According to Maple News, British Columbia has released its official 2024 Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) annual report, offering valuable insight into its immigration strategies, nomination breakdowns, and evolving labour market priorities.
The report confirms that the BC PNP issued a total of 8,000 nominations for permanent residence in 2024 – exactly matching its full federal nomination allocation for the year. Notably, an overwhelming 99% of these nominations (7,972) were issued under the Skills Immigration (SI) stream, with the remaining 28 nominations allocated to Entrepreneur Immigration.
The Skills Immigration category continues to dominate the province’s economic immigration strategy. Within SI, nominations were distributed among several sub-streams: 35% to Skilled Workers, 23% to Health Authority professionals, 20% to International Graduates, 19% to International Post-Graduates, and 3% to Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) workers. Importantly, 81% of nominees through SI held a job offer, responding directly to B.C.’s current labour market needs.
One of the most notable occupational trends in 2024 was the prominence of Early Childhood Educators. As a result, the largest portion of nominees last year belonged to the Education, Law, and Social/Community Services category. This emphasis aligns with the province’s targeted efforts to support essential sectors struggling with workforce shortages.
The second-largest group was in the Natural and Applied Sciences field, reflecting British Columbia’s ongoing demand for STEM professionals across industries such as engineering, IT, and environmental sciences.
The Entrepreneur Immigration category continues to form a minimal part of the BC PNP, with only 28 nominations in 2024. While small in volume, these nominations indicate that the province continues to support foreign business owners and investors aiming to launch or acquire businesses in B.C.
Overall, the 2024 report underlines British Columbia’s strategic use of its PNP allocations to drive economic growth, strengthen essential services, and fill targeted labour shortages. The province remains a leader in aligning immigration with real-time economic planning.
With continued job-linked pathways and clear prioritization of key occupations, Maple News notes that B.C. is demonstrating a responsive and data-informed approach to immigration policy, likely enhancing its competitiveness as a destination for skilled newcomers in the years ahead.