail.
Part 5: Using the Express Entry BC (EEBC) Option

If you receive a BC PNP nomination using the Express Entry BC option, your federal Express Entry
profile will benefit from additional points when you apply to the federal government for
permanent residence. Part 5 outlines the steps you must take if you wish to use the EEBC option.
Part 6: Employer Requirements

Part 6 explains the requirements and responsibilities your employer must meet to support your
application. If you apply to a stream that requires a job offer, you must have your employer’s
support throughout the application process.
Part 7: Process

Part 7 provides a detailed overview of the registration, application and decision aspects of this
program. This is where you can learn about how to register and apply to the BC PNP, eligibility
requirements for a refund, how to request a review of a decision, and the conditions of your
nomination.
Part 8: Scoring Factors

Part 8 explains how your registration will be scored.

Skills Immigration also has other useful guides:

The BC PNP Skills Immigration Technical Guide provides detailed, step-by-step information
about how to register, apply, check your status or update your profile in the BCPNP Online portal.
It also includes lists of the documentation you are required to provide when you submit an
application.
The BC PNP Skills Immigration Post-Nomination Guide provides instructions on applying to
the federal government for permanent residence and how to request post-nomination support
from the BC PNP.
These guides and other program lists and forms can be found on the Guides, forms reports &
documents page of our website.

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1.2 General Information
• BC PNP registrations and applications must be submitted through the BCPNP Online
portal.
• Carefully review the information in this guide before submitting a registration or
application. If you select the wrong stream or the wrong EEBC option, your registration/
application cannot later be converted to a different stream or a different EEBC option.
• It is your responsibility to ensure that all the information you submit in your registration
and application is accurate, complete, and correct.
• There is no cost to register for the BC PNP. You are required to pay an application fee when
you submit your online application. Please visit the BC PNP Fees page for more
information about program fees.
• Even if you have a representative, you must personally have direct access to the email
address and phone number used for your application so that you can receive all BC PNP
correspondence.
• Before making your submission to the BC PNP, check the Guides, forms, reports &
documents page to make sure you are using the most recent version of any forms or
documents. If you submit an outdated version of a BC PNP form or document, you may be
required to resubmit the document using the latest version.
• If you are applying to a stream that requires a job offer, your employer must agree to
support your application. Your application will not be approved without your employer’s
support.
• Incomplete applications will not be approved.
• Should your application be approved, you must comply with the conditions of your
nomination.
• The BC PNP reserves the right to prioritize applications for occupations that are in high
demand or that contribute significant economic benefit to British Columbia.
What to Expect During the Skills Immigration Process:

Most Skills Immigration streams require that you submit a registration to the stream that best fits
your situation. A registration is an expression of interest to be considered for the BC PNP; it is not
an application to Skills Immigration and does not guarantee that you will be invited to apply.
Registrations are submitted through BCPNP Online.
At the application stage of the process, you will be required to provide documentation to verify
the information you have provided in your registration or application. To help facilitate
processing, we strongly recommend that you ensure your application contains all the required
information and documentation when you submit it. You should submit sufficient evidence to
support the information you have provided.

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At any point in the BC PNP process, we may request further information or documents to
substantiate the information provided in your registration or application. If you receive a request
for more information by email, it will usually include a date by which you should respond. If you
do not respond within the timelines given, your application may be refused.
As we assess your application, we may conduct an inspection of your supporting employer’s
business, or any other business, to ensure they meet all requirements. This is explained further in
section 1.6 Inspections and Information Gathering.
Processing times are listed on our website and start on the date we receive your complete
application. We will not respond to application status inquiries when the application is within our
standard processing times.

1.3 Using the National Occupational Classification (NOC)

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) is a system developed by the Government of
Canada to classify jobs (occupations). Jobs are grouped according to the work a person does and
the job duties. The BC PNP uses the 2021 version of the NOC.
The NOC 2021 version uses TEER categories (Training, Experience, Education and Responsibilities)
to classify each job based on the level of training, formal education and experience that is needed
for each job, as well as the responsibilities associated with each job. There are six TEER
categories:

TEER 0 Management jobs

TEER 1 Jobs that usually require university education

TEER 2 Jobs that usually require college education OR ≥ 2 year apprenticeships OR

supervisory positions

TEER 3 Jobs that usually require college education OR < 2 year apprenticeships OR > 6
months on-the-job training

TEER 4 Jobs that usually require high school education OR several weeks on-the-job training

TEER 5 Jobs with no education requirement, short on-the-job demonstration training

To determine whether your NOC is eligible for the BC PNP, please see Part 4: The Skills
Immigration Streams.
To learn more about the National Occupational Classification, please visit the NOC website.

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1.4 Declaration and Consent
In submitting an online registration, application and, if applicable, a request for review to the BC
PNP, you are required to sign a declaration and consent form indicating that you understand and
agree with the declaration and consent. You are legally responsible for the accuracy of the
information provided in your registration and application forms, even if your
representative submits the registration or application form on your behalf.
The BC PNP uses the personal email address from your BCPNP Online profile as the unique
personal identifier for your profile. The email and contact information provided in your profile will
be associated with the application and will be used by BC PNP staff for all communication,
including final decisions. Please ensure that your personal contact details remain up to date in
the BCPNP Online portal throughout the entire BC PNP and permanent residence application
processes, and that you have access to that email address, even after you have been nominated.
If you do not keep your personal contact information updated and, as a result, you do not
receive or respond to important notices from the BC PNP, your inaction may lead to a
refusal or cancellation of your nomination.

1.5 Misrepresentation
Misrepresentation is the action of providing false or misleading information and/or withholding
or concealing information where the withholding or concealing tends to create a false or
misleading impression of the circumstances, and where the person providing or withholding the
information knew or ought to have known that it was false or misleading, or tended to create a
false or misleading impression.
If an applicant, employer or representative withholds, conceals, or provides information or
documentation that they knew or ought to have known to be false or misleading in support of a
BC PNP application, they have misrepresented.
Examples of misrepresentation include, but are not limited to:
• Submitting false information in an application or registration
• Failing to disclose information relevant to an application or registration
• Communicating directly or indirectly, by any means, false or misleading information, or
concealing information, in any communication with the BC PNP or otherwise during the
assessment process
• The submission of false information or documentation by a representative on behalf of an
applicant or employer
Applications will not be approved where the BC PNP determines that the information provided
has been altered, overstated or is deliberately misleading for the purpose of meeting program
requirements, obtaining a targeted invitation to apply, or obtaining a higher registration score.

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A finding of misrepresentation can be applied to an applicant and/or an employer supporting a
BC PNP application. If the BC PNP determines that you or your supporting employer have
misrepresented information in your application, the BC PNP may refuse to accept a future
application from you and/or other applications supported by your supporting employer for up to
two years. During that two-year period, the BC PNP will also consider direction and ownership of
other companies supporting BC PNP applications, and may refuse to accept applications where
the supporting employer is directed by the same individuals found to have participated in
misrepresentation on a previous application.
If the BC PNP finds that you, your supporting employer, or representative have misrepresented
information in relation to your application, either before or after nomination, your nomination
can be cancelled.

1.6 Inspections and Information Gathering

As per section 11 of the Provincial Immigration Programs Act, the BC PNP may conduct an
inspection of the supporting employer’s business, or any other business, to determine
compliance with this Act and the Regulation, to assess an application, to assess post-nomination
compliance, or to assess a request for review. Inspections may be scheduled or unannounced.
The BC PNP may also collect personal information from you and from third parties for the
purposes outlined in section 8 of the Act, including the assessment of your BC PNP registration
and application, or as authorized under any applicable legislation.
At its discretion, BC PNP staff may contact you and/or your employer directly to request
additional evidence or information, to verify information in your registration and/or application,
and to determine if you meet or continue to meet all program requirements, including the
conditions of nomination.

1.7 Beware of Immigration Fraud

Immigration fraud is a serious crime and can take many forms.
Applicants, employers, and representatives who provide false or misleading information or
withhold or conceal information where the withholding or concealing tends to create a false or
misleading impression of the circumstances in support of a BC PNP application, are participating
in misrepresentation and committing fraud.
See section 1.5 for more information about misrepresentation.
In B.C., it is illegal to buy jobs, and it is illegal for anyone to ask you for money or any other
compensation in exchange for a job.
Other examples of fraud include:
• Taking part in a fake job offer scheme

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 • Lying about your work history
• Submitting fake or altered documents (e.g. fake or altered wage statements)
We encourage you to protect yourself from immigration fraud. To learn more, please refer to the
following websites:
• Protect yourself from immigration fraud (IRCC)
• Immigration fraud and scams (BC PNP)
Our website also provides information about making a complaint about an employer or an
immigration representative.

Part 2: Representatives and Recruiters

2.1 Getting Help with Your BC PNP Application
The BC PNP assesses all applications equally, regardless of whether they were prepared with the
assistance of a representative. Your application will not receive special attention, faster processing,
or a more favourable outcome if it is submitted using the services of a representative.
If you pay someone to help you prepare your BC PNP registration or application, or if you appoint
a representative to act on your behalf throughout the BC PNP process, this must be declared to
the BC PNP, and you are still responsible for all of the information in your application.

2.2 Paid Representatives

A paid representative is an immigration consultant or lawyer who is compensated or receives a
benefit to assist you with the BC PNP application process.
If you pay someone to help prepare your application, or you pay someone to represent you
throughout the application process, that person must meet the requirements outlined in section
91(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This includes:
• Immigration consultants who are full members in good standing of the College of
Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC)
• Lawyers who are members in good standing of the Law Society of BC or another Canadian
Law Society, the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, or the Chambre des notaires du Quebec
Before selecting an immigration consultant or lawyer, you should confirm that they are in good
standing with their professional organization.
Under the Act and Regulation, we may refuse to accept your application if you use the services of
an immigration consultant or lawyer who is not in good standing with their professional
organization as indicated in Section 3(3)(b) of the Act and Section 4 of the Regulation.

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All assistance from a paid immigration consultant or lawyer must be declared to the BC PNP
as outlined in section 2.4 below. Failure to declare such assistance may result in the refusal
of your application.

2.3 Unpaid Representatives

You may receive unpaid assistance in preparing your application, and you may also use the services
of an unpaid representative to represent you throughout the application process. Unpaid
representatives may include persons authorized under the Act and Regulation (see above), family
members, friends, and members of a non-governmental or religious organization.
The BC PNP only considers representatives as unpaid if they do not charge fees or receive any
other compensation or benefit for providing immigration advice or related services.
If the BC PNP determines that your unpaid representative charged fees for, or otherwise benefited
from, acting as your representative, the BC PNP will revoke such person's eligibility to serve as your
representative and may refuse your application to the BC PNP or cancel your nomination.

2.4 Declaring A Representative

Declaring paid assistance with preparing your BC PNP submission
If you pay an immigration consultant or lawyer to help prepare your registration or application,
you must declare this assistance on the “Submit” tab of the online form.
Declaring a person to represent you throughout your BC PNP process
If you are authorizing someone to represent you throughout the BC PNP process, you must
submit a Use of Representative form. If your employer is authorizing someone to represent them,
they must also complete their own Use of a Representative form. You must submit your employer’s
form at the time you apply. This form is required even if your employer is appointing the same
representative.
Once the form is completed and the declaration signed, complete all of the following steps:
• Log into your BCPNP Online profile
• Complete all information in the ‘My Representative’ tab
• Upload a Use of a Representative form – applicant
By completing the BC PNP’s Use of Representative form, you (and your employer where applicable)
authorize the individual named on the form to represent you and act on your behalf with the BC
PNP. This may include representation throughout the registration, application, assessment, and
post-nomination processes, as well as communication with program staff as required, including
disclosure of personal or confidential information to your representative.

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If you have declared an immigration representative, the BC PNP will communicate with both you
and the representative indicated on your profile.
If you are using a representative who is not in good standing with their professional body at
any time during the application process, the BC PNP will not communicate with the
representative regarding your application until their good standing status is restored.

