Maple News reports that British Columbia has invited 340 skilled immigration candidates in two new Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws held on November 9, 2021. These invitations were extended through the BC PNP’s Skills Immigration (SI) and Express Entry BC (EEBC) streams, which continue to be instrumental in the province’s strategy for economic recovery and talent acquisition.
The majority of the 340 invitations—287 in total—were issued through a general draw. These applicants came from the Skilled Worker, International Graduate, and Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled categories. Minimum score thresholds for this draw ranged from 69 to 94, depending on the specific sub-stream under which candidates were registered.
A separate targeted draw focused on candidates with experience in two specific occupations categorized under the National Occupational Classification (NOC): NOC 0621 (retail and wholesale trade managers) and NOC 0631 (restaurant and food service managers). This targeted draw issued 53 invitations to candidates with a minimum score requirement of 104.
Since early 2021, the province has adopted a two-pronged draw approach, regularly holding specialized invitation rounds to manage the volume of applicants from high-demand labour sectors. This strategy enables British Columbia to better match skilled newcomers with local market needs while maintaining balanced provincial immigration outcomes.
So far this year, British Columbia has issued over 10,000 invitations through the BC PNP, highlighting the province’s ongoing commitment to welcoming international talent as part of Canada’s broader immigration objectives.
The BC PNP is designed to attract skilled foreign workers and international graduates who wish to become permanent residents. It operates through two main streams: Skills Immigration and Express Entry BC. Both are managed via the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS), which assigns scores to candidates based on language proficiency, education, and work experience.
Top-ranked candidates are then invited to apply for a provincial nomination, which significantly boosts their chances of receiving permanent residency through Canada’s federal immigration system.
As Canada continues to face skilled labour shortages in various industries, British Columbia’s proactive PNP strategy remains a critical tool for economic development and long-term workforce planning.