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1. What is Skills Immigration in British Columbia?
Skills Immigration or SI is a stream of the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). It was created for people with certain skills, qualifications and experience needed to help BC’s job market. Skills Immigration also allows for applicants to become permanent residents of the province.
2. Who can apply for the Skilled Immigration Stream BC PNP?
There are different categories that you can apply for the Skilled Immigration Stream in the BC Provincial Nominee Program. These are:
- Skilled workers (professional/management/technical trades or other skilled occupations in demand in BC);
- Healthcare professionals;
- Physicians;
- Nurses;
- Specialists;
- International graduates (from Canadian education institutes);
- International post graduates (PhDs and Master’s graduates of natural, applied or health sciences from BC institution only);
- Entry level and semi-skilled workers qualified in:
- Tourism and hospitality;
- Long-haul trucking; and
- Food processing
目录
3. What are the general criterion for the Skilled Immigration Stream BC PNP?
This time, we will focus on the Skills Immigration Category, which is quite similar to the Express Entry British Colombia Category. So check them together!
| Skills Immigration | |||
| Category | Job offer required? | Aligned with SIRS? | Basic criteria |
| Skilled worker | Yes | Yes | CLB4 for NOC B All other EE streams requirements |
| International Graduate | Yes | Yes | CLB4 for NOC B All other EE streams requirements |
| International Post-Graduate | No | No | All other EE streams requirements |
| Health care professional | Yes | No | CLB4 for NOC B All other EE streams requirements |
| Entry Level and Semi-Skilled | Yes | Yes |
|
4. What are the detailed criterion of Skills Immigration Category?
4.1. General Requirements
Unless otherwise noted, applicants in the Skills Immigration stream must meet the following requirements:
- Have accepted a job offer for indeterminate, full-time employment — except candidates in the Skills Immigration: International Post-Graduate category and BC PNP Tech Pilot registrants — in an eligible occupation at a wage rate that meets industry standards and is in line with rates offered by B.C. employers for the same occupation;
- Be qualified for the offered position. The BC PNP may refer to the National Occupational Classification (NOC), Work BC or industry standards to determine the minimum qualifications for an occupation;
- Applicants with a job offer for an occupation categorized under NOC level 0 or A are not required to submit valid language test results; however, the BC PNP may ask for results at its discretion to ensure an applicant has the language proficiency required in order to perform the duties of the position or if the applicant claims points for language under the registration system;
- Demonstrate English or French language ability at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4, for all occupations classified under NOC level B, C, or D;
- Not have ownership or equity stake of more than 10 per cent in the B.C. company that has made the job offer in the five years preceding the application and throughout the entire BC PNP application process; and,
- Benefit B.C. economically through their employment. For example, the applicant’s employment may:
- Transfer knowledge and skills to Canadians;
- Build the workforce for a major project;
- Create or maintain jobs for Canadians; and/or,
- Support the development of proprietary new products;
- Meet minimum income requirements;
- Applicants’ employment must not adversely affect the settlement of a labour dispute, or the employment of anyone involved in a labour dispute. Also, applicants’ employment must not prevent the training or employment of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
*Candidates will not receive a nomination if they:
- Are prohibited from entering Canada;
- Are currently in Canada and are out of status;
- If an applicant’s status has expired and he or she cannot demonstrate that they have applied for a restoration of status with the 90-day eligibility period, the applicant will be considered out of status.
- Are currently working in Canada without authorization;
- Have an unresolved refugee claim in Canada; or
- Are under a removal order in or outside of Canada.
4.2. Skilled Worker Category
This category is open to workers with post-secondary education or training and employment experience in a skilled occupation.
