B.C. PNP Tech: A guide for Express Entry candidates

Foreign tech workers interested in immigrating to British Columbia (B.C.) can get priority processing for their immigration application through the B.C. PNP Tech program.

The B.C. PNP Tech, previously a pilot, is a permanent program to help B.C. employers recruit foreign talent. In addition, the program offers an expedited Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) for tech workers who want to move to B.C.

The B.C. PNP Tech is open to people who are already eligible for either the Skills Immigration or Express Entry B.C. stream of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (B.C. PNP).

The first step to receiving a nomination through the Express Entry B.C. stream is to ensure that you are in the Express Entry pool. To get permanent residence in Canada, candidates must be eligible for an Express Entry-managed program such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, or the Canadian Experience Class.

From there, candidates must be eligible for one of the Express Entry B.C. sub-categories: Skilled Worker, Healthcare Professional, International Graduate, or International Post-Graduate.

For most of the categories, candidates will need a full-time job offer to be eligible. However, the International Post-Graduate category does not require a job offer.

The full-time job offer must be for a job in one of the 29 eligible occupations in the tech sector for the B.C. PNP Tech. The job offer should be for a position at least one year in duration with at least 120 days remaining on the contract.

The 29 eligible occupations for the B.C. PNP Tech are below.

B.C. holds weekly invitation rounds for tech candidates. Some weeks, the province hold draws specifically for the tech program, other weeks it is combined in a general draw.

Invited candidates have thirty (30) days to apply for the provincial nomination. An invitation does not guarantee a nomination. Those who receive a nomination will have six (6) months to submit their permanent residency application. In the meantime, candidates may be able to get a work permit support letter from the B.C. PNP, so that candidates can continue working legally in Canada while waiting for a decision.

All Express Entry candidates with a provincial nomination automatically receive 600 points added to their overall score. This will boost their profile to the top of the pool for a future Express Entry draw. With the additional points, it is likely to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

The B.C. PNP cannot expedite a candidate’s final application for permanent residence as that is only the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) decision. The B.C. PNP only has the jurisdiction over its own provincial immigration program.

The B.C. PNP can offer options to candidates to continue working in the province throughout the immigration application process. The Tech program is one of the pathways that allow candidates to skip the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), which can be a costly and long process.