2.5 Changing or Removing Your Representative

You may only have one representative at any given time. If you wish to change your representative
during the BC PNP registration or application process, or if you wish to remove a representative,
you must update your representative’s information in your BCPNP Online profile.
To change representatives, complete all of the following steps:
• Log into your BCPNP Online profile
• Update all information in the ‘My Representative’ tab
• Complete and upload a new Use of Representative form – applicant (and if applicable, a Use
of Representative form for your employer)
Once all these steps are complete, your new representative will be authorized to represent you,
and the BC PNP will be able to disclose information to them.
If you fail to declare a change in representative, you and your new representative may not receive
correspondence regarding your application including deadlines to respond to BC PNP inquiries.
As a result, failure to declare a change in representative may result in the refusal of your
application.
Submitting a new Use of a Representative form will automatically cancel any previously appointed
representative.
To remove your representative from your application, log into your BCPNP Online profile, remove
information regarding your representative, and send an email to [email protected] to inform the
BC PNP that you no longer have a representative.

2.6 Third-Party Recruiters

If your employer used the services of a third-party recruiter to hire you, that recruiter must meet
provincial licensing requirements. This may include having a valid employment agency licence and,
if applicable, a foreign worker recruiter’s licence throughout the recruitment process for your
position.
In addition, that same third-party recruiter – including anyone employed with that third party
recruitment firm – cannot also act as the immigration representative for you, or for your
supporting employer. Your application will be refused if your immigration representative is
employed by the same third-party recruitment firm that was used to hire you.

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For more information about employment agencies and provincial licencing requirements, please
visit Employment agencies – Province of British Columbia.

2.7 Fees for Recruitment

Your B.C. employer cannot make any deductions from your pay or require you to pay any fees for
recruitment or retention, or any fee that is normally paid by the employer.
For more information, please visit Employment Standards Branch’s website.

Part 3: Requirements for all Skills Immigration Applicants

BC PNP Skills Immigration has different streams designed to target workers with the skills,
experience and qualifications needed by B.C. employers. These streams are designed for
individuals with specific skills and competencies, and who are committed to live, work, and
economically establish in B.C.
To receive a nomination, you must meet all program requirements at the time you register, or, if
the stream does not require a registration, you must meet all program requirements at the time
you apply. In addition, you must continue to meet all program requirements throughout the BC
PNP application process. The onus is on you to demonstrate that all requirements are met.
Please carefully review the requirements in this section for complete details.

The requirements listed in 3.1 to 3.3 apply to all Skills Immigration streams:

3.1 Intention to Live in British Columbia

You must demonstrate that you have the intent to live, work and economically establish in B.C.

3.2 Economic Benefit to British Columbia

You must provide economic benefit to B.C. For example, your employment in B.C. will contribute
to:
• Meeting a critical skills need in the province
• Maintaining or creating jobs for Canadians
• Transferring knowledge and skills to Canadians
• Supporting the development of proprietary new products
• Building the workforce for a major project

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3.3 Immigration Status in Canada
The BC PNP will not nominate you if you:
• Are in Canada and are out of status
• If your status has expired, and you cannot demonstrate that you have applied for
restoration of status within the 90-day eligibility period, you will be considered out of
status
• Are working in Canada without authorization
• Have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada; or
• Are under a removal order in or outside of Canada, or require an Authorization to Return
to Canada
For more information about temporary status in Canada, including work permits and study
permits, please refer to IRCC’s website.

The requirements listed in sections 3.4 to 3.11 apply to all Skills Immigration streams that
require a job offer:

3.4 Language Proficiency

Depending on the classification of the job you have been offered, you may be required to meet
minimum English or French language proficiency.
Language requirements for occupations classified under NOC TEER 2, 3, 4 or 5

If you are registering or applying with a job offer for an occupation classified under NOC TEER 2,
3, 4 or 5, you must demonstrate English or French language proficiency at Canadian Language
Benchmark (CLB) level 4 in each of the four competencies: listening, speaking, reading, and
writing.
Language requirements for occupations classified under NOC TEER 0 or 1

If the position offered to you is classified under NOC TEER 0 or 1, you are not required to submit
valid language test results at the time of registration unless you are claiming points for
language. Providing valid language test results may increase your registration score. If you are
claiming points for language, you must provide the BC PNP with a copy of your language test
results at the time of application.
At its discretion, the BC PNP may require you to provide valid language test results during the
application assessment to determine whether you have the language proficiency to perform the
duties of your job offer. If the BC PNP requests language test results, CLB Competency Tables will
be used to determine the minimum language proficiency level for the position.

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Accepted Language Proficiency Tests

The valid language test results must be from one of the following language proficiency tests
administered by a designated testing organization:
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP-General)
• You must take the CELPIP General test
• We do not accept the General LS test
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) General Training
• You must take the General Training option
• We do not accept the Academic test
Pearson Test of English (PTE) Core
• You must take the PTE Core
• We do not accept the PTE Academic
Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) Canada
• You must take TEF Canada
• We do not accept TEF Quebec or TEF Intégration, Résidence, Nationalité
Test de connaissance du français (TCF) Canada
• You must take TCF Canada
• We do not accept TCF Quebec, TCF Integration, Residence, and Nationality or TCF “tout
public”
All designated language testing organizations provide accommodations for people with physical
or mental disabilities. Please contact your testing organization to request further information.
The following table shows the minimum scores required for the designated tests to meet CLB 4:

Minimum Language Test Scores Required

Listening Reading Writing Speaking

CELPIP 4 4 4 4

IELTS 4.5 3.5 4.0 4.0

PTE Core 28-38 33-41 41-50 42-50

TEF Canada Please see IRCC’s language test equivalency charts

TCF Canada 331 342 4 4

Period of Validity
Test results will be considered valid for the two years from the date of issuance.

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 • To receive registration points for your test results, the test results must be valid at the time
of registration
• If minimum language proficiency is a requirement for your application, your test results
must also be valid at the time you apply

3.5 Job Offer

3.5 (a) Job offer letter

You must submit a job offer letter from an eligible B.C. employer. If you select a stream that
requires registration with the BC PNP, the job offer must be valid at the time of registration and
throughout the BC PNP application process. If you select a direct application stream, the job offer
must be valid at the time of application and throughout the BC PNP application process.
The job offer letter must:
• Show that the offered position is for an occupation that is eligible under the stream you
selected
• Be for full-time employment for a job in B.C.
• Be for an indeterminate job (i.e. the job offer does not have an end date), unless your job
offer meets the criteria in section 3.5 (c)
• Be signed and dated by a B.C. employee, or owner, of the company who is authorized to
hire employees
• Be signed and dated by you confirming that you accept the job offer
See section 6.6 for further details on the supporting documents your employer must provide.
3.5 (b) Full-time job offer

Your job offer must be for one full-time position.

The BC PNP defines full-time employment as at least an average of 30 hours per week, year-
round.
3.5 (c) Job offer duration

Your job offer must be indeterminate, except as described below. Indeterminate means the job
offer must not be temporary or have a defined end date.
Priority technology occupations

Job offers in one of the BC PNP’s priority technology occupations do not need to be indeterminate
as long as the following criteria are met:
• Your job offer must be for a single job in one of the BC PNP’s priority technology
occupations

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 • Your job offer must be at least one year in duration (365 days)
• There must be at least 120 calendar days remaining on your job offer at the time of
application
University Professors and Lecturers

Job offers in NOC 41200 (university professors and lecturers) do not need to be indeterminate as
long as the following criteria are met:
• Your job offer is from a public university in B.C.
• You have a doctoral level degree
• Your job offer remains valid throughout the BC PNP application process

3.6 Eligible B.C. Employer

Your employer must meet specific requirements to support your BC PNP application. This
includes agreeing to support your application throughout the BC PNP application process by
providing the BC PNP with supporting documentation and submitting a signed Employer
Declaration Form.
Please see Part 6 for more information about employer requirements.

3.7 Qualifications
You must be qualified for the job that has been offered to you. This may include meeting
minimum education, training, work experience, and licensing/certification for the occupation.
The BC PNP may refer to a variety of sources, such as WorkBC, the National Occupational
Classification (NOC), and provincial/federal regulatory agencies/associations to determine the
minimum qualifications for an occupation.
Any work experience you declare to the BC PNP, either for points or to meet criteria, must:
• Be for work experience in which you received, or are receiving, wages for the work you
performed.
o Work experience for which you did not receive wages for the work performed is not
eligible for meeting work experience criteria or for scoring registration points.
o The only exception is if you have a job offer in NOC 41200 at a public university in B.C.;
unpaid work experience in NOC 41200 at a public university in B.C. is eligible for both
registration points and for meeting the stream requirements.
If the job offered to you requires mandatory certification, licensing or registration, you must
provide documentation at the time of application to the BC PNP showing that you meet these

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requirements, or you must outline the steps you have taken to show that these requirements will
shortly be met.
At its discretion, the BC PNP may request additional documentation, such as an Educational
Credential Assessment, during the application assessment to verify your education or
qualifications.
Qualification Requirements for the Transportation Sector

If you have been offered a job as a driver in the transportation sector (such as NOC 73300
transport truck drivers or NOC 73301 bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators)
you must have a valid Canadian driver’s licence appropriate for the job offer at the time you
submit your application.
If your employer’s business includes the operation of commercial vehicles, your employer must
also meet additional safety requirements. Please see section 6.13 Commercial Vehicle Safety
Certification for more information.
Qualification Requirements for Health Care Assistants/Aides and Dental Assistants

Only health care assistants and health care aides are eligible for nomination under NOC 33102. If
you have been offered a job as a health care assistant or health care aide, you must be on the BC
Care Aide & Community Health Worker registry at the time you apply to the BC PNP.
If you have been offered a job as a dental assistant (under NOC 33100), you must have the licence
to work in that occupation in B.C. at the time you apply to the BC PNP. Unlicensed dental
assistants, such as chairside dental assistants, are not eligible for the BC PNP.

3.8 Wages
Your offered wage must be:
• Within the wage range posted on WorkBC or the federal Job Bank website for the
occupation and location
• Comparable to wages paid to Canadian citizens and permanent residents with similar
education, training, and experience
• Consistent with the wage compensation structure of your employer
The BC PNP will not consider bonuses, commissions, profit-sharing distributions, tips/gratuities,
overtime wages, housing allowances, room and board, or other similar payments to be part of
your wage.

3.9 Minimum Income

You must meet the minimum family income requirements according to your:
• Annual wage in B.C.

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 • Area of residence in B.C.
• Number of dependants
Family income is the total of:
• Your regular gross annual wage from the B.C. employer supporting your BC PNP
application; plus
• If applicable, your spouse or common-law partner's regular gross annual wage in B.C.
To consider your spouse or common-law partner’s wage as part of your family income, your
spouse or common-law partner must have a valid work permit or valid employment
authorization, and must be currently employed in B.C.
In calculating your family income, the BC PNP will only consider regular gross annual
wages. See section 3.8 for information regarding what can be considered as part of your wage.
For the purposes of determining your family income, your annual wage is calculated using your
hourly wage and the number of hours worked in a week to a maximum of 40 hours/week x 52
weeks per year.
The table below outlines the minimum income requirements for your family size and area of
residence in B.C.

Family Income Threshold by Area of Residence

Size of
Metro Vancouver Regional District Rest of B.C.
Family

1 $29,380 CAD $24,486 CAD

2 $36,576 CAD $30,482 CAD

3 $44,966 CAD $37,473 CAD

4 $54,594 CAD $45,499 CAD

5 $61,920 CAD $51,604 CAD

6 $69,835 CAD $58,201 CAD

7 or more $77,751 CAD $64,798 CAD

The income thresholds in this table represent an amount calculated from the 2022 Low-Income
Cut-Off (LICO) figures set by Statistics Canada. This table is updated regularly to reflect the latest
LICO figures.
Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children are included in your family size,
whether or not they come with you to live in B.C. If you are separated or divorced, your spouse
will be included in the size of your family unless you provide a signed Statutory Declaration of
your official separation, a Divorce Certificate, or an equivalent official document indicating that

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the relationship has ended. For the purpose of calculating family size, dependants who are
Canadian citizens or permanent residents are not included in the calculation.
Applications will not be approved where the BC PNP has reasonable grounds to believe that
your offered wage has been inflated or increased for the purpose of meeting the minimum
income requirements.