In addition to meeting the general requirements for the BC Skills Immigration Stream, eligible applicants under the Skilled Worker Category must:
Have received an offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from an eligible B.C. employer (with the exception of BC PNP Tech Pilot registrants) in NOC 0, A, or B NOC B: CLB 4 in English or French NOC 0 or A: No requirements for language test (The BC PNP, however, may require valid language test results) |
Have at least two years of directly related full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience in the skilled occupation offered *The BC PNP defines directly related work experience as paid employment that is classified under the same NOC code as the B.C. job offer accepted by the applicant. Experience in a related occupation at a NOC skill level equal to or greater than the NOC skill level of the B.C. job offer may also be considered if the applicant can sufficiently demonstrate how this work experience is directly related to the skilled occupation. |
Demonstrate the ability to meet minimum income requirements and pay for housing and living expenses in British Columbia by showing:
|
Additionally, the employer offering the job to the BC PNP candidate must meet the BC PNP minimum requirements for employers. |
4.3. Healthcare Professional Category
In addition to meeting the general requirements for the BC Skills Immigration Stream, eligible applicants under the Health Care Professional Category must:
Have received an job offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from an eligible B.C. public health authority in of the following fields: Physician; Specialist; Registered nurse; Registered psychiatric nurse; Nurse practitioner; or Allied health professional such as a: Diagnostic medical sonographer; Clinical pharmacist; Medical laboratory technologist; Medical radiation technologist; Occupational therapist; or Physiotherapist. |
As a midwife, an applicant must be registered with the College of Midwives of British Columbia. Also, the applicant must have a letter of confirmation from an established practice group in British Columbia confirming their acceptance into the group as an affiliated midwife for a period of at least six months. This letter must be on the practice group’s official letterhead and must be signed by the applicant and the head of the practice group. |
Have at least two years of directly related full-time (or full-time equivalent) work experience in the skilled occupation offered to them, and the credentials and qualification requirements of the position, if applicable; |
NOC B: CLB 4 in English or French NOC 0 or A: No requirements for language test (The BC PNP, however, may require valid language test results) |
Demonstrate the ability to meet minimum income requirements and pay for housing and living expenses in British Columbia by showing:
|
4.4. International Graduate Category
This category is for international students who have graduated from a Canadian university or college within three years of applying to the BC PNP. While applicants do not necessarily need prior work experience, applicants are required to obtain a job offer from a B.C. employer.
In addition to meeting the general requirements for the BC Skills Immigration Stream, eligible applicants under the International Graduate Category must:
Have received a job offer of indeterminate, full-time employment for an occupation classified as NOC level 0, A, or B from an eligible B.C. employer (with the exception of BC PNP Tech Pilot registrants); |
Applicants must have obtained a degree, diploma or certificate from an eligible post-secondary institution in Canada within three years of the date of completion shown on the official transcript; An undergraduate or graduate degree from an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution; or
|
Applicants must have the credentials and qualification requirements of the position, if applicable; |
Meet the language requirements for their classified occupation: For NOC level B, C, or D occupations, applicants must get CLB4 in English or French. No language test results are required for NOC level 0 and A occupations unless the applicant is claiming points for language. The BC PNP, however, may request valid language test results at its discretion. |
Applicants must provide evidence that they can support themselves and their dependents in Canada |
4.5. International Post-Graduate Category
This category is for individuals who have obtained a master’s or doctoral degree in the natural, applied or health sciences from a British Columbia institution. No job offer or language test is needed to apply to this program.
In addition to meeting the general requirements for the BC Skills Immigration Stream, eligible applicants under the International Post-Graduate Category must:
Have obtained a master’s or doctoral degree from an eligible British Columbia institution within the three years preceding the application to the BC PNP in one of the following fields:
|
| Provide evidence that they intend to reside permanently in B.C. |
*List of eligible programs of study
Private post-secondary institutions
| Institution | Program name |
| New York Institute of Technology | Master of Science in Information, Network and Computer Security |
| New York Institute of Technology | Master of Science in Energy Management |
| Trinity Western University | Master of Science in Nursing |
Public post-secondary institutions
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Royal Roads University
Simon Fraser University
Thompson Rivers University
University of British Columbia – Okanagan campus
University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus
University of Northern British Columbia
University of Victoria
4.6. Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Category
This category is for individuals currently living and working in B.C. in an eligible occupation within the tourism/hospitality, long-haul trucking, or food processing industries, or in a NOC skill level C or D occupation in the Northeast Development Region of the province.
