B.C. invites 506 in new PNP draw

British Columbia issued 506 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence on March 16.

The invitations were issued to candidates from the Skills Immigration (SI) and Express Entry BC (EEBC) streams of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). More specifically, those who received invitations were from the Skilled Worker, International Graduate as well as Entry Level and Semi-Skilled sub-categories of SI and EEBC streams.

There were two separate draws, one that was specifically for retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621) and restaurant and food service managers (NOC 0631). A total of 78 invitations went to people working in these occupations, and the minimum provincial score requirement was 114. The remaining 428 candidates who were invited had scores between 81 and 96.

Skills Immigration— Skilled worker: 96
Skills Immigration— International graduate: 94
Skills Immigration— Entry Level and Semi-Skilled: 81
Express Entry BC— Skilled Worker: 96
Express Entry BC— International Graduate: 94

B.C. has now invited 2,432 Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates so far in 2021.

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About the BC PNP

The BC PNP aims to attract foreign workers who are in high demand in the province and who wish to become permanent residents in Canada.

The BC PNP has two immigration streams, Skills Immigration and Express Entry, both of which are divided into sub-categories. Both streams are managed under B.C.’s Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). In order to apply through the SIRS, you are first required to register an account. Once this is done, you will be assigned a score based on factors such as education, work experience, and language skills.

The highest-scoring candidates from each sub-category are then invited to apply for a provincial nomination when B.C. conducts one of its regular draws.

If you received an invitation you will have 30 days from the date of receipt to submit a complete application through the BC PNP online system.

Once you submit a complete BC PNP application package you will be notified of the province’s decision within approximately two to three months. If your nomination is successful, you become eligible to apply to Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent resident status under the Provincial Nominee Class. The nomination is valid for approximately six months from the date of confirmation.

Express Entry BC stream

The EEBC stream connects to the federal Express Entry immigration application management system. Express Entry candidates are given points based on human capital factors such as age, work experience, education, and language proficiency in English or French under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). They also must meet the minimum criteria for one of IRCC’s Express Entry programs:

As a provincial nominee, you may receive an additional 600 points under the CRS and therefore have a score high enough to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) during a subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

About the Tech Pilot

Every week, candidates are invited through the BC PNP Tech Pilot. This PNP is a is a fast-track immigration program for in-demand tech workers and international students. Candidates need to be registered in one of B.C.’s existing provincial immigration streams and have a valid job offer of at least 12 months in one of the Tech Pilot’s 29 eligible occupations.

The pilot project was launched in May 2017, following a labour market study that found the biggest issue facing B.C.’s tech sector was access to talent. So, the Tech Pilot was created to support the tech sector’s growth by making it easier for workers with in-demand skills to immigrate to B.C. The pilot has been extended several times, most recently until June 2021.

According to the most recent Labour Force Survey, B.C.'s professional, scientific and technical services industry grew 15.6 per cent between February 2020 and February 2021. Despite the pandemic, B.C. tech continues to grow.

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