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British Columbia PNP (BC PNP)
Last updated: 2026-09-17
The BC Provincial Nominee Program lets British Columbia select and nominate immigrants who meet the province's labour market needs. Nominees then apply to IRCC for permanent residence, and those using the Express Entry-aligned EEBC option receive 600 additional CRS points. B.C. restructured the program on April 23, 2026 and now concentrates on health care, construction trades and high-skilled, high-paid occupations.
- Who it suits
- Skilled workers, health care and construction trades workers with a B.C. job offer, and entrepreneurs
- Job offer needed?
- Yes for the skills streams; entrepreneurs invest and run a business instead
- 2026 nomination allocation
- 6,254 (increased by 1,000 in August)
- Effect on Express Entry
- A nomination adds 600 CRS points via the EEBC option
Official processing times
Taken from IRCC's own processing times tool and synced twice a month.
| Application type | Published processing time |
|---|---|
| Provincial nominee — Express Entry | about 7 months |
| Provincial nominee — base track | about 13 months |
IRCC data updated: October 9, 2026 · Synced by us: 2026-10-20
Processing times are IRCC's statistics on applications it has already finished — a guide, not a commitment. Individual files vary with document completeness, requests for more information and background checks. For applications where the time depends on where you file, only a few common locations are listed; use IRCC's tool for others.
Streams currently open
Skills Immigration has two streams, alongside a separate route for entrepreneurs.
Skilled Worker
- An indeterminate, full-time job offer from a B.C. employer
- The occupation falls under NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3
- The wage must match market rates for the same job in B.C.
- Relevant work experience and the language level required for the occupation
- The EEBC option is available if you are already in the federal Express Entry pool
Health Authority
- Employed by a B.C. public health authority
- Working in an eligible health care occupation
- Falls under the 2026 Care priority, where cut-off scores are typically lower
- The EEBC option is also available
- Some roles have more accessible language and experience requirements
Entrepreneur Immigration
- Base and Regional streams
- For experienced business people who will invest in and run a business in B.C.
- No job offer needed, but a business plan plus investment and job-creation commitments are required
- You first operate the business on a work permit, then receive the nomination once targets are met
- Draws are less frequent than for the skills streams
The three 2026 priorities
B.C. no longer issues general invitations — draws are targeted at these priorities.
- Care: 36 in-demand occupations across health care, education, childcare and veterinary care
- Build: 9 key skilled trades for construction and infrastructure
- Innovate: high-skilled, high-paid occupations with high economic impact
- At least 35% of nominations go to communities outside Metro Vancouver
- Temporary initiative: the Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative covers cleaning and security roles at rural health authorities, with up to 250 nominations and registration open until October 7, 2026
- Closed: ELSS, International Graduate, International Post-Graduate and tech-priority draws
Recent draw scores (as of September 2026)
B.C. draws by category, and cut-offs differ sharply between them.
| Draw category | Minimum score | Invitations |
|---|---|---|
| Care: Health (all priority health occupations) | 76 | 143 |
| Build: Construction trades (all priority occupations) | 94 | 104 |
| Care: Childcare (early childhood educators only) | 99 | 182 |
| Innovate: High economic impact (senior roles at $55/hour and $110,000/year) | — | 337 |
| Innovate: High economic impact (by score) | 132 | 265 |
| Entrepreneur Base (August 25, 2026) | 116 | 11 |
These are draws from August–September 2026 and are indicative only; cut-offs change every round. As of September 1, 2026 the pool held about 8,013 registrations.
See BC PNP's official invitation records →Scoring and invitations
- Register in the BC PNP online system to enter the pool and receive a score
- Human capital factors: work experience, education and language results
- Economic factors: the wage on your job offer and where the job is located (points for outside Metro Vancouver)
- B.C. issues targeted invitations by priority, and some rounds are limited to specific occupations or professional designations
- Invited candidates must submit a complete application within the stated deadline
- The Skills Immigration application fee is CAD $1,750 as of January 22, 2026
How to apply
- 1
Confirm the employer and occupation qualify
Check the employer is eligible, the occupation is on the priority list, and the wage meets B.C. market rates.
- 2
Register online to enter the pool
Submit your registration in the BC PNP portal; it is scored on human capital and economic factors.
- 3
Wait for a targeted invitation
B.C. draws regularly under the Care, Build and Innovate priorities; you are invited once your score meets the cut-off.
- 4
Submit the full application
File the complete package within the deadline, with your job offer, work experience, language results and education.
- 5
Receive the nomination
Once approved you receive the B.C. nomination and can apply for a support work permit to keep working while your PR is processed.
- 6
Apply to IRCC for permanent residence
EEBC candidates add 600 CRS points and are usually processed faster; others apply through the regular provincial nominee route.
Frequently asked questions
Can international graduates still use BC PNP?+
The International Graduate and International Post-Graduate streams are closed and B.C. has said it will not launch new student streams. Graduates now need a qualifying job offer and must apply under the Skilled Worker or Health Authority stream, or look at other provinces' graduate streams or federal Express Entry.
Do I always need a job offer?+
Yes for the Skilled Worker and Health Authority streams. Entrepreneur Immigration requires no job offer, but does require a business plan, investment and job creation in B.C.
Are there still tech draws?+
No. Tech-priority draws ended on December 3, 2024. Tech roles that are high-skilled and high-paid may still be invited under the Innovate priority.
What if my score is too low?+
Common ways to improve are higher language results, a higher-paying job offer, a job outside Metro Vancouver (which earns regional points), more relevant experience, and targeting occupations on the priority lists.
How does the nomination relate to Express Entry?+
They work together. If you are already in the Express Entry pool and eligible, the EEBC option adds 600 CRS points on nomination, which effectively secures an invitation. Otherwise you apply to IRCC through the regular provincial nominee route.
Wondering whether you qualify?
Contact us for an assessment and plan tailored to your background.
Book a consultationThis page summarizes official information from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for general reference only. Immigration rules change often, so always check IRCC's latest requirements. Every case is different — contact us for an assessment of your situation.