News

Last updated: December 9, 2024

Check back often for the latest news about the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), including invitations issued, program changes, and more.

December 9, 2024

Last invitations to apply in 2024 for BC PNP Skills Immigration streams

On December 10, 2024, the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) will be issuing the last draw of the year for the Skilled Worker and Entry Level & Semi-Skilled streams. These streams will continue to accept registrations for future invitations to apply (ITAs).

The Health Authority stream will continue to accept applications.

The International Post-Graduate (IPG) stream will remain open to applications from international students who meet eligibility requirements as of December 31, 2024. Applications to the IPG stream will be accepted until 9 am, January 7, 2025.

November 25, 2024

BC PNP to issue final invitations to apply for the International Graduate stream

As previously announced in March 2024, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) will be launching three new streams for international students.

To prepare for the new streams, the last invitations to apply (ITAs) for the International Graduate (IG) stream will be issued on November 26th, 2024. Following the ITA, the IG stream will close. Registrants in the IG pool who do not receive an invitation to apply will be removed from the pool.

The BC PNP will share the opening date for the new student streams soon.

November 22, 2024

New Ministry for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

On November 18^th, 2024, the new government Cabinet for the Province of B.C. was announced resulting in some changes to the government Ministries and their structures.

As part of these changes, the Immigration Programs Branch, which administers the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), has moved ministries and is now part of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

The contact information for the BC PNP remains unchanged and can be found here.

July 30, 2024

BC PNP 2023 Statistical Report and Year in Review released

The BC PNP has released its Statistical Report and Year in Review for 2023.

The report contains statistical information about the program, including the number of nominations issued, the occupations, salaries, countries of origin, and regional distribution of nominees throughout the province. The Report highlights strategic priorities set by the province and performance measures used to monitor results.

This year’s report expands the ‘Year in Review’ section added in 2022, providing an overview of the work that the BC PNP accomplished in 2023, specifically in areas that are a priority for the program.

The Report can be viewed on the Documents page. Previous reports from 2016 to 2022 are on the Archived Documents page.

July 15, 2024

Changes to BC PNP processing times for Skills Immigration applications

BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) applicants will start to see an increase in processing times for Skills Immigration applications submitted after May 2024.

Due to fewer federal nominations available in 2024 and an increase in the number of applicants, processing times for BC PNP applications are expected to be longer until early 2025. Afterwards, processing times are anticipated to return to approximately 3 months for 80% of applications.

The BC PNP will continue to issue invitations to apply (ITAs) and receive applications during this period.

Please note that applying for a provincial nomination does not mean that you have legal status in Canada. Registrants and applicants with expiring work permits are responsible for maintaining legal status in Canada. Visit Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website for more information about extending a work permit.

May 27, 2024

Successful BC PNP pilot becomes ongoing stream

As of May 27, 2024, the Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot is a permanent stream of the BC PNP. As part of our commitment to a StrongerBC, the BC PNP will continue supporting regional communities to grow their local economies.

Entrepreneurs interested in starting a business in B.C.’s rural, interior, and coastal communities can apply to immigrate through the BC PNP’s Entrepreneur Immigration Regional stream.

To learn more about business opportunities in the participating communities, visit the Regional stream page.

April 22, 2024

BC PNP operational update - Skills Immigration draw timing

Effective April 30, 2024, BC PNP Skills Immigration invitations to apply will be issued to qualified registrations received before the date of the draw. New registrations received on the same day will be considered for a future draw.

The Invitations to Apply page will usually be updated within 24 hours of the time invitations were issued.

March 19, 2024

Updates coming to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs will be updating the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in January 2025 to create clearer pathways and better outcomes for international workers coming to B.C. A detailed summary of the updates will be available in late 2024, and the criteria will be published in the BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide in January 2025.

These updates will lead to better outcomes for nominees, ensuring people identified by the BC PNP to help strengthen B.C.’s economy will be set up for career success. They also ensure that prospective applicants are less susceptible to bad actors in the immigration system.

The Ministry will continue to issue targeted invitations to apply for workers with a job offer in a priority occupation, such as healthcare, construction and early childhood education.

Why are updates needed?

The BC PNP is one of many immigration programs available for people who want to come to B.C. It provides a pathway to permanent residency for international workers and entrepreneurs who bring the greatest benefit to B.C.’s economy.

The Ministry is updating the program so that prospective applicants will know up front the level of education and language skills they will need to have a chance of being nominated. This clarity will make it harder for bad actors to take advantage of people by misrepresenting the BC PNP as an “easy pathway” to permanent residency. With a limited number of BC PNP nominations available each year, meeting the minimum program requirements does not guarantee that people will be invited to apply.

Additionally, statistics show that newcomers with higher education and language skills in French or English strengthen B.C.’s economy by being more likely to have success at work, earning a higher income and staying in jobs that B.C. needs to fill.

The updates also align with new measures from the Ministry of Post-secondary Education and Future Skills to protect international students from predatory institutions and recruiters.

What is being updated?

Graduate streams
The current International Graduate and International Post-Graduate streams will be replaced with three new streams:

The Bachelor’s stream will be for recent graduates with bachelor’s degrees from eligible post-secondary institutions. Graduates with an indeterminate full-time job offer can register for this stream
The Master’s stream will be for recent graduates with master’s degrees from eligible post-secondary institutions, in any field of study. Graduates with a minimum one-year full-time job offer in a skilled occupation can register for this stream
The Doctorate stream will be for graduates and candidates of doctoral level programs from eligible post-secondary institutions. Graduates and PhD candidates can apply directly to this stream

Students who complete diploma or certificate programs in Canada (who will not be eligible for these new graduate streams) can still qualify for other BC PNP streams.

Language requirements
The minimum language proficiency level will be increased program-wide, except for the Health Authority stream which has already been adjusted.

A minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 8 is currently planned for the new graduate streams.

Learn more
Information bulletin, March 19, 2024
About the BC PNP

February 23, 2024

Pearson Test of English (PTE Core) eligibility for the BC PNP

On January 30^th, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officially included the Pearson Test of English (PTE Core) to its list of approved language proficiency tests.

The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) does not yet accept this test. The BC PNP currently accepts the following language tests:

When the PTE Core is an accepted language proficiency test for the BC PNP, this news will be posted on the WelcomeBC News page and in the relevant BC PNP program guides. We anticipate beginning to accept PTE Core in fall 2024.

Please continue to consult the WelcomeBC website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Archived BC PNP news items are available on the Archive page.