3.10 Eligible Employment Situations

For your employment to be eligible for the BC PNP, it must be a situation in which:
• You are receiving or entitled to wages for work performed for an organization
• You do not hold or exercise control over an ownership stake of 10 per cent or greater in
the company supporting your application
• The employer supporting your application pays your wages and also directs and
supervises your work
• The employer supporting your application has a significant operational presence in British
Columbia
• Your work constitutes a direct economic benefit to British Columbia. The onus is on your
employer to demonstrate that your employment will provide economic benefit to B.C.
Please see section 6.1 for more information.
Your application will not be approved if you are working under the direct, regular supervision of
an organization that is not established in British Columbia. See section 6.2 for further details.
Independent contractor or subcontractor positions will not be approved. See section 6.8 for
further details.

3.11 Opportunities for British Columbians

Your employment must not adversely affect the settlement of a labour dispute, or the
employment of anyone involved in any such dispute. Your employment must also not adversely
impact training or employment opportunities for Canadian citizens or permanent residents
residing in B.C.

Part 4: The Skills Immigration Streams

The Skills Immigration streams are designed for workers with the skills, qualifications, and
experience needed in British Columbia.

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Each of the five streams has a unique set of criteria in addition to the general requirements listed
in Part 3. Before you begin, carefully review the criteria for each stream to select the one that
best fits your situation. Please refer to part 7 Process for more information about applying to a
Skills Immigration stream.
Eligibility for many Skills Immigration streams is based in part on the federal government’s
National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. The BC PNP uses the 2021 version of the NOC.
To learn more about how the BC PNP uses the NOC, please visit section 1.3.
BC PNP’s Skills Immigration streams are:

Eligible NOC EEBC

Stream Who is it for?
TEERs Option?

Experienced managers, professionals, and skilled NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 and

Skilled Worker Yes
tradespeople 3

Any NOC TEER Yes*

Health Authority Workers employed by B.C. provincial health authorities
category

*Closed to new registrations

International
Recent graduates with a degree or diploma from a NOC TEER 1, 2 and 3. Yes
Graduate
Canadian college or university

International *Closed to new applications

Post-Graduate Recent graduates with an eligible master’s or doctoral N/A Yes
degree from a B.C. university. PhD candidates in B.C.
may also be eligible

Entry Level and Select occupations in

Workers in tourism/hospitality, and food processing No
Semi-Skilled NOC TEER 4 and 5

*Only job offers in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 are eligible to use Express Entry BC (EEBC)

Program Priorities
The BC PNP supports the government’s broader strategic goals and may use various tools to
select and prioritize prospective economic immigrants. The BC PNP reserves the right to prioritize
registrations and applications that are in high demand or that contribute significant economic
benefit to British Columbia. See section 7.3 (a) for details on how invitations to apply may be
targeted to support government goals.
The BC PNP website contains information about Skills Immigration’s program priorities, including
priority occupation lists. These priority occupation lists do not describe which occupations are

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eligible for the BC PNP; rather, they list the occupations that B.C. is prioritizing for invitations to
apply to the program. These lists may change without notice.
The information that you submit in your registration is used to identify priority factors, as well as
for scoring purposes. It is your responsibility to make sure the information in your registration is
correct. Please see section 7.1(a) for information on submitting a registration.

4.1 Skilled Worker Stream

The BC PNP Skilled Worker stream is for experienced workers in a professional, management,
technical, trade or other skilled occupation.
4.1 (a) You must meet the General Requirements

You must meet the General Requirements listed in Part 3 of this Program Guide.
4.1 (b) You must be offered a job in a skilled occupation (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3)

Your employer must provide you with a signed job offer on official company letterhead. For full
details on the job offer requirements, refer to section 3.5 and section 6.6.
Some occupations do not require an indeterminate job offer to be considered for nomination. For
more information, please see section 3.5 (c) job offer duration.
4.1 (c) You must have a minimum of two years of full-time (or full-time equivalent) work
experience in any skilled occupation (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3)

This experience may be from work performed within Canada or abroad, and must have been
obtained within the last ten years.
Please note that this two-year skilled work experience requirement is separate from the directly
related work experience that is scored at registration. Please see part 8 Registration Scoring
Factors for more information about how directly related work experience is used to calculate your
score.
Work experience obtained in paid co-op work terms is eligible if it meets all of the following
criteria:
• you have successfully completed your program of study
• the paid co-op work term was full-time (minimum 30 regular hours per week)
• the paid co-op experience was in a skilled occupation
If you include paid co-op experience to meet the two-year skilled work experience requirement,
you must provide evidence that you have graduated from your program of study. You may also
be asked to provide evidence that your co-op experience was paid.
Student work experience that is not part of a paid co-op work term does not count towards this
requirement.

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Work experience as a university professor / lecturer (NOC 41200)

If you have been offered a job that is classified under NOC 41200 (university professors and
lecturers) at a public university in B.C., then any experience you obtained through research or
coursework as part of your doctoral-level degree can be used to demonstrate that you meet the
two-year skilled experience requirement. This research or coursework experience is not required
to be paid, and must have been obtained within the last ten years.
4.1 (d) Your employer must meet the Employer Requirements

The employer requirements are listed in Part 6 of this Program Guide.

4.1 (e) Additional requirements if you are using the Express Entry BC (EEBC) option

To use the EEBC option, you must have a valid IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job
Seeker Validation Code. These indicate that you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the federal
economic immigration programs subject to IRCC’s Express Entry system.
For more information, see Part 5: Using the Express Entry BC option.
If you are not using the EEBC option, you do not require an IRCC Express Entry Profile Number or
a Job Seeker Validation Code.

4.2 Health Authority Stream

If you have an indeterminate full-time job offer in any occupation from a public health authority
in B.C., you may be eligible for this stream. If you are a physician, nurse practitioner, or midwife,
and are not directly employed by a B.C. public health authority, you may also be eligible to apply
under the Health Authority stream.
You do not need to register for this stream. If you meet all requirements, you can submit an
application directly to the BC PNP. See section 7.4 for more information.
4.2 (a) You must meet the General Requirements

You must meet the General Requirements listed in Part 3 of this Program Guide
4.2 (b) You must:
• be offered an indeterminate, full-time job with a B.C. public health authority
OR
• be a physician, nurse practitioner, or midwife who is supported by a B.C. health
authority and can meet the requirements for physicians, nurse practitioners, and
midwives outlined below
Employees of a B.C. public health authority:

You must be offered an indeterminate, full-time position as a direct employee of one of B.C.’s
public health authorities (listed below).

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 • Provincial Health Services Authority
• First Nations Health Authority
• Fraser Health
• Interior Health
• Island Health
• Northern Health
• Vancouver Coastal Health
• Providence Health Care
Your job offer may be in any occupation, at any NOC TEER category.
If your job offer is in a priority technology occupation, your job offer does not have to be
indeterminate. For more information, please see section 3.5 (c) job offer duration.
If you are a healthcare professional, you may wish to contact BC Health Careers. They offer free
recruitment information, services and support on behalf of B.C.’s health authorities.
Physicians, nurse practitioners, and midwives:

If you are a physician, nurse practitioner or midwife who is, or will soon be, working in B.C. with
the support of a B.C. public health authority or midwife practice group, you may be eligible for
this stream. Your application must include a recommendation letter and supporting
documentation from the health authority or midwife practice group that confirms:
• Your qualifications
• That you are or will soon be working as a physician, nurse practitioner, or midwife in B.C.
• Your work location
• That the health authority or midwife practice group supports your BC PNP application
4.2 (c) You must demonstrate that you have support from your health authority to apply to
the BC PNP

Your health authority must agree to support your BC PNP application before you apply. Each
health authority has its own process to determine which applications it will support, and health
authorities are not obligated to support BC PNP applications. It is your responsibility to ensure
that you have followed the process for your health authority. Contact the human resources
department at your health authority to confirm this process.

Each health authority has delegated a limited number of individuals with the authority to
determine which BC PNP applications will be supported. Only these individuals can sign your
Employer Declaration Form.

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4.2 (d) You must be qualified for the offered position

You must meet the education, training, experience, qualifications, and licensing required by the
public health authority.
4.2 (e) Your employer must meet the employer requirements

The employer requirements are listed in Part 6 of this Program Guide.

4.2 (f) Additional requirements if you are using the Express Entry BC (EEBC) option

To use the EEBC option, you must have a valid IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job
Seeker Validation Code. These indicate that you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the federal
economic immigration programs subject to IRCC’s Express Entry system.
Please note that only occupations classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 are eligible for
consideration under the Express Entry BC option. If you select the EEBC option and your job offer
is classified under NOC TEER 4 or 5, your application will be refused.
For more information, see Part 5: Using the Express Entry BC option.

If you are not using the EEBC option, you do not require an IRCC Express Entry Profile Number or
a Job Seeker Validation Code.

4.3 International Graduate Stream

The International Graduate stream closed to new registrations on November 26, 2024.
International Graduate stream applications that were received after September 4th 2024 will
be assessed according to the criteria below.

If you are an international student who has graduated from a university or college in Canada
within the past three years, you may be eligible for nomination under the International Graduate
stream.
Some graduate level degrees are eligible under the International Post-Graduate stream. See
section 4.4 further details.
4.3 (a) You must meet the General Requirements

You must meet the General Requirements listed in Part 3 of this Program Guide.
4.3 (b) You must have obtained a degree, diploma, or certificate from an eligible post-
secondary institution in Canada

As evidence that you meet this requirement, you must submit:

• A copy of your official transcript showing the date that you completed all requirements of
the degree, diploma or certificate program
or

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 • A copy of your degree, diploma, or certificate
In some cases, the BC PNP may request a copy of your transcripts and a copy of your degree,
diploma, or certificate to confirm that you meet this criterion.
Programs of study delivered in languages other than English or French are not eligible.
Distance Education and Location of Education

You must have completed 50% or more of your studies from within Canada.
Your education is not eligible if it is a distance education learning program either from abroad or
from within Canada. However, due to the impact of Covid-19, online coursework completed from
January 2020 to June 2023 as part of a BC PNP eligible program of study while residing in Canada
is eligible.
Educational credentials granted by campuses of Canadian institutions located outside of Canada
do not qualify.
Degrees

Your undergraduate or graduate degree must be from a Canadian post-secondary institution

that is authorized by a Canadian provincial government to grant degrees.
See the B.C. Government website for a list of public and private post-secondary institutions
authorized to grant degrees in B.C.
Diplomas and Certificates

Your diploma or certificate must be from a public post-secondary institution in Canada.

• Diplomas and Certificates from private institutions are not eligible
• Language training programs (e.g. English as a Second Language (ESL), or English as a
foreign language) do not qualify
At a minimum, your program must have been 8 months (two semesters) of full-time equivalent
coursework. Co-op work terms, practicums and internships will not count towards the 8-months of
full-time equivalent coursework requirement. You may be requested to provide a letter from your
educational institution that confirms your program meets this requirement.
4.3 (c) You must submit your registration to the BC PNP within three years of graduation

You must submit your registration to the BC PNP within three years of the date you graduated, as
long as the date stated on your degree, diploma, or certificate is less than 12 months after you
completed your program of study.
You can apply to this stream as soon as you have completed your program of study.
4.3 (d) You must be offered a job that is classified as NOC TEER category 1, 2 or 3.

Your employer must provide you with a signed job offer on official company letterhead. For full
details on the job offer requirements, refer to section 3.5 and section 6.6.

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Management occupations (NOC TEER 0) are not eligible under this stream.
Supervisor positions are normally only obtained through progressively increasing experience or
responsibilities. If you have been offered a supervisor position, the onus is on you and your
employer to demonstrate that you have obtained the necessary experience that qualifies you for
the position. You must clearly demonstrate this experience in your resume. If you are unable to
satisfactorily demonstrate that you have obtained progressively increasing experience or
responsibilities, your application may be refused.
Some occupations do not require an indeterminate job offer to be considered for nomination. For
more information, please see section 3.5 (c) job offer duration.
4.3 (e) Your employer must meet the Employer Requirements

The employer requirements are listed in Part 6 of this Program Guide.

