BC PNP Draw: The Province invited 243 immigrants

The BC PNP is intended to attract in-demand foreign employees who desire to become permanent citizens. On December 21, British Columbia welcomed 243 immigration candidates through Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) drawings.

The Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) of British Columbia held two draws, inviting candidates from the Skills Immigration (SI) and Express Entry BC (EEBC) streams. In addition, invitations were given to persons in the SI and EEBC streams' Skilled Worker, International Graduate, Entry Level, and Semi-Skilled sub-categories.

The bulk of the invites, 194, were distributed by a random draw. These applicants were invited provided they satisfied the minimal score criteria, ranging from 74 to 106 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) jobs (restaurant and foodservice managers). That draw yielded 49 invites with minimum scores of 106 across the board.

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Since late February, British Columbia has conducted a separate round of invites twice a month as part of its PNP program. These draws are being held because of the large number of candidates from certain labour market sectors who have registered in the province's Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS).

The province of British Columbia ends the year with almost 11,500 invites granted under several BC PNP streams. The BC PNP seeks 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. 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 and 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.