On September 22, British Columbia held a Tech Pilot draw inviting 74 immigration candidates under the Express Entry BC and Skills Immigration streams to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residency. 

The minimum provincial score for candidates in the Skilled Worker and International Graduate categories was at 80 points, following the recent trend of scores in the low 80s for Tech Pilot draws. 

BC PNP’s Tech Pilot is an immigration pathway designed to fast-track tech workers and international students with in-demand skills for BC’s tech industry. 

Since its launch in 2017, the BC Tech Pilot has received several extensions. As of its last renewal, the pilot is now slated to extend until June 2021 next year. 

Immigration candidates who wish to apply to the Tech Pilot program are required to register through one of British Columbia’s current provincial immigration streams. Candidates must also have a valid job offer of at least 12 months in one of the 29 listed eligible occupations in the Tech Pilot. 

In order to apply for the Skills Immigration or Express Entry BC streams, interested candidates need to create a profile through the BC PNP’s online portal. From there, applicants may register under BC’s Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). 