4.3 (f) Additional requirements if you are using the EEBC option

To use the EEBC option, you must have a valid IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job
Seeker Validation Code. These indicate that you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the federal
economic immigration programs subject to IRCC’s Express Entry system.
For more information, see Part 5: Using the Express Entry BC option.
If you are not using the EEBC option, you do not require an IRCC Express Entry Profile Number or
a Job Seeker Validation Code.

4.4 International Post-Graduate Stream

The International Post-Graduate stream is closed to new applications. Applications that

were received after September 4th 2024 will be assessed according to the criteria below.

If you have recently graduated from an eligible B.C. post-secondary institution with a master’s or
doctoral degree, or if you are a PhD candidate at a public B.C. post-secondary institution, you
may be eligible for the BC PNP’s International Post-Graduate stream.
You do not need a job offer from an employer to apply to this stream.
You do not need to register for this stream. If you meet all requirements, you can submit an
application directly to the program. See section 7.4 for more information.

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4.4 (a) You must meet the General Requirements

You must meet the applicable General Requirements listed in Part 3 of this Program Guide.
4.4 (b) You must have obtained eligible graduate-level education from an eligible program
of study at a post-secondary institution in B.C.

Master’s Level Programs

You may be eligible to apply to this stream if you completed a master’s degree at a B.C. post-
secondary institution in one of the following programs of study in the natural, applied, or health
sciences:
• Agriculture, agriculture operations and related sciences
• Biological and biomedical sciences
• Computer and information sciences and support services
• Engineering
• Engineering technology and engineering-related fields
• Health professions and related programs
• Mathematics and statistics
• Natural resources conservation
• Physical sciences
Please refer to the BC PNP IPG Programs of Study in Eligible Fields document for more information.
Doctoral Level Programs

You may be eligible to apply to this stream if you completed a doctoral degree (in any field of study)
at a public B.C. post-secondary institution.
You may also be eligible to apply to this stream if you are a PhD student (in any field of study) at a
public B.C. post-secondary institution if:
• you have been admitted to candidacy
• you submit a copy of your official transcripts showing the date that you were admitted to
candidacy, or submit a letter from your public university in B.C. confirming that you have
been admitted to candidacy
Regulatory or professional doctorates, such as Juris Doctor (J.D.) and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), are
not eligible under this stream.
Copy of Degree/Transcripts

If you have completed your degree, you must submit one of the following:
• A copy of your degree

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 • A letter from your university in B.C. confirming the completion of all required courses
• A copy of your official transcript showing the date that you completed all requirements of
the degree program
In some cases, the BC PNP may request a copy of your transcripts and a copy of your degree to
confirm that you meet this requirement.
Distance Education and Location of Education

You must have completed 50% or more of your studies from within Canada.
Your education is not eligible if it is a distance education learning program either from abroad or
from within Canada. However, due to the impact of Covid-19, online coursework completed from
January 2020 to June 2023 as part of a BC PNP eligible program of study while residing in Canada
is eligible.
Educational credentials granted by campuses of Canadian institutions located outside of Canada
do not qualify.
4.4 (c) You must submit your application to the BC PNP within three years of graduation

You must submit your application to the BC PNP within three years of the date you graduated,
provided the date stated on your degree is less than 12 months after you completed your program
of study.
You can apply to this stream as soon as you have completed your program of study, or in the case
of PhD students, as soon as you are admitted to candidacy.
4.4 (d) You must demonstrate that you have the ability and intent to live, work and
economically establish in B.C.

Evidence of this may include:

• The length of any previous and/or current period of residence in B.C.
• Your connections to B.C. through work, study or family
• A description of any actions you’ve taken to permanently settle in B.C., such as finding a job
or a place to live
• Current employment in B.C.
• Employment search details (prospective employers, applications, networking efforts,
business development, etc.)
• Community involvement
• Ability to financially support yourself and your dependants (if any) in B.C.
• Your plan to obtain or maintain legal authorization to work in B.C.
The BC PNP requires that applicants live in B.C. after they are nominated. If you are not currently
living in B.C., you must demonstrate the steps you are taking to live, work and economically

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establish in B.C., including the date you will return to B.C. Failure to demonstrate this requirement
may result in a refusal of your application.
In compelling/extenuating circumstances, the BC PNP may provide an exception from this policy
for a limited time.
4.4 (e) Additional requirements if you are using the Express Entry BC (EEBC) option

To use the EEBC option, you must have a valid IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker
Validation Code. These indicate that you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the federal economic
immigration programs subject to IRCC’s Express Entry system.
For more information, see Part 5: Using the Express Entry BC option.
If you are not using the EEBC option, you do not require an IRCC Express Entry Profile Number or
a Job Seeker Validation Code.

4.5 Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) Stream - including employment in the Northeast
Development Region

You may be eligible for this stream if you are currently working in B.C. in an eligible occupation in
the tourism/hospitality, or food processing sectors.
OR
If you are currently working in the Northeast Development Region of the province, you may be
eligible for this stream if you are employed in any NOC TEER 4 or 5 occupation, other than in-
home caregivers (NOC 44100 – Home child care providers or 44101 – Home support workers,
caregivers and related occupations).
Please note that the Express Entry BC (EEBC) option is not available for the ELSS stream.
4.5 (a) You must meet the General Requirements

You must meet the General Requirements listed in Part 3 of this Program Guide.
4.5 (b) You must be offered an indeterminate, full-time job in an ELSS-eligible occupation

All ELSS-eligible occupations are classified as NOC TEER 4 or 5 under the National Occupational
Classification (NOC) system.
A complete list of ELSS-eligible occupations is on the Skills Immigration page of our website.
ELSS-eligible occupations are divided into two key sectors:
• Tourism and hospitality
• Food processing
If you are currently working in the Northeast Development Region of B.C., you may be eligible for
this stream if you are employed in any NOC TEER 4 or 5 occupation, excluding live-in caregivers.
If you are employed under the federal government’s Live-In Caregiver program, you are not

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eligible for the BC PNP as this program already provides participants with a pathway to
permanent residence.
Your employer must provide you with a signed job offer on official letterhead. For full details on
the job offer requirements, refer to section 3.5 and section 6.6.
4.5 (c) Immediately prior to registering with the BC PNP, you must have been working full-
time, year-round, for at least nine (9) consecutive months, in any eligible ELSS occupation
with the B.C. employer supporting your BC PNP application

The BC PNP may allow for changes in your employment from one ELSS-eligible occupation to a
different ELSS-eligible occupation with the same employer during the nine-month qualifying
period.
Annual vacation leave will generally count toward meeting this nine consecutive month
employment requirement. For example, if you worked for nine months for the supporting
employer, and during that nine-month period you took a two-week vacation, you would still meet
the nine-month employment requirement.
Medical/parental/maternity/extended vacation leave that is supported by documentation is an
acceptable break in employment, however such leave does not contribute towards the
accumulation of nine months of work experience for the ELSS category. You must still obtain the
entire nine months of work experience and must be working full-time at the time you register
and apply to the BC PNP.
During the nine-month period, any type of leave longer than two weeks will not be counted
towards the nine-month employment requirement. For example, if you worked for two months,
then took a six-month parental leave, you would have to work for an additional seven months
upon returning to work before you would be eligible for the ELSS stream.
Employment that is part of a program of study (such as co-op) or obtained while in Canada on a
study permit does not qualify towards the nine-month consecutive employment requirement.
4.5 (d) You must maintain full-time employment in an ELSS-eligible occupation with your
supporting employer in B.C. throughout the BC PNP application process

BC PNP registrants who are no longer authorized to work for the supporting B.C. employer at the
time they receive an invitation to apply, and who maintain legal status in Canada (e.g. as a visitor)
or leave Canada, may submit an application provided they meet the following:
• The requirement for nine (9) months of full-time employment on a valid work permit in
B.C. was met at the time of current registration
• The job offer in an ELSS-eligible occupation remains valid throughout the current
registration and application process
The employer must also demonstrate ongoing recruitment for the vacant position during the
period when the registrant is not authorized to work.

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4.5 (e) You must be able to demonstrate a history of meeting the minimum income
requirement

You must be able to demonstrate that you have been meeting the minimum income requirement
for the full nine-month period prior to submitting a registration and application. Please see
section 3.9 for more information.
4.5 (f) You must have completed secondary education

At a minimum, you must have successfully completed secondary education (graduated from high
school) either within or outside of Canada. You will need to submit a copy, in English, of your
highest-level diploma, certificate, degree, or transcripts.
4.5 (g) Your employer must meet the Employer Requirements

The employer requirements are listed in Part 6 of this Program Guide.

Part 5: Using the Express Entry BC (EEBC) Option

Express Entry is a points-based online application management system introduced by
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
If you are in the federal Express Entry pool, and you also meet the criteria for one of the BC PNP
Skills Immigration streams, you may be eligible to use the BC PNP’s Express Entry BC (EEBC)
option.
The EEBC option is available for four of the BC PNP’s Skills Immigration streams (see section 5.3).
If nominated using the EEBC option, your federal Express Entry Profile will benefit from additional
CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) points. Also, your nomination will allow you to apply for
permanent residence through IRCC’s Express Entry system, and your application for permanent
residence will receive fast processing offered through Express Entry.
If you are interested in applying to the BC PNP using the EEBC option, you need to meet the
minimum criteria for both the relevant BC PNP Skills Immigration stream as well as one of the
eligible federal economic immigration programs listed in section 5.1 below.
To apply to the BC PNP using the EEBC option, please carefully review the following requirements:
5.1 Meet criteria for one of IRCC’s Express Entry programs
You must meet the minimum criteria for at least one of the federal economic immigration
programs subject to IRCC’s Express Entry system:
• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Canadian Experience Class

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These federal programs require a language proficiency test at a prescribed level and may require
an independent evaluation of your education that is assessed against Canadian standards. To
determine if you qualify for IRCC’s Express Entry system, complete the self-assessment, and if
eligible, create a profile.
You must also meet IRCC’s proof of settlement funds requirement. This requirement is separate
from the BC PNP’s minimum income requirements.

5.2 Obtain a valid IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation
Code, and indicate your interest in immigrating to B.C.

You will be required to enter information regarding your education, language and work
experience as part of IRCC’s Express Entry system. If you meet the criteria for one of the federal
economic immigration programs subject to Express Entry, you will receive an Express Entry
Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code. These are specific numbers assigned only to
you. You must also indicate that you are interested in settling in B.C.

5.3 Apply to the BC PNP using one of the Express Entry BC (EEBC) options
The BC PNP has EEBC options for the following BC PNP streams:
• Skilled Worker
• Health Authority

At the time of registration (or at the time of application if you submitted an application to the
Health Authority stream), you will need to select the EEBC option under the appropriate stream
that applies to you.

Only occupations classified under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 are eligible for consideration under the
EEBC option. If you select the EEBC option and your job offer is classified under NOC TEER 4 or 5,
your application will be refused.
You will also need to meet the general requirements listed in Part 3, as well as the applicable
stream requirements listed in Part 4.
For more information about how to register and apply to the BC PNP, please review Part 7:
Process.

5.4 Maintain your Express Entry profile

After completing an assessment of your application, the BC PNP can only proceed to nominate
you if your Express Entry profile remains valid and visible to the BC PNP. If your Express Entry
profile has expired, or if you have received an invitation to apply (ITA) from IRCC before the BC
PNP completes its assessment, your Express Entry profile will no longer be visible to the BC PNP.

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Therefore, the BC PNP will be unable to nominate you, even if you meet all the requirements for
the BC PNP stream under which you applied.
If IRCC issues you an ITA before the BC PNP can nominate you in the Express Entry portal, and
you still wish to proceed with a nomination, you would need to decline the invitation from IRCC
and await a nomination from the BC PNP. If you do not decline the invitation from IRCC in Express
Entry, your BC PNP application cannot be approved.
Should you choose to accept the invitation from IRCC, you can request a withdrawal of your BC
PNP application. See section 7.5.

