B.C. has issued over 8,000 invitations to register for a provincial nomination since the beginning of 2021

On September 7, British Columbia asked 34 IT workers to apply for a provincial nomination under the BC PNP tech stream. Candidates invited via B.C.'s Tech draws must fulfil the requirements of one of the Express Entry BC or Skills immigration categories governed by the Skills and Immigration Registration System (SIRS).

A candidate who wants to be qualified for the invitation under the International Graduate and Skilled Worker subcategories, should have a provincial score of at least 80. Candidates who have been requested to apply for nomination now have 30 calendar days to do so. From the beginning of this year, British Columbia has issued roughly 8100 ITA’s for provincial nomination.

About the BC PNP Tech program

The BC PNP Tech was launched as a pilot program in May 2017 in response to labour market research that indicated that the most important issue for B.C.'s technology industry was a shortage of talent. Following the success of the pilot project, BC made it a permanent program. When appropriate candidates are not available locally, the program is designed to enable businesses in British Columbia's technology industry to continue to recruit and choose foreign talent.

The BC PNP Tech, in particular, is a high-demand immigration option for high-tech employees and international students. Those who want to qualify for the stream, must be registered in one of British Columbia’s existing provincial immigration streams with a genuine employment offer for at least 12 months in one of 29 authorized occupations.

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It is necessary to have a job offer of at least one year and have at least 120 days left at the time of application to the BC PNP. It must also be full-time and from an employer recognized by the province. Invitations to the top-scoring candidates under the province's tech program are sent out on a weekly basis.

Candidates who are requested to submit an application for a provincial nomination must do so. The majority of technology applications will thereafter be processed within two to three months. Candidates who are approved will get a nomination confirmation letter from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that may be used to apply for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Program Class. PNP applicants earn 600 points automatically for their Comprehensive Ranking System score and so have a very good probability of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence through Express Entry.