New PNP Draw: British Columbia Welcomes 357 People

The BC PNP is intended to attract foreign employees in high demand in the province who wish to become permanent residents. On November 23, British Columbia welcomed 357 immigration candidates through Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws.

The BC PNP held two draws, inviting candidates from the Skills Immigration (SI) and Express Entry BC (EEBC) streams. Invited candidates were skilled workers, international graduates, entry-level and semi-skilled individuals under the sub-categories of the SI and EEBC streams.

The bulk of the invites, 258, were distributed by a random draw. These applicants were invited provided they satisfied the minimum score criteria, ranging from 71 to 97 depending on the program for which they were qualified.

Another draw targeted applicants with NOC 0621 (retail and wholesale trade managers) or NOC 0631 (retail and wholesale trade managers, food service managers). That draw yielded 99 invites, with a minimum score of 103 across the board.

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British Columbia has conducted a separate round of invites twice a month since February under the PNP program. These draws were held primarily for certain labour market sectors that have been registered in the province's Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS).

This year, British Columbia has issued almost 11,000 invites through several BC PNP streams to recruit foreign employees in high demand in the province who want to become permanent residents of Canada.

The BC PNP has two primary immigration streams, Skills Immigration and Express Entry, both of which are further subdivided. These streams are controlled by British Columbia's Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). You must first create an account to apply through the SIRS. After that, you will be given a score based on characteristics such as education, job experience, and language abilities.

When British Columbia has one of its regular draws, the top-scoring applicants in each sub-category are asked to apply for a provincial nomination to apply for permanent residency. If you were invited, you would have 30 days from the invitation date to complete an application using the BC PNP online system.

After submitting a comprehensive BC PNP application packet, you will get a decision from the province within two to three months. If your nomination is accepted, you will be able to apply for permanent residence status with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) under the Provincial Nominee Class.

The nomination is good for six months from the date of confirmation. As a provincial nominee, you may gain an additional 600 points under the CRS, giving you a high enough score to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in a future federal Express Entry lottery.