140 Candidates Invited In The Latest BC PNP Tech Draw

“British Columbia has issued over 1,100 invitations to apply for provincial nomination so far this year.”

On February 15, British Columbia invited 140 tech workers to apply for a provincial nomination. 

The invitations were sent out through the BC PNP Tech stream of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP).

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an economic immigration pathway managed by the government of British Columbia to target experienced, in-demand foreign professionals. The program provides a path to permanent residence for individuals who choose to live and work in British Columbia. 

Candidates invited through BC's Tech draws must meet the requirements of one of the Express Entry BC or Skills immigration categories, which are maintained by the Skills and Immigration Registration System (SIRS) in British Columbia.

Candidates in this draw had to have a minimum provincial score of 85 and be from the Skilled Worker and International Graduate subcategories. 

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Candidates who have been invited to apply for the nomination now have 30 days to do so. 

What is the BC PNP Tech program?

Launched in May 2017, the BC PNP Tech is a pilot program that addresses the labor market shortages in BC’s technology sector. Because of the project's success, BC decided to make it a permanent program. Its purpose is to allow firms in the technology sector in British Columbia to continue to attract and choose overseas talent when qualified personnel is not available locally. 

The BC PNP Tech, in particular, is a fast-track immigration route for high-demand tech workers and international students. To qualify for the stream, candidates must be registered in one of BC's existing provincial immigration streams and have a valid 12-month work offer in one of 29 approved occupations.

Job offers under the BC PNP Tech must be for a minimum of one year, with at least 120 days remaining at the time of application to the BC PNP, unlike other BC PNP streams. It must also be full-time and from a province-approved employer. 

The province's tech program sends invitations to the top-scoring candidates who meet the eligibility standards - on a weekly basis. 

Candidates who are invited to apply for a provincial nomination must complete an application in its entirety. Most tech applications will be approved in two to three months after this is completed.

Candidates will receive a nomination confirmation if they are approved, which they can use to apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Program Class.  PNP candidates automatically receive 600 points for their CRS score, putting them in a strong position to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence under the Express Entry system.