British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) draw invites 72 immigrants working in the I.T sector to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residency.

The new invitations were issued by BC PNP Tech, which is part of the British Columbia PNP.

Those invited through the BC Tech Sweepstakes must meet the requirements of one of the Express Entry BC and Skills BC immigration categories, which are managed through the Skills Registration System and of immigration (SIRS).

Applicants who received invitations in yesterday's draw fell into the Skilled Worker and International Graduates subcategories and had to achieve a minimum provincial score of 80.

The province has now invited 5,321 potential immigrants in 2021.

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BC PNP makes Tech Pilot permanent

BC PNP Tech was launched in May 2017 as a pilot project following a labor market study that found that the biggest issue facing BC's tech sector was access to talents.

The pilot project was very successful and enabled over 6,000 potential immigrants to be nominated for permanent residence. Building on its success, the technological pilot project has been extended every year for 4 years.

This year, instead of extending the project again, and following requests from employers and various stakeholders in the IT sector, the province announced that the program was becoming permanent.

The program, now called BC PNP Tech, remains a fast-track immigration route for tech workers and in-demand international students. Applicants must have applied for provincial nomination through any one of the BC PNP's immigration streams and have a job offer in one of the 29 targeted occupations to be eligible.

Unlike other BC PNP streams, job postings under BC PNP Tech must be for a minimum of one year, with at least 120 days remaining at the time of BC PNP application. Job-offer must be for a full-time job and be offered by an eligible employer of the province.

Invitations through the province's technology program are sent out weekly to top-rated applicants who meet the eligibility criteria.

Invited candidates have 30 days to submit their full application for provincial nomination. Once done, most technical requests will be processed within two to three months.

If approved, applicants will receive a confirmation of appointment which can be used to apply for permanent residence with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) under the Provincial Nominee Program.