Maple News reports that the province of British Columbia has invited 374 skilled immigration candidates in its latest Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws held on August 3, 2021. These draws are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to address labour market demands across various sectors of the province.
Since February 2021, British Columbia has consistently held two sets of PNP invitation rounds twice a month — one general draw and another targeting specific high-demand occupations. This dual-draw approach aims to ensure a balanced selection of candidates based on labour market needs. The additional targeted draw specifically focused on individuals employed as retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621) and restaurant and food service managers (NOC 0631), reflecting a significant volume of registrants in these categories.
The majority of the 374 invitations — a total of 361 — were issued to candidates under the Skills Immigration (SI) and Express Entry BC (EEBC) streams. These streams include the Skilled Worker, International Graduate, and Entry Level and Semi-Skilled subcategories. The minimum score thresholds in this general draw ranged from 74 to 91 points, depending on the stream and subcategory.
In the second, occupation-specific draw, 13 candidates were invited, all of whom had a minimum provincial score of 107. This focused draw continues to help alleviate pressures in sectors experiencing high levels of interest by filtering and inviting only the top-scoring applicants in those categories.
To date, British Columbia has issued a total of 7,041 invitations through the BC PNP in 2021 alone, reaffirming the province’s commitment to strategically selecting candidates who are most likely to contribute to the local workforce and community.
The BC PNP is designed to attract skilled foreign workers and international graduates who wish to live and work in British Columbia permanently. Operated through the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS), the program assesses candidates based on a points system that accounts for factors including education, job offer, language proficiency, and work experience. Only the top-tier candidates are invited to apply for permanent residency through provincial nomination when draws are conducted.
By continuing to adapt their selection processes to reflect the province’s dynamic labour market, the BC government is reinforcing its role as a key gateway for skilled immigration in Canada.