What is BC PNP?

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is BC's Provincial Nominee Program. BC PNP is one of the most active PNPs by volume, with frequent draws (Tech is weekly) and strong demand from the Lower Mainland tech sector and Vancouver-area healthcare employers.

A successful BC PNP nomination grants either +600 CRS (for Express Entry-aligned streams) or direct PR application eligibility (for base streams).

As of 22 January 2026, BC PNP increased the Skills Immigration application fee from CAD $1,475 to CAD $1,750 per application.

BC PNP streams

Skills Immigration

• Skilled Worker — TEER 0-3 occupations with BC employer offer.
• International Graduate — for BC DLI graduates.
• Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) — for tourism/hospitality and long-haul trucking; lower CRS bar.
• International Post-Graduate — for BC master's/PhD graduates (no job offer required).

Tech

• Weekly draws targeting specific tech NOCs (NOC 21211 Data scientists, NOC 21223 Database analysts, NOC 21232 Software developers, NOC 21233 Web developers, and others).
• Strong demand from Vancouver tech sector (Microsoft, Amazon, Hootsuite, Slack, EA Vancouver, etc.).
• Often the fastest route to PR for Vancouver-area tech workers.

Healthcare Professional

• For registered nurses, physicians, allied health, certain healthcare-support roles with BC employer offers.
• Targets Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health, Providence Health.

Entrepreneur Immigration

• Base Entrepreneur — net worth $600K+, $200K business investment.
• Regional Pilot — for smaller BC communities outside Metro Vancouver/Victoria, lower thresholds.

How to apply to BC PNP

1. Register Expression of Interest (EOI) through BC PNP Online (the portal).
2. EOI scoring against the relevant stream's grid.
3. Wait for invitation — BC PNP runs frequent draws (weekly for Tech).
4. Submit full application with documents.
5. Receive nomination (typical 3-9 months).
6. Apply to IRCC for federal PR.

Common gotchas

• Genuine intent to settle in BC: BC PNP scrutinizes intent. Applicants without credible BC connection face higher scrutiny.
• Tech draw cutoffs: typically 90-100 on BC PNP's own scoring system (separate from federal CRS). Tech draws have been competitive but more accessible than federal Express Entry.
• Employer registration: for Skilled Worker and other employer-driven streams, the BC employer must be eligible (revenue, employees, business history thresholds).
• 2026 fee increase: Skills Immigration applications now $1,750 (from $1,475). Plan budgets accordingly.

See also

• PNP — overview of all provincial programs.
• BC PNP service.