5.5 Changing streams after registration/application

If you have registered or applied to the BC PNP without selecting the EEBC option, your
registration/application cannot later be converted to the EEBC option.
If you wish to apply under a different stream than the one you have selected, including a stream
with the EEBC option, you can withdraw your BC PNP registration/application and submit a new
one under the appropriate stream. Please see BC PNP’s refund policy in section 7.5.

Part 6: Employer Requirements

Most of the BC PNP’s Skills Immigration streams require a job offer and are designed to help B.C.
employers recruit and retain the workers they need.
To ensure your employer is established in B.C. and is committed to offering you ongoing
employment, all employers supporting applications through the BC PNP must meet specific
requirements, which are described in this section. You must have your employer’s support before
you apply. The onus is on your employer to demonstrate that these requirements are met.

6.1 Generate Economic Benefit to British Columbia

Your employment must provide economic benefit to B.C. Examples of economic benefit include,
but are not limited to:
• Maintaining or creating jobs for Canadians
• Transferring knowledge and skills to Canadians
• Supporting the development of proprietary new products
• Building the workforce for a major project

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6.2 Established in British Columbia
Your employer must be established, and have a physical presence, in B.C. For the purposes of the
BC PNP, this means that your employer has an ongoing fixed place of business in B.C., such as an
office, where employees can physically report to work on a regular basis.

6.3 Business Structure

Your employer must have one of the following business structures:
• Incorporated in B.C. or extra-provincially registered in B.C.
• Registered as a general, limited or limited liability partnership in B.C.
The BC PNP also accepts applications from the following public sector and non-profit
organizations established in B.C.:
• Provincial and regional health authorities and agencies
• Public post-secondary education and training institutions
• Public school districts
• Private non-profit post-secondary institutions that are accredited by, or registered with,
The Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC
• Institutions supported by the Government of Canada or the Province of B.C. conducting
research in natural and applied sciences, engineering, computer and information systems,
or health sciences
• Provincial/federal/municipal government organizations and agencies
• Bands/tribal councils/first nation governments
• Other non-profit groups registered as charitable organizations and/or incorporated under
an applicable federal or provincial act.

6.4 Complete and Sign Employer Declaration Form

Your employer must complete the Employer Declaration Form, which includes a declaration your
employer must sign, confirming that the information they are providing is truthful, complete, and
correct.
All sections of the Employer Declaration Form must be completed. Responses that do not directly
answer the questions in each section, or that provide vague, imprecise statements such as ‘not
applicable,’ or ‘employee on valid work permit’ will be considered incomplete and your application
may be refused.
The Employer Declaration Form must be signed by an employee or owner of the company who
has the authority and consent of the company to support the BC PNP application, including any

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and all requirements of hiring a foreign worker. If your employer is a health authority, only a
limited number of individuals have been delegated with the authority to sign this form. See
section 4.2 (c) for more information.
Signing the Employer Declaration Form without authority or consent may result in a refusal of the
application or, if applicable, a cancellation of the nomination.

6.5 Legally operate the business in B.C.

Your employer must be able to demonstrate that they are legally able to operate the business in
B.C.
Valid business licence

Your employer must have a valid municipal business licence or, if applicable, municipal licence
agreement, that allows your employer and their employees to engage in business at a fixed
location in B.C. If your employer is exempt from obtaining a business licence from the
municipality, your employer should cite the municipal policy or regulation that allows the
exemption.
At its sole discretion, the requirement for a business licence may be waived by the BC PNP if the
business is located on First Nation lands or unincorporated lands. The BC PNP may also waive
this requirement for indigenous-owned businesses.
Regulated businesses/industries

If your employer’s business operates in a regulated industry, you must demonstrate that your
employer has approval from the industry’s governing body to operate.
Child care facilities

If you are employed as an early childhood educator or assistant (NOC 42202), your employer
must be licensed by a provincial health authority to operate a child care facility.

6.6 Supporting Documentation

Signed Job Offer Letter

Your employer must provide you with a job offer letter that is:
• Written on official company letterhead
• Signed and dated by an employee, or owner, of the company who is authorized to hire
employees
• Signed and dated by you confirming that you accept the offer

In addition, your employer must provide you with documentation that confirms:

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 • Your job title and duties
• Your hourly and annual wage
• Your regular hours of work
• Your work location, and whether you will regularly work remotely
• That the position is indeterminate* and full-time (at least an average of 30 regular hours a
week, year-round)
• Any discretionary benefits in addition to those required by law (such as pension and
medical plans, disability insurance, sick pay, accommodation and meal allowances, and
extra paid vacations)
• If the position is covered by a collective agreement, a reference to the agreement
Some occupations do not require an indeterminate job offer to be considered for nomination. For
more information, please see section 3.5 (c) job offer duration.
Please note that positions that require you to spend the majority of time outside of B.C. will not
be approved.
Other supporting documentation

In order to support a BC PNP application, your employer must provide documentation about your
employment and their business. In addition to the documents described above, this includes, but
is not limited to:
• A recommendation letter
• A detailed job description
• Company information
• A copy of the Certificate of Incorporation
• A copy of the municipal business licence
Please refer to the BC PNP Skills Immigration Technical Guide for a complete list and description
of additional documents your B.C. employer must provide.

6.7 Minimum Number of Years in Operation in British Columbia

Your employer must have operated in B.C. for at least one year (two years if you are applying
under the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) stream).
Your employer may be required to provide additional documentation as evidence that the
company meets this requirement.

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6.8 Minimum Number of Full-Time Employees in British Columbia
If your employer is located within the Metro Vancouver Regional District, your employer must
have at least five indeterminate, full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) who are
performing their work from within B.C.
If your employer is located outside of the Metro Vancouver Regional District, your employer must
have at least three indeterminate, full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) who are
performing their work from within B.C.
Full-Time Equivalent:

• A full-time employee refers to an employee who is working at least an average of 30 hours

per week for the employer
• A part-time employee refers to an employee who is working less than an average of 30
hours per week for the employer
Employers may consider two part-time employees as one full-time equivalent position, as long as
the total hours add up to at least an average of 30 hours per week.
Employees performing their work from outside of B.C. will not be included in the number of full-
time employees.
Only individuals who are on the company’s payroll will be considered employees of the company.
Your employer may be asked to submit additional supporting documentation, such as a T4
Summary of Remuneration Paid, to demonstrate that this requirement is met.
Please note that for the purposes of the BC PNP, independent contractors are not considered as
indeterminate employees. As such, independent contractors must not be included in an
employer’s declaration of the number of employees.

6.9 Follow laws and regulations

Your application may be refused if:
• Within the past two years, your supporting employer, or a director/owner of your
supporting employer, has been issued penalties or fines by a government or regulatory
body
• Within the past five years, your supporting employer, or a director/owner of your
supporting employer, has been issued penalties or fines by a government or regulatory
body for non-compliance with immigration-related laws or regulations
• Your supporting employer, or a director/owner of your supporting employer, is under
investigation by a government or regulatory body
• Your supporting employer, or a director/owner of your supporting employer, has been
charged with a criminal offence related to immigration or the operation of the business

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If the BC PNP determines that your employer, or a director/owner of your supporting employer,
does not appear to be in compliance with a municipal, provincial or federal law or regulation, the
BC PNP may share this information with the government or regulatory body responsible for
enforcing such law or regulation, and your application may be refused.

6.10 Make Genuine Efforts to Recruit Locally

BC PNP nominations must not adversely affect employment or development opportunities for
Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents living in British Columbia. For that reason, your
employer must make genuine and bona fide efforts to recruit from the local labour market.
Your employer can demonstrate that genuine and bona fide recruitment efforts were made by
providing evidence such as the following:
• Specific efforts made to identify a Canadian citizen or permanent resident for the position
• Recruitment methods and duration that are consistent with industry standards and
practices
• Qualifications listed in recruitment ads that:
o are reasonable
o are consistent with the occupation, i.e. targets an audience that has the
appropriate education, professional experience or skill level for the occupation
o do not include preferences that are not supported by the NOC, WorkBC or other
industry standards
o do not include preferences such as the ability to speak a language other than the
official languages of English or French, unless the language is directly related to the
job duties
o do not require a candidate to have a foreign network or foreign work experience,
and
o are not specifically catered to a particular candidate
o An adequate level of scrutiny exercised when verifying the qualifications of all
potential candidates
Acceptable Recruitment Activities

While there are many types of recruitment activities, posting recruitment advertisements is a
common practice in order to reach a large number of prospective candidates who are outside an
employer’s network.
At a minimum, recruitment advertisements should be posted on at least two acceptable
recruitment advertisement locations for at least 14 days.
Acceptable recruitment advertisement locations include:

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 • Recognized job posting websites
• Professional association websites
• National newspapers, professional journals or newsletters
Recruitment advertisements should include:
• Company operating name
• Job title and duties
• Offered wage or wage range
• Location of work (local area, city or town)
• Contact information
• Skills requirements for the job, including:
o education and/or qualifications
o work experience

Additional Considerations

At its sole discretion, the BC PNP may consider the recruitment requirement met if one of the
following applies:
• You are a senior executive, or highly specialized senior manager, or a highly specialized
senior professional
o In these cases, your employer must demonstrate targeted recruitment activities
consistent with industry practices, such as the creation of an executive recruitment
team or the hiring of a specialized, licensed human resources recruitment agency.
See section 2.6 for further details on third-party recruiters
• You have a valid work permit or employment authorization and are currently working full-
time for your supporting employer in B.C. in the occupation identified in the job offer
Please note that if you are in Canada on a valid study permit and currently working for your
supporting employer in B.C., recruitment may only be considered met if, at the time of
registration, you have graduated from your program of study.
Describing Recruitment Efforts

Your employer is required to describe their recruitment efforts on the Employer Declaration Form
(see section 6.4), even if you are currently working for your employer in B.C. Your employer
may be asked to provide evidence of a genuine and bona fide effort to recruit Canadian citizens
and/or permanent residents living in British Columbia for your offered position.
Failure to demonstrate that genuine and bona fide efforts were made to recruit from the local
labour market which led to your job offer, or failure to provide sufficiently compelling reasons

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why the recruitment requirement should be considered to have been met, or the failure to
demonstrate that an adequate level of scrutiny was exercised when verifying the qualifications of
all potential candidates, may result in the refusal of your application.

6.11 Genuine Need for the Position

Your employer must demonstrate that there is a genuine need for the position.
The position offered to you must align with – and be needed to maintain or grow – your
employer’s existing line of business. New lines of business may not be supported.
Positions performing work that is normally performed by outside contractors, or where the need
for the position on an ongoing, full-time basis has not been demonstrated, may not be approved.
You and your employer must also be able to demonstrate that your position meets an eligible
employment situation, as described in section 3.10.

6.12 Ineligible Employers

The BC PNP maintains the discretion to intervene and prohibit any employer from supporting an
application in the circumstances described below. In addition, previous nominations may be
cancelled if the BC PNP later finds that the supporting employer met the description of an ineligible
employer at the time of nomination.
6.12 (a) Sexually oriented businesses

Employers involved in producing, distributing, or selling pornographic or sexually explicit products,

or providing sexually oriented entertainment or services are not eligible to support an application
to the BC PNP.
6.12 (b) Placement agencies

Placement agencies, employment agencies, staffing firms, professional employment organizations

(PEOs), and similar firms, are not eligible to support an application to the BC PNP.
6.12 (c) Disreputable employers

Applications supported by any other type of business – or activities of the business – that by
association would tend to bring the BC PNP or the Government of British Columbia into disrepute
will be refused.
The BC PNP also reserves the right to cancel your nomination should it be determined that the
activities of your supporting employer by association would bring the BC PNP or the Government
of British Columbia into disrepute.

