On September 8, British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued 67 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination to candidates from the Express Entry and Skills Immigration categories. All 67 candidates were tech workers invited through the BC PNP’s Tech Pilot program, an immigration pathway created to supplement the labor market needs of British Columbia’s thriving tech industry. 

The BC PNP Tech Pilot primarily targets in-demand tech workers and international students with in-demand skills. Tech Pilot candidates who are invited must have a job offer of at least one year in any of the 29 eligible occupations specified in the program.

Specifically, BC PNP Tech Pilot Job Offers must be:

• for one of the 29 targeted occupations;
• at least one-year (365 days) duration; and
• at least 120 days at time of application.

Among the 29 listed jobs, Eligible Tech Pilot occupations include:

• Telecommunication carriers managers;
• Civil engineers;
• Database analysts and data administrators;
• Translators, terminologists and interpreters;
• Graphic designers and illustrators;
• Information systems testing technicians;
• Audio and video recording technicians;
• Chemical engineers.

Candidates for this recent draw were invited through the Skilled Worker and International Graduate categories of the province’s Skills Immigration and Express Entry (EEBC) streams. Candidates needed a minimum provincial score of 80 to receive an invitation. 

Those who were invited through the Express Entry BC stream will automatically receive 600 additional points to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score upon the approval of their provincial nomination application, guaranteeing them an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency during a federal Express Entry draw.

Candidates who were invited through the Skills Immigration stream are directly processed by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residency, upon the issue of their provincial nomination.

Those who wish to apply for either stream are required to create a profile under British Columbia’s Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). Interested applicants are issued a score based on a number of factors, including language skills, education, work experience, and location of employment. 

The province issues weekly invitations to applicants within the tech industry who hold the highest scores. Processing time for BC PNP application is normally 2-3 months from the date of issue, but fast-track pathways like the Tech Pilot process applications in a shorter period of time. 

Want to find out if you are eligible for a fast-track immigration pathway? Fill in our eligibility form to get a free assessment.