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The Canadian province of British Columbia held a nomination draw on September 14 to invite 464 immigration candidates to apply for provincial nominations.
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) continued the trend of holding two draws: one general draw and another occupation-specific draw simultaneously. In the first draw, the province invited a total of 365 candidates under Skills Immigration (SI) and Express Entry British Columbia (EEBC) categories. A mix of candidates belonging to Skilled Worker, International Graduate as well as Entry Level and Semi-Skilled sub-categories of SI and EEBC streams were nominated. The minimum required score for candidates varied by category.
The cut-off scores for Express Entry BC (EEBC) subcategories were: Skilled Worker: 86 and International Graduate: 75.
The cut-off scores for the three Skills Immigration (SI) subcategories were: Skilled Worker: 90; International Graduate: 77; and Entry Level and Semi-Skilled: 69.
The second specialist draw was also conducted under SI and EEBC categories and targeted candidates whose occupation falls under retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621) as well as restaurant and food service managers (NOC 0631). The draw resulted in 99 invitations to apply for provincial nominations with scores of 105.
BC PNP Draws in 2021
The province had issued over 8,500 invitations to apply for provincial nominations. British Columbia issues weekly invitations, including some specifically targeting candidates working in the technology sector.
Upon receiving a successful provincial nomination, candidates can apply for permanent residence in Canada which is issued by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
In order to apply for a provincial nomination from British Columbia, immigration aspirants must register themselves on the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). All the registered profiles are assessed and ranked on factors such as education, work experience, and language skills.
Skills Immigration (SI) category under BC PNP allows eligible foreign workers who usually already have a job offer in B.C. to apply for provincial nomination. However, there are sub-categories that are aligned with the federal Express Entry pool who may not have a job offer in the province:
- Skilled Worker Category – for people who have a job offer and several years of experience in a skilled occupation;
- Healthcare Professional Category – physicians, nurses, psychiatric nurses, or allied health professionals with job offers in one of 11 eligible occupations may apply for this category;
- International Graduate Category – for workers who have graduated from an eligible Canadian university or college in the last three years;
- International Post-Graduate Category – Master’s or PhD graduates from eligible B.C. post-secondaries in the natural, applied, or health sciences may apply for this category without a job offer;
There is a separate pathway for entry-level or semi-skilled workers with jobs in tourism, hospitality, food processing, or long-haul trucking. This is the only SI category that does not apply to candidates in the Express Entry system.
Take this free assessment online to determine your eligibility for provincial nominee programs in Canada.
Book a free appointment with our expert consultants to explore more immigration pathways to qualify for Canadian immigration.
