British Columbia invites 444 immigration candidates in new PNP invitation round

British Columbia invited 444 immigration candidates in two Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws held on March 2.

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.

The minimum scores for the largest draw ranged between 83 and 97 points. A total of 418 were invited in this draw. There was also a separate draw conducted for retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621) and restaurant and food service managers (NOC 0631), where 26 invitations were issued to candidates with scores of at least 118.

The province has now held 11 invitation rounds, bringing the total number of invitations issued to date to 1,831 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 to apply for permanent residency when British Columbia conducts one of its regular draws.

If you received an invitation you will have 30 days from the date of the invitation 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.

PNPs have continued to operate throughout the coronavirus pandemic, and there is no sign of their activities slowing down in 2021.

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