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6.12 (d) Ownership

In the 5 years preceding your application, and throughout the BC PNP application process, you or
your immediate and extended family members must not have held or exercised control over the
company/organization that has offered you employment. This may refer to any of the following:
• Holding or exercising control over a combined ownership/equity stake of 10 per cent or
greater in the B.C. company that has offered you employment
• Situations in which another company has acquired all or substantially all of your or your
family member’s business and/or assets, and has now offered you employment.
Immediate and extended family members include – but are not limited to – your spouse,
common-law partner, parents or parents-in-law, siblings or siblings-in-law, first or second
cousins, first or second cousins of your spouse/common-law partner, children/grandchildren, or
children/grandchildren of your spouse/common-law partner.

6.13 Commercial Vehicle Safety Certification

Employers that operate commercial vehicles, such as trucks or buses, require certification with
B.C.’s National Safety Code (NSC) Program.
The safety rating on your employer’s NSC certificate must be excellent, satisfactory, or
satisfactory-unaudited.
To demonstrate that your employer has one of the safety ratings specified above, you must
provide your employer’s 9-digit NSC number. The carrier’s name associated with the 9-digit NSC
number must match your employer’s legal name on your application.

6.14 Employer Responsibilities

In addition to meeting all employer requirements, your employer also has a responsibility to
notify the BC PNP if there are any changes to your employment.
Changes to your employment may include, but are not limited to:
• Demotions
• Terminations
• Layoffs
• Extended leaves (e.g. maternity leave, extended sick leave, etc.)
• Delayed start dates
• Closure of the supporting employer’s business
• Change of business ownership
Your employer can notify the BC PNP by emailing [email protected].

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Failure to notify the BC PNP of changes to your employment may result in a refusal of your
application or a cancellation of your nomination, and may impact your employer’s ability to
support future employees through the BC PNP.

6.15 Other Considerations

At its sole discretion, the BC PNP may consider an application where the supporting employer
does not meet the minimum requirements.
To be considered, the supporting employer must, at the time of application, make a compelling
business case in writing to the BC PNP that demonstrates how the nomination will generate
significant economic benefit to B.C.

Part 7: Process
Please read the program and stream requirements in this Program Guide before you start the BC
PNP registration or application process.

The process starts when you create a profile with the BC PNP’s registration and application portal
called BCPNP Online. There are four main steps to the BC PNP process: registration (if
applicable), invitation (if applicable), application, and decision. Each step of the process has
unique requirements that are outlined in this Program Guide.
If you are nominated, you will have additional responsibilities that are outlined as conditions of
nomination. See section 7.8 for more information.
Please note that if you qualify for the Health Authority stream, you do not need to register and
can submit an application directly. See 7.4 Application for more information.

7.1 Registration
A registration is a points-based expression of interest that enables the BC PNP to manage
application intake to ensure strong economic outcomes for the province. The information
provided in a registration is used to rank, select, and invite candidates to apply. Most Skills
Immigration streams require that you submit a registration. The Health Authority stream does
not require a registration.

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Your registration and application must be submitted using the BC PNP Online registration and
application portal. To do this, you must first create an online profile with BCPNP Online and
complete all sections of the registration.
You are responsible for ensuring that the information in your BCPNP Online profile – including
your contact details – is current throughout the registration and application process. Should you
need to update any information in your profile, you can do this through BCPNP Online.
Your registration is separate from your profile. Once a registration is submitted, the information
contained in your registration is locked. The BC PNP will not make corrections to the information
in your registration and will not change the stream under which you registered.
If you need to make changes to your registration, you will need to withdraw your registration and
submit a new registration with the updated information. You can do this through your existing
profile.
You can check the most up-to-date information regarding the status of your registration or
application at any time by logging in to BCPNP Online and checking your dashboard.
For detailed instructions on how to submit a registration or application through BCPNP Online,
please refer to the BC PNP Skills Immigration Technical Guide.
The current status of the BCPNP Online system and information about troubleshooting known
issues can be viewed on the BCPNP Online page.

7.1 (a) Submitting a registration

After you complete your registration, you will receive your registration score and will be entered
into a registration pool for the stream in which you have registered. You must complete each
section of the registration in order to be entered into the registration pool for your stream. Once
your registration has been successfully submitted, you will receive a confirmation of registration
email that includes your BC PNP registration number.
Your registration is valid for twelve months from the date of submission. If you do not receive an
invitation to apply before your registration expires, it will no longer be valid. You may then create
and submit a new registration using your existing BCPNP Online profile.
Your registration is valid only for the stream that you have selected. If you wish to register under
a different stream than the one you have selected, and you have not yet been invited to apply,
you can withdraw your BC PNP registration and submit a new registration under the appropriate
stream.
You must meet program criteria at the time you submit your registration and throughout
the BC PNP process.
It is your responsibility to make sure the information in your registration is correct. If you don’t
receive an invitation to apply because your registration information was inaccurate, you will

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need to update your registration information and wait for the next invitation to apply. You will not
retroactively receive an invitation to apply.
In addition, if the information in your registration differs from the information in your
application, your application may be refused if we determine that you received an invitation to
apply for which you did not – or no longer – qualify. This may include:
• Differences between your registration and application that result in a decrease of your
total registration score, and your revised registration score is below the minimum draw
score at the time you were invited to apply
• Differences between any information provided in your registration and application, such
as your NOC or your work location, if that information was used as a selection factor in
issuing you an invitation to apply
If the information in your registration differs from the information in your application, and the
differences would not decrease your total registration score below the minimum draw score at
the time you were invited to apply, and you continue to qualify for the invitation you received,
you may choose to keep your original registration and proceed with submitting an application.
Please carefully review the program and stream requirements before submitting your
registration.
You may only have one active BC PNP registration at a time. Please note that information you
submitted in any prior registrations may be considered in your application assessment.

7.2 Registration Scoring Factors

For complete information about how your registration is scored, please see Part 8: Registration
Scoring Factors.

7.3 Invitations to Apply (ITA)

Once your registration is submitted and you have received your BC PNP registration number,
your registration is entered in the registration pool for your stream.
Registrants who are invited to apply will have up to 30 calendar days from the date of invitation
to submit a complete application via the BC PNP Online system.
• If you are invited to apply, your registration will be removed from the registration pool
• If you are invited to apply and do not submit a complete application by the deadline
indicated in your ITA, your registration and invitation will be cancelled. Your profile will
remain, and you may submit a new registration at any time
• If you are invited to apply and select the ‘decline’ button on your dashboard, your
invitation to apply will be declined, and your registration and invitation will be cancelled.

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 Your profile will remain, and you may submit a new registration at any time, however, re-
registration does not guarantee another invitation to apply
• If you receive an ITA, you will be asked to pay a fee as part of the online application
process
If you have not been invited to apply within 12 months of registration, your registration will be
automatically removed from the registration pool.
If you are invited to apply and submit an application that, upon assessment, does not meet
program criteria, your application may be refused. This includes meeting the factors that were
used to issue you an invitation to apply. If you receive a targeted invitation to apply and, upon
assessment, it is determined that you did not, or no longer, meet the factors that were used to
target your registration, your application will be refused.
Incomplete applications will not be approved, and application fees will only be refunded if
you withdraw your application before the BC PNP begins to assess it. Please see section 7.5
Choosing to Withdraw your BC PNP Application for more information.
7.3 (a) Issuing ITAs

Periodically, the BC PNP will invite candidates from the registration pool for each stream to
submit an application.
Information provided in the registrations will be used to rank, select and invite candidates who
are most likely to meet B.C.’s economic and labour market needs, based on one or more of the
following attributes:
• Education – level and field of education and where it was completed
• Professional designation in B.C.
• Language skills
• Occupation
• Duration and skill level of work experience
• Wage and/or skill level of job offer
• Intent to live, work and settle in a specific region
• Strategic priorities – factors that address specific labour market needs in B.C., or support
government pilot projects and initiatives
Invitations may be targeted to support B.C. government priorities, such as supporting specific
business sectors, encouraging regional immigration, facilitating strategic pilot projects, and
safeguarding the integrity of the program.
The BC PNP may limit the ITAs issued to a specific occupation in any given year.
The BC PNP reserves the right to make changes to how we select registrants without prior notice.
This includes, but is not limited to, making changes to the scoring grid, updating registrants’

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scores, the length of time a registration can remain in the registration pool and the number and
frequency of invitations to apply.
There is no guarantee that you will be issued an invitation to apply (ITA), and an ITA does not
guarantee that your application will be approved for nomination; you must still meet the
minimum program and stream requirements. Meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does
not guarantee that you will be invited to apply, or that you will be nominated.
For information about invitations to apply, including previous invitation dates, the number of
invitations issued, and scores, please refer to the Invitations to Apply page of our website.

7.4 Application
If you received an ITA from the BC PNP, or if you are applying for the Health Authority stream, you
may submit an application directly through BCPNP Online.
When you submit your application, you must pay the application fee and ensure you have
included all required documents. Once it is assigned for review, the BC PNP will assess your
application according to program and stream-specific criteria.
The Skills Immigration Technical Guide lists documentation you are required to provide. Please
note you may be required to submit additional evidence to verify information in your registration
and application.
You or your employer may be contacted to request additional evidence or information to verify
information in your registration or application, and to determine if you meet or continue to meet
all program requirements
You are responsible for updating your contact information in your profile and ensuring that all
required information is current and up-to-date. Throughout the BC PNP application process, you
must inform the BC PNP if there has been a change in your circumstances, including changes to
your immigration status and/or family unit.
Your application is valid only for the stream that you have selected. You may only have one active
BC PNP application at a time.
If your documents are not in English, you must provide a certified translation with photocopies of
the originals. Documents must be stamped and certified by a person officially authorized to
notarize documents as accurate translations.
Please note that the age(s) of your dependent children, if any, are locked in for the purpose of
federal immigration requirements at the time of application to the BC PNP. For more information
on federal requirements regarding the age of dependent children, please see IRCC’s website.
Also, the number of dependants declared on your federal application for permanent residence to
IRCC should match the number of dependants listed on your BC PNP application. The BC PNP
should be informed of any changes to your family size throughout the BC PNP and IRCC

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permanent residence application process. Any changes to your dependant information may
affect minimum income requirements.
If the stream under which you have applied requires a job offer, and you are already working in
your offered position in B.C., you must maintain full-time employment throughout the BC PNP
process.
You must inform the BC PNP if there are any changes to your circumstances, including, but not
limited to, the following:
• Change of employer
• Change of job title and duties
• Decrease in salary
• Decrease in hours of work below 30 hours/week
Failure to notify the BC PNP of any changes to your information may result in a refusal of your
application.
7.4 (a) Refusal to Accept an Application

The BC PNP may refuse to accept an application if:

• An invitation for an application does not apply to that person
• The person has retained a representative who does not meet the prescribed
requirements, as described in section 4 of the Provincial Immigration Programs Regulation
• In the 2 years immediately before the date of application, the applicant has had a previous
nomination cancelled by the BC PNP
• The applicant has, in the 2 years immediately before the date of the application, been
found by the BC PNP to have made a misrepresentation in a previous application
• The employer has, in the 2 years immediately before the date of the application, been
found by the BC PNP to have made a misrepresentation in a previous application
o The BC PNP will also consider direction and ownership of other companies
supporting BC PNP applications during the two-year period, and may refuse to
accept applications where the supporting employer is directed by the same
individuals found to have participated in misrepresentation on a previous
application.
• The applicant has another active application and/or registration
• The applicant has an active request for review
See section 1.5 for information about misrepresentation.

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7.5 Choosing to Withdraw Your BC PNP Application
Application fees will only be refunded if you withdraw your application before the BC PNP begins
to assess it.
To withdraw your application, contact the BC PNP in writing by sending an email to
[email protected] and find out if you may be eligible for a refund. Please provide your full
name, your date of birth, and your BC PNP application file number in your email request.
Withdrawal requests submitted in-person or through voicemail will not be accepted.
If you wish to apply under a different stream than the one you have selected, including a stream
with or without the EEBC option, you can withdraw your BC PNP application and submit a new
one under the appropriate stream; depending on the stream, you may need to submit a new
registration and await a new invitation to apply. Your withdrawal will be subject to BC PNP’s
refund policy as outlined in this section.
Please note that for program integrity purposes, the BC PNP reserves the right to assess your
application and make a decision despite a withdrawal request. If it is determined that you/your
employer made a misrepresentation in your application, which you knew or ought to have
known, the Director of Provincial Immigration Programs may refuse to accept any future
applications from you/your employer for a period of up to two years as per paragraph 3(3)(d) of
the Provincial Immigration Programs Act and subsection 5(a) and 5(b) of the Provincial
Immigration Programs Regulation.
If you have already been nominated and wish to change your nomination to a different stream or
to an EEBC option, you will need to submit a new application to the BC PNP.

