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Skilled Immigration & Express Entry British Columbia

SIIS Canada  /  Canada Immigration  /  Provincial Nominee Programs  /  British Columbia – BCPNP  /  Skilled Immigration & Express Entry British Columbia

Skilled Immigration & Express Entry British Columbia

Skills Immigration In British Columbia

Skills Immigration is for skilled and semi-skilled workers in high-demand occupations in British Columbia. This category is a points-based invitation system. The process involves registering and applying online for the BC PNP and a paper application process for permanent residency. The Skills Immigration (SI) – Skilled Worker category of the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is a way for workers in a professional, management, technical, trade or other skilled occupation to gain permanent residence in B.C. This category is required to have a valid job offer (noc 0, A or B) from a BC employer. Minimum 2 years of work experience required in the related field.

An employer should be eligible to support the application. Your employer must be willing to support your application. They must meet the eligibility criteria and fulfill certain responsibilities during the application process.

To start the application process under this stream, applicants can apply online with BCPNP. Once the profile is invited to apply with the highest scores through BCPNP Online.

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

  • Skills Immigration – Skilled Worker - managers, professionals, and skilled tradespeople

    To qualify under this category, you must apply to have a valid job offer with an occupation NOC Skill Levels B, C, or D. IELTS with minimum CLB 4. English test is not mandatory for NOC Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A.

    Minimum two years of directly related full-time work experience in the skilled occupation that has been offered to you, and, if applicable, the credentials and qualification requirements of the position according to the NOC requirement.
  • Skills Immigration – Healthcare Professional - physicians, registered nurses and other allied health care workers employed with provincial health authorities.

    Health care workers are in demand across British Columbia, profiles like a physician, nurse, psychiatric nurse, diagnostic medical sonographer, clinical pharmacist, medical laboratory technologist, medical radiation technologist, occupational therapist and physiotherapist with a job offer from a public health authority, or for a midwife with six months of experience may be eligible to apply under this category.

    Above all occupations required with a minimum of two years of directly related full-time work experience in which job is being offered and, if applicable, the credentials and qualification requirements of the position according to the NOC requirement with language skills.
  • Skills Immigration – International Graduate - with a degree or diploma from a Canadian college or university

    This special category is for an international student who has graduated from a Canadian university or college in the past three years who has a job offer for a full time, indeterminate position. Education credentials, qualification requirements with language skills according to the NOC specification.
  • Skills Immigration – International Post-Graduate - with a master’s or doctorate degree in the natural, applied or health sciences from a B.C. university. Note that for this category only, a job offer is not required.

    This category is for recently graduated from a B.C. post-secondary institution with a master’s or doctorate degree 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.
  • Skills Immigration - Entry Level and Semi-Skilled - (including employment in the Northeast Development Region of B.C.) – This category is for the workers in tourism/hospitality, food processing and long-haul trucking, OR entry-level and semi-skilled workers who are residing in the Northeast Development Region of the province. Employment should be full time in BC for at least nine consecutive months before registering to the BC PNP.

    Express Entry BC - All EEBC categories, with the exception of EEBC – International Post-Graduate, require a valid offer of full-time employment from a B.C. employer. Express Entry profile should be valid and job seeker code required with the interest to reside in BC to qualify under one of the below streams. Applicant must meet proof of settlement funds.

Process of Skills Immigration Application.

Step 1. Registration

The British Columbia PNP runs a Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS) as a part of its immigration program. All the interested applicants are required to register and send their free expression of interest form via the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program online.

International Post Graduates stream and Healthcare Professionals stream are the 2 streams that do not require any registration, all the interested applicants are allowed to apply directly for nomination online.

Step 2. Application Invite

SIRS functions on a points-based system that helps an applicant get a decent registration score which will eventually determine if they will send you an invitation to apply or not. The registration score is calculated on the basis of various factors such as education level, work experience and an employment offer from the employer in British Columbia.

Step 3. Application

After an applicant receives an ITA, he/she is required to submit a full application via BC PNP Online within the period of 30 days and must pay the application fee of $700.

Step 4. Nomination

Approved applicants will then receive a nomination certificate which will enable them to apply for the Canadian Permanent Residence.

Step 5. IRCC application

Approved applicants will have to go through a health check, criminality and security checks, after which he/she will receive a Canadian Permanent Residence visa.

