Maple News reports that British Columbia has invited 58 candidates in the technology sector to apply for a provincial nomination through its Tech Pilot stream, part of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). The invitations were issued during a draw held on December 29, capping off the province’s final tech-focused immigration selection round of 2020.
The selected candidates came from the Skilled Worker and International Graduate subcategories under the Express Entry BC and Skills Immigration streams. To be eligible, applicants needed a minimum provincial score of 80.
The Tech Pilot, launched to attract global talent to British Columbia’s fast-growing tech sector, is a fast-track immigration program tailored for in-demand tech professionals and international graduates. Key features include weekly draws, faster application processing, and more flexible job offer requirements, all designed to help B.C. employers fill urgent labour shortages.
To qualify for the Tech Pilot, candidates must hold a valid job offer lasting at least one year in one of 29 designated tech occupations. These include roles such as software engineers, web developers, IT project managers, and more.
Applicants interested in British Columbia’s Skills Immigration or Express Entry BC categories must begin by registering through the province’s online portal, the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). Introduced in 2016, SIRS uses a points-based assessment that evaluates factors such as education, work experience, language proficiency, and type of job offer.
Through regular invitation rounds, the top-ranking candidates from each SIRS-based stream are invited to apply for a provincial nomination. A nomination from B.C. under the Express Entry-linked categories provides a significant advantage: 600 extra points toward an applicant’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, effectively securing an invitation to apply for permanent residence in the federal Express Entry draw.
This latest BC PNP Tech Pilot draw underlines the province’s commitment to maintaining a steady pipeline of skilled talent in strategic industries, especially as the tech sector continues to drive economic growth across British Columbia.