Maple News reports that British Columbia has invited 506 immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination through its latest Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw, held on March 16.
The invitations were issued under two key streams of the BC PNP: Skills Immigration and Express Entry BC (EEBC). These streams target individuals who possess the skills and experience currently in demand within the province. Within these streams, candidates were selected from sub-categories such as Skilled Worker, International Graduate, and Entry Level and Semi-Skilled.
This round featured two separate draws. One was a targeted selection for individuals working as retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621) and restaurant and food service managers (NOC 0631), resulting in 78 invitations. To qualify, these candidates needed a minimum provincial score of 114. The remaining 428 candidates were selected across various occupations with minimum scores ranging between 81 and 96, depending on the sub-category.
Minimum score requirements for the general draw were as follows:
– 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
With this draw, British Columbia has issued a total of 2,432 invitations through the BC PNP in 2021 so far, confirming its continued efforts to attract global talent to the province.
The BC PNP is designed to support the province’s economic growth by targeting foreign workers and graduates who can contribute effectively to the labor market. Both the Skills Immigration and Express Entry BC streams operate through B.C.’s Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS), which ranks applicants based on key factors such as education, work experience, and language ability.
Candidates invited through either stream have 30 days to submit a full application using the BC PNP’s online portal. If approved for a provincial nomination, candidates may then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Class, with nominations valid for approximately six months.
The Express Entry BC stream is aligned with the federal Express Entry system, integrating with one of three federal immigration pathways. Express Entry candidates are assessed using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which scores applicants based on age, education, language proficiency, and work experience.
British Columbia continues to be one of the most active provinces in terms of PNP draws, reflecting its strong demand for talent across a range of economic sectors.