In addition to meeting the general requirements for the BC Skills Immigration Stream, eligible applicants under the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) Category must:
| Have received a full time job offer from an eligible B.C. employer, in an eligible occupation |
Have been employed full-time in an ELSS eligible occupation for at least nine consecutive months immediately before applying with the same B.C. employer supporting the application;
Note: Work conducted during a program of study (co-op) or while on a Study Permit or an Off-Campus Work Permit does not qualify. |
Maintain full-time employment throughout the application process; *If the applicant is no longer eligible to work for the supporting employer when he or she receives an Invitation to Apply for the BC PNP, but still has status in Canada (for example, as a visitor) or has left Canada, he or she may submit an application as long as:
|
Demonstrate the ability to meet minimum income requirements and pay for housing and living expenses in British Columbia. Note: Entry level and semi-skilled applicants must show a history of meeting this requirement for the previous nine months in the position |
| Have completed secondary education and any licensing or certification required for the job; and, |
| Submit language proficiency test results showing a proficiency in English of at least Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4. |
Long-haul truck drivers must have:
|
ELSS Eligible Occupations
| Occupations in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry | |
| NOC | Occupation |
| 6525 | Hotel Front Desk Clerks |
| 6531 | Tour and Travel Guides |
| 6532 | Outdoor Sport and Recreational Guides |
| 6533 | Casino Occupations |
| 6511 | Maîtres d’hotel and Hosts/Hostesses |
| 6512 | Bartenders |
| 6513 | Food and Beverage Servers |
| 6711 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Occupations |
| 6731 | Light Duty Cleaners |
| 6732 | Specialized Cleaners |
| 6733 | Janitors, Caretakers and Building Superintendents |
| 6721 | Support Occupations in Accommodation, Travel and Facilities Set-Up Services |
| 6741 | Dry Cleaning, Laundry and Related Occupations |
| 6742 | Other Service Support Occupations |
| Occupations in the Food Processing Industry | |
| NOC | Occupation |
| 9461 | Process Control and Machine Operators, Food and Beverage Processing |
| 9462 | Industrial Butchers and Meat Cutters, Poultry Preparers and Related Workers |
| 9463 | Fish and Seafood Plant Workers |
| 9465 | Testers and Graders, Food, Beverage and Associated Products Processing |
| 9617 | Labourers in Food, Beverage and Associated Products Processing |
| 9618 | Labourers in Fish and Seafood Processing |
| Occupations in the Trucking Industry | |
| NOC | Occupation |
| 7511 | Long-Haul Truck Driver |
Minimum Requirements for Employers
The employer offering the job to a BC PNP candidate must meet the following requirements:
| The business must be established in British Columbia, and have been operating for at least one year (two years if the applicant is registering under the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled category, including employment in the Northeast Development Region of B.C.); |
The business must already have permanent, full-time employees;
|
| The business must show a history of good business practices; |
| The employer must meet domestic labour market recruitment requirements; the employer must demonstrate recruitment efforts for the vacant position during the period when the candidate is not authorized to work. |
| The employer must sign an employer declaration stating that all of these requirements are met; |
A written offer of employment must be extended to the applicant on official company letterhead and must meet all of the following requirements:
|
| The employer may not make deductions from pay for recruitment, immigration fees, etc. |
| The wage offered must be at market rate and comparable to the average salary for that occupation in British Columbia. |
| Individuals originally hired on a Labour Market Opinion must receive an equal or greater wage than that stated on the Labour Market Opinion. |
Minimum Income Requirements
The following are the minimum income thresholds depending on family size. An applicant must show that his or her annual wage in B.C. (and his or her spouse’s, if applicable) meets the income threshold. Bonuses, commissions, tips, living allowances, or overtime in the calculation of the annual wage.
| Family Income Threshold by Area of Residence | ||
| Size of Family | Greater Vancouver Regional District | Rest of B.C. |
| 1 | $22,804 | $19,006 |
| 2 | $28,390 | $23,659 |
| 3 | $34,902 | $29,087 |
| 4 | $42,376 | $35,316 |
| 5 | $48,062 | $40,054 |
| 6 | $54,205 | $45,175 |
| 7 or more | $60,350 | $50,296 |
FAQ
If you are a bachelor degree student and you have a job offer of NOC 0, A, B in BC, then you may choose either EEBC International Graduate stream or International Graduate stream. If you find a job in one of the 29 tech occupations, then you may also apply for the Tech Pilot stream.
If you have higher degrees than Bachelor degree, then you may choose either International Post-Graduate or EEBC International Post-Graduate stream. However, your program must be completed in BC, and the major should be natural, applied or health science related.
If you don’t have a job offer, or your major is not tech or science related, then you may reach out to Federal Skilled Worker, or some other ways.
If you are a health worker, and you have a job offer from a public health authority as any of the following: nurse/nurse practitioner/psychiatric nurse/physician/specialist/midwife/allied health professionals, and you have 2 years of work experience in the area, you are qualified to apply the Health Care Professional Stream. Exceptions apply to midwives however, as they must be affiliated into an established practice group in BC for at least 6 months
If you have a job offer of NOC C, D in tourism, hospitality, long-haul trucking, food processing, you have worked 9 consecutive months in BC, and you have received 12 years of formal education at least, then you may be qualified for Entry Level and Semi-Skilled stream. Long haul truckers must have 2 years of experience in the 3 years before apply, a valid BC class 1 driver’s licence and brake endorsement.
If you got a job offer of any of the following jobs of a year at least, then you might be qualified for Tech Pilot of British Colombia.