7.6 Decision
Your application will be assessed in accordance with the Provincial Immigration Programs Act, the
Provincial Immigration Programs Regulation, and against the BC PNP criteria and policies in place
at the time you applied to the BC PNP.
If your application is approved, you will receive a Confirmation of Nomination that allows you to
apply to IRCC for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Class.

If you are nominated by the BC PNP, you must maintain the conditions of nomination while you
are awaiting a decision on your permanent residence application.
7.6 (a) Application for Permanent Residence to IRCC

If you are nominated by the BC PNP, you must apply to IRCC to become a permanent resident of
Canada before your Confirmation of Nomination expires. If IRCC approves your permanent
residence application, you will be issued a permanent resident visa which will enable you to
become a permanent resident of Canada.

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Once you have become a permanent resident, or once your application for permanent residence
has been refused by IRCC, your BC PNP file will be considered closed, and no additional BC PNP
support will be provided.

7.7 Request for Review

If your BC PNP application is refused (i.e. declined under section 4(1)(b) of the Act), you may
request a review of the decision. The purpose of a review is to determine whether the original
decision was based on a fair process and was within the range of decisions that could be
reasonably supported by the evidence before the decision maker on the basis of the program
criteria at the time of the decision.
A review is not a chance to submit new evidence or re-argue the evidence submitted in your
application. Being unsatisfied with the final decision or a component of the decision is not
sufficient grounds to vary or reverse a decision.
All requests for review of a decision must be made within 30 calendar days of the date of the
decision notice if you are a resident in Canada, or 60 calendar days from the date of the decision
notice if you are not a resident in Canada. For the purposes of a request for review, residence in
Canada is determined by the residential address stated on your BCPNP Online profile.
The complete request for review must:
• Be in writing and must be submitted through BCPNP Online
• Identify the grounds for the request
• Include payment of the non-refundable fee
A new registration or application to the BC PNP may not be submitted until your request
for review is resolved.
Important information for those who choose to submit a request for review:
• Only the applicant named on the decision notice may request a review.
• You may only submit a request to review a decision issued by the BC PNP (i.e. not
decisions issued by IRCC). The review process is limited to Skills Immigration nomination
refusals.
• The review will be conducted on the basis of the program criteria and evidence available at
the time the application was declined.
• You must provide any information the BC PNP requests to assess your request for review.
• The residential address provided in BCPNP Online must be your current residential
address. If you submit a form that lists any other addresses, such as your authorized
representative's address, your request for review will be considered invalid, the original
decision will be upheld, and a refund will not apply.
• You will receive an email confirming your request has been received.

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After receiving a complete review request, and as soon as it is practical to do so, the BC PNP must
either confirm the original decision or re-evaluate the application.
Reviewed decisions are final decisions under the Act and Regulation. Subsequent requests for
review, or requests for review submitted outside of the applicable 30 or 60 day periods, cannot be
accepted.
Please note that the request for review fee is non-refundable.

7.8 Conditions of Nomination

If you are nominated by the BC PNP, you must continue to meet the conditions under which you
were nominated. Your conditions of nomination will be provided to you at the time of
nomination. Examples of conditions of nomination are described below. Failure to abide by any
of the conditions of nomination may result in a cancellation of your nomination. See section 7.11
for more information about nomination cancellations. Please note that a nomination cancellation
will impact your application for permanent residence with IRCC.
General
You must continue to demonstrate an ability and intent to live, work and economically establish in
B.C.

It is a condition of nomination that you are not at any time

• Under a removal order in or outside of Canada, or require an Authorization to Return to
Canada
• Working in Canada for any employer without authorization
If you are in Canada, you must:
• Have legal status in Canada; or if status has expired, be able to demonstrate that an
application for restoration of status was submitted within the 90-day eligibility period.
You must not, at any time:

• Have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada

• Obstruct or interfere with an inspection by the BC PNP in relation to your application
• Retain a paid representative who is not qualified under the Act
Nomination with a Job Offer
If you do not have a valid work permit, you must apply for one within three months of your
nomination date.
Also, within three months of receiving your work permit / work permit approval, you must make
reasonable and continuous efforts to begin working in B.C. for your supporting B.C. employer.
If you have a work permit and a supporting B.C. employer, you must:

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 • Maintain a valid work permit that enables you to work for your supporting employer in B.C.
• Maintain full-time employment with your supporting employer in B.C.
• Receive a wage that is equal to or greater than the wage listed in your BC PNP application
• Work in the occupation that is listed on your BC PNP application
• Meet minimum income requirements
If you are nominated under a stream that requires a job offer, and you are terminated from your
employment for cause, the BC PNP may cancel your nomination, even if you obtain another job
offer.
If you were nominated as a trades apprentice, you must continue to make active and ongoing
progress towards obtaining your trade certification.
If you were nominated in a priority technology occupation, and your project-based work permit is
expiring, you must:
• Obtain a new job offer with an eligible B.C. employer in a priority technology occupation.
• Inform the BC PNP of the change to your employment status
Other Conditions
You and your immediate and extended family members must not hold a combined
ownership/equity stake of 10 per cent or greater in the B.C. company that has offered you
employment. Please see section 6.12 for more information.
You must provide any information requested by the BC PNP to verify that conditions of nomination
continue to be met.
You, your supporting employer and/or representative must not be found to have misrepresented
information to the BC PNP in relation to your application, either before or after nomination.
You are responsible for updating your contact information in your BCPNP Online profile and
ensuring that it is current and up-to-date. You should ensure that it remains current until IRCC
has concluded your application for permanent residency, so that you will receive any important
messages from program staff. If you do not keep this information updated and as a result, you
do not receive and/or respond to important notices from the BC PNP, your inaction may lead to
the cancellation of your nomination.
Informing the BC PNP of Changes to Your Employment and/or Immigration Status Following
Nomination
If you have been nominated by the BC PNP, you have an ongoing obligation to notify the BC PNP
of any material changes in your circumstances within 30 days of the change taking place. Changes
to your circumstances may include:
• You have been terminated, laid off or have otherwise stopped working for your supporting
employer

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 • You have been demoted, gone on extended leave, or the business has closed or changed
ownership
• Your regular working hours have decreased below 30 hours per week
• You no longer meet the minimum income requirements
• Your wage has decreased
• Your immigration status has changed
• You have had a work permit application refused
• You do not start working for your B.C. employer upon arrival in Canada
• You have a change in the number of dependants in your family unit
• There has been any other material change in your employment or immigration
circumstances

7.9 How to Notify the BC PNP of Changes After Nomination

Notifying the BC PNP of a Change of Employer, Job Title, Duties or Work Location

To notify the BC PNP of such changes, please see the Skills Immigration Post-Nomination Guide.
We strongly encourage you to submit your request early to allow enough time for
processing. Please refer to the Processing Times page of the BC PNP website for more
information.

7.10 Extension of Nomination

The BC PNP will only provide a nomination extension if you are able to demonstrate that you
submitted your application for permanent residence to IRCC before the nomination expiry date
listed on the Confirmation of Nomination, or in other extenuating circumstances on a case-by-
case basis.
If you were nominated under an Express Entry BC option, and your Express Entry profile expired
after nomination but before you received an invitation to apply from IRCC, you must create a new
Express Entry profile and inform the BC PNP. In this situation, the BC PNP may reissue your
nomination.
Please see Informing the BC PNP of Changes After Nomination for more information.

7.11 Cancellation of Your Nomination

The BC PNP may cancel your nomination if you fail to comply with any conditions of nomination.

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The BC PNP also reserves the right to cancel your nomination should it be determined that the
activities of your supporting employer by association would bring the BC PNP or the Government
of British Columbia into disrepute.
If your nomination is cancelled by the BC PNP under section 6 of the Act, you are not entitled to
have that decision reviewed by the BC PNP under the internal review process set out in section 7
of the Act.

7.12 Obtaining a Work Permit

You must have a valid work permit to work in B.C., and you must maintain legal immigration
status while in Canada.
• A BC PNP nomination by itself does not authorize you to work in B.C.
• The BC PNP cannot apply for a work permit on your behalf.
If you require a work permit, you must apply to the federal government for the work permit. IRCC
and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are responsible for issuing work permits. For
more information about temporary status in Canada, including work permits and study permits,
please refer to IRCC’s website.
If nominated, you may be eligible to receive a work permit support letter issued by the BC PNP
so you can apply to obtain or renew a work permit from the federal government to start or
continue working in B.C. for your employer. Work permit support letters allow you to apply for a
work permit from the federal government without the need for a Labour Market Impact
Assessment (LMIA).
Please note:
• A work permit support letter will only be issued to you if you have been approved as a
nominee by the BC PNP
• You are responsible for applying for a work permit from the federal government
• You are expected to obtain and/or maintain a work permit following nomination
• Your employer may need to pay an Employer Compliance Fee to IRCC before you can submit
a work permit application
At the time of nomination, the BC PNP may include a work permit support letter in your nomination
package if:
• You do not already have a valid work permit
OR
• Your current work permit will expire in the near future
Following nomination, and in response to a written request from you through BCPNP Online,
the BC PNP may only issue a work permit support letter if all of the following are met:

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 • You have been nominated by the BC PNP
• Your work permit will expire in the near future
• You submitted an application for permanent residence to IRCC as a BC PNP nominee before
the nomination expiry date
o note: if you have not yet submitted an application for permanent residence as a
nominee and your BC PNP nomination expiry date has not passed, you may request
a work permit support letter
• You continue to meet the conditions of nomination
If you were nominated under the International Post-Graduate stream, please see the BC PNP Skills
Immigration Post-Nomination Guide for special instructions.

Part 8: Registration Scoring Factors

Your registration will be scored based on the information you provide. The factors below outline
how your score will be calculated. You are not required to upload any documentation during the
registration process.
If you are invited to apply, all the information you have provided in the registration will be verified
against the information provided in your application. The maximum score available is 200.

Scoring Sections Max. Points

Directly Related Work Experience 40

Human Capital Highest Level of Education 40

Factors (120)
Language Proficiency in English or French 40

Hourly Wage of the B.C. Job Offer 55

Economic
Factors (80)
Area Within B.C. 25

Total Points Available 200

Human Capital Factors

Human capital factors are the skills, experience, education and competencies that individuals
contribute to B.C.’s economy. These factors support successful settlement and integration of
nominees in the province.

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8.1 Directly related work experience
This factor recognizes that individuals with directly related work experience have a higher
likelihood of successful labour market attachment in B.C.
You will receive points based on your years of full-time (minimum of 30 regular hours per week)
and part-time work experience, as it directly relates to the job you have been offered in B.C. This
experience may be from work performed within Canada or abroad.
The BC PNP defines directly related work experience as paid employment that is classified under
the same NOC code as the B.C. job offer that you have accepted. Experience in a related
occupation at a NOC TEER category equal to or higher than the NOC TEER category of the B.C. job
offer may also be included if, at the time of application, you can satisfactorily demonstrate how
this work experience is directly related.
All directly related work experience must have been obtained within the last 10 years. For part-
time work experience, you will be credited with 50% of the duration of your employment.
Work experience obtained in paid co-op work terms is eligible if it meets all of the following
criteria:
• you have successfully completed your program of study
o at the time of application, you must provide evidence that you have graduated
from your program of study.
• the paid co-op work term was full-time (minimum 30 regular hours per week)
• the paid co-op experience was at a NOC TEER category equal to or higher than the NOC
• TEER category of the B.C. job offer
o at the time of application, you must be able to satisfactorily demonstrate how this
work experience is directly related
Student work experience that is not part of a paid co-op work term does not count towards
directly related work experience points.
Work experience as a university professor / lecturer (NOC 41200)

If you have been offered a job in NOC 41200 (university professors and lecturers) at a public
university in B.C., your research and coursework as part of your doctoral-level degree may be
considered as directly related full-time work experience.
The BC PNP will not accept any other unpaid work experience for points.
Additional points for at least 1 year of directly related experience in Canada

You may be eligible for additional points if you have at least one year of directly related work
experience in Canada with an employer established in Canada.