List of ELSS-Eligible Occupations

Below is a complete list of eligible occupations in tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking and food processing. Please see the National Occupational Classification for a description of the main duties for each occupation.

Occupations in Travel and Accommodation
NOC Occupation
6525 Hotel Front Desk Clerks
Tour and Recreational Guides and Casino Occupations
NOC Occupation
6531 Tour and Travel Guides
6532 Outdoor Sport and Recreational Guides
6533 Casino Occupations
Occupations in Food and Beverage Service
NOC Occupation
6511 Maîtres d’hotel and Hosts/Hostesses
6512 Bartender
6513 Food and Beverage Servers
6711 Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related
Occupations

Note: If you are working as a chef or a cook, you must apply under the Skilled Worker category.

Cleaners (Employed Directly by Hotels/Resorts)
NOC Occupation
6731 Light Duty Cleaners
6732 Specialized Cleaners
6733 Janitors, Caretakers and Building Superintendents
6721 Support Occupations in Accommodation, Travel and Facilities
Set-Up Services
Other Service Occupations (Employed Directly by Hotels/Resorts)
NOC Occupation
6741 Dry Cleaning, Laundry and Related Occupations
6742 Other Service Support Occupations
Food Processing
NOC Occupation
9461 Process Control and Machine Operators, Food and Beverage
Processing
9462 Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters, Poultry Preparers and
Related Workers
9463 Fish and Seafood Plant Workers
9465 Testers and Graders, Food, Beverage and Associated Products
Processing
9617 Labourers in Food, Beverage and Associated Products
Processing
9618 Labourers in Fish and Seafood Processing
Long-Haul Truck Drivers
NOC Occupation
7511 Long-Haul Truck Driver

Note: To qualify in this category, you must meet the eligibility requirements for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled worker category.

The BC PNP must be informed of any changes to your family size throughout the BC PNP and IRCC permanent residence application process. Any changes to your dependant information may affect minimum income requirements. Failure to notify the BC PNP of any changes may result in a refusal of your application or withdrawal of your nomination.

Family Income Threshold by Area of Residence
Size of Family Greater Vancouver Regional District Rest of B.C.
1 $22,804 $19,006
2 $28,390 $23,659
3 $34,902 $29,087
4 $42,376 $35,316
5 $48,062 $40,054
6 $54,205 $45,175
7 Or More $60,350 $50,296

The income thresholds in this table represent 90% of an amount calculated from the appropriate 2017 Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) figures set by Statistics Canada

Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC).

Just like any other PNP program, British Columbia PNP also offers a separate stream that allows the applicant (who applied for Canada PR via Express Entry) to be chosen for the provincial nomination. This stream is referred to as Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC).

Following immigration categories can be processed via EEBC:

  • Skilled Worker Category
    To qualify under this category, you must apply to have a valid job offer with an occupation NOC Skill Levels B, C, or D. IELTS with minimum CLB 4. English test is not mandatory for NOC Skill Type 0 or Skill Level A.

    Minimum two years of directly related full-time work experience in the skilled occupation that has been offered to you, and, if applicable, the credentials and qualification requirements of the position according to the NOC requirement.

    IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs.
  • Health Care Professional Category
    Health care workers are in demand across British Columbia, profiles like a physician, nurse, psychiatric nurse, diagnostic medical sonographer, clinical pharmacist, medical laboratory technologist, medical radiation technologist, occupational therapist and physiotherapist with a job offer from a public health authority, or for a midwife with six months of experience may be eligible to apply under this category.

    Above all occupations required with a minimum of two years of directly related full-time work experience in which job is being offered and, if applicable, the credentials and qualification requirements of the position according to the NOC requirement with language skills.

    IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs.
  • International Graduate Category
    This special category is for an international student who has graduated from a Canadian university or college in the past three years who has a job offer for a full time, indeterminate position. Education credentials, qualification requirements with language skills according to the NOC specification.

    IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs.
  • International Post-Graduate Category
    - with a master’s or doctorate degree in the natural, applied or health sciences from a B.C. university. Note that for this category only, a job offer is not required.

    This category is for recently graduated from a B.C. post-secondary institution with a master’s or doctorate degree 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.

    IRCC Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code that indicates you meet the eligibility criteria for one of the federal economic immigration programs.