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 • For the purposes of assessing your work experience in Canada, the BC PNP will only
consider work experience that was obtained while you were legally authorized to work in
Canada.
• If you were working 30 regular hours or more per week, you must have at least 12 months
of work experience
• If you were working less than 30 regular hours per week, you must have at least 24
months of work experience
• Student work experience that is not part of a paid co-op work term does not count
towards points for the one year of directly related work experience in Canada.
Additional points for currently working full-time for your supporting B.C. employer

You may be eligible for additional points if you are currently working full-time (30 regular hours
per week or more) in B.C. in the same occupation (i.e. same NOC code) and with the same
employer that is identified in your current BC PNP registration.
You are not eligible for these additional points if the occupation identified in the job offer is a
future promotion from your current occupation with the employer, or if your employment is
unpaid.

Directly Related Work Experience in the Points

Occupation of B.C. Job Offer
5 or more years 20

At least 4 but less than 5 years 16

At least 3 but less than 4 years 12

At least 2 but less than 3 years 8

At least 1 but less than 2 years 4

Less than 1 year 1

No experience 0

Additional points:

At least 1 year of directly related experience in Canada 10

Currently working full-time in B.C. for the employer in the occupation

10
identified in the BC PNP registration

Maximum Score Available 40

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Acceptable Absences or Leaves

When assessing your directly related experience in the job that has been offered to you, the BC
PNP will only consider the time you were working (i.e. performing the duties of the position for
pay). If you were on a leave of absence or on extended leave, that time away from your position
will not be counted towards your directly related work experience, even if you remained
employed during that period. Reasonable vacation periods will not be deducted from your work
experience.

8.2 Highest level of education

Points for education are based on your highest level of education indicated in the registration.
For example, if you have a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, you will only receive points for your
master’s degree.
You must have successfully completed your education in order to be eligible for these points.
Partial completion will not be recognized.
The duration of study must exceed six (6) months. This six-month requirement is separate from
stream-specific requirements.
Your education is not eligible for points if it is a distance education learning program from an
educational institution in Canada.
Additional points for completing education in B.C. or Canada

You may be eligible for additional points for one of the following:
• You completed the highest level of education indicated in your registration at a post-
secondary institution within B.C.
• You completed the highest level of education indicated in the registration at a post-
secondary institution within Canada, outside of B.C.
Language training programs (e.g. English as a Second Language (ESL), or English as a Foreign
Language program) or distance education learning programs are not eligible for these additional
points.
These additional points will only be awarded to the highest level of education indicated in
your registration. For example, if you indicate that your highest level of education is a master’s
degree from outside of Canada (22 points), you will not qualify for additional points for any
education you obtained in Canada.

Education Points
Doctoral Degree 27

Master’s Degree 22

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 Post-Graduate Certificate or Diploma* 15

Bachelor’s Degree 15

Associate Degree 5

Post-secondary Diploma/Certificate (Trades or Non-Trades) 5

Secondary School (High School) or Less 0

Additional points for education in B.C. or Canada

Post-secondary education completed in B.C., or 8

Post-secondary education completed in Canada (outside of B.C.) 6

Additional points for professional designation in B.C.:

Eligible professional designation in B.C. 5

Maximum Score Available 40

*Post-graduate, post-degree or post-baccalaureate certificates or diplomas are post-graduate
academic qualifications taken after a bachelor's degree. These credentials are usually granted by
a university or a graduate school. It normally takes two or more study terms to complete. Please
note for the purposes of the BC PNP, for a program to be considered “post-graduate”, a
bachelor’s degree must be the minimum educational requirement for admission into the
program.
Additional points for eligible professional designations in B.C.

You may be eligible for additional points if you have been offered a job in an occupation listed on
the table below, and you have completed the corresponding B.C. professional designation that is
associated with the job offered to you.

Occupation Eligible Professional Designations in B.C.

Trades workers who have a valid trade certificate issued by SkilledTradesBC or
trades apprentices registered with SkilledTradesBC
• A valid trade certificate includes Red Seal endorsement certificates
Any Trade
issued by other Canadian provinces and territories
The trade certificate /trade apprenticeship must correspond to the B.C. job
offer

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 Dental Assistants: Dental Assistants certified with British Columbia College of Oral Health
NOC 33100 Professionals

Dental Hygienists: Dental Hygienists registered with British Columbia College of Oral Health
NOC 32111 Professionals

Dental Technicians: Dental Technicians registered with British Columbia College of Oral Health
NOC 32112 Professionals

Denturists:
Denturists certified with British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals
NOC 32110

Early Childhood
Educators (ECE): ECEs with a valid ECE One Year or ECE Five Year Certificate with the Early
Childhood Educator Registry
NOC 42202

Health Care Aide: Health Care Aides registered with BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker
NOC 33102 Registration

Pharmacy Technicians: Pharmacy Technicians registered with The College of Pharmacists of British
NOC 32124 Columbia

Practical Nurses: Practical Nurses licenced with The British Columbia College of Nurses and
NOC 32101 Midwives

Traditional Chinese
medicine practitioners Practitioners licensed through The College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
and acupuncturists: Practitioners and Acupuncturists of BC
NOC 32200

Veterinary technicians: Veterinary Technicians registered with British Columbia Veterinary

NOC 32104 Technologists Association

8.3 Language proficiency

This factor recognizes the relationship between English or French language ability and successful
economic establishment and integration in B.C.
Points for language proficiency are based on the lowest Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)
score obtained in each of the four competencies: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

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While language proficiency test results may not be a requirement for you, completing an eligible
language proficiency test may impact your registration score. You must submit valid language
test results if you would like to claim points for your language level in your registration.
Additional points for both English and French proficiency

You may be eligible for additional points if you meet all of the following criteria:
• You have completed both a valid English and French language proficiency test within the
past two years
• You scored CLB 4 or higher in each of the four competencies on both tests
• You provide a copy of your valid English and French language proficiency tests at
application
Please see section 3.4 for information about accepted language proficiency tests.

Canadian Language Benchmark Level Points

9+ 30

8 25

7 20

6 15

5 10

4 5

Below 4 or no test submitted 0

Additional points:

Language proficiency in both English and French 10

Maximum Score Available 40

Economic Factors
As an economic immigration program, the BC PNP is designed to meet the labour market needs
and the economic development priorities of the province.
The following are key economic factors that support the attraction and retention of workers who
will provide economic benefit to B.C.

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8.4 Hourly wage of the B.C. job offer
Points for wage are based on the hourly wage stated in your job offer. Applications will not be
approved where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the offered wage has been inflated
or increased for the purpose of receiving a higher registration score.
When assessing your wages, the BC PNP will only consider your hourly rate of pay. The BC PNP
does not consider bonuses, commissions, profit-sharing distributions, tips/ gratuities, overtime
wages, housing allowances, room and board or other similar payments to be part of your wage.

Hourly Wage of the B.C. Job Offer

Points
in Canadian dollars (CAD)

$70.00 CAD and above 55

$69.00 to $69.99 CAD 54

$68.00 to $68.99 CAD 53

$67.00 to $67.99 CAD 52

$66.00 to $66.99 CAD 51

$65.00 to $65.99 CAD 50

$64.00 to $64.99 CAD 49

$63.00 to $63.99 CAD 48

$62.00 to $62.99 CAD 47

$61.00 to $61.99 CAD 46

$60.00 to $60.99 CAD 45

$59.00 to $59.99 CAD 44

$58.00 to $58.99 CAD 43

$57.00 to $57.99 CAD 42

$56.00 to $56.99 CAD 41

$55.00 to $55.99 CAD 40

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 $54.00 to $54.99 CAD 39

$53.00 to $53.99 CAD 38

$52.00 to $52.99 CAD 37

$51.00 to $51.99 CAD 36

$50.00 to $50.99 CAD 35

$49.00 to $49.99 CAD 34

$48.00 to $48.99 CAD 33

$47.00 to $47.99 CAD 32

$46.00 to $46.99 CAD 31

$45.00 to $45.99 CAD 30

$44.00 to $44.99 CAD 29

$43.00 to $43.99 CAD 28

$42.00 to $42.99 CAD 27

$41.00 to $41.99 CAD 26

$40.00 to $40.99 CAD 25

$39.00 to $39.99 CAD 24

$38.00 to $38.99 CAD 23

$37.00 to $37.99 CAD 22

$36.00 to $36.99 CAD 21

$35.00 to $35.99 CAD 20

$34.00 to $34.99 CAD 19

$33.00 to $33.99 CAD 18

$32.00 to $32.99 CAD 17

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 $31.00 to $31.99 CAD 16

$30.00 to $30.99 CAD 15

$29.00 to $29.99 CAD 14

$28.00 to $28.99 CAD 13

$27.00 to $27.99 CAD 12

$26.00 to $26.99 CAD 11

$25.00 to $25.99 CAD 10

$24.00 to $24.99 CAD 9

$23.00 to $23.99 CAD 8

$22.00 to $22.99 CAD 7

$21.00 to $21.99 CAD 6

$20.00 to $20.99 CAD 5

$19.00 to $19.99 CAD 4

$18.00 to $18.99 CAD 3

$17.00 to $17.99 CAD 2

$16.00 to $16.99 CAD 1

Less than $16.00 CAD 0

Maximum Score Available 55

8.5 Area of employment within B.C.

This factor recognizes the challenges faced in regional and semi-regional communities to attract
and retain workers. You will be scored based on your main work location in B.C. Your main work
location is where you regularly and physically report to work, and where you can reasonably
perform the job duties listed in your job offer. If you work from home, your area of employment

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is determined by your residential address. Your area of employment score will be automatically
calculated when you submit your registration.
You are not eligible for these points if the BC PNP determines that you cannot reasonably
perform your job duties from the work location stated in your registration and application.
• Area 1 includes the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD).
• Area 2 includes communities within the municipal boundaries of Squamish, Abbotsford,
Agassiz, Mission, and Chilliwack.
• Area 3 includes any community not captured in Areas 1 or 2.
Additional points for regional experience or regional alumni

If the work location identified in your job offer is in Area 2 or 3, you may be eligible for regional
experience or regional alumni points. If the work location identified in your job offer is in Area 1,
you are not eligible for these additional points.
Regional experience:

To qualify for regional experience points, you must have completed at least one year full-time (or
full-time equivalent) paid employment:
• In Area 2 or 3 (i.e. outside of the MVRD)
• Within 5 years prior to registering with the BC PNP
Regional alumni:

To qualify for regional alumni points, you must have graduated from a public B.C. post-secondary
institution:
• Located outside of the MVRD
• That you attended while you were residing outside of the MVRD
• Within 3 years prior to registering with the BC PNP
You are not eligible for regional alumni points if you graduated from a private institution.
Programs of study that are eligible for regional alumni points must be at least 8 months (two
semesters) of full-time equivalent coursework, excluding co-op work terms, practicums and
internships.
You are not eligible for these additional points if you completed a language training program
(e.g. English as a Second Language (ESL), or English as a Foreign Language) or distance education
learning program. You may be requested to provide a letter from your educational institution
that confirms your program meets this requirement.

Area of employment within B.C. Points

Area 1: Metro Vancouver Regional District 0

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 Area 2: Squamish, Abbotsford, Agassiz, Mission, and Chilliwack 5

Area 3: Areas of B.C. not included in Area 1 or 2 15

Additional points:

Regional Experience, or
10
Regional Alumni

Maximum Score Available 25

If you qualify for both regional experience and regional alumni points, you will only receive points
for one factor (max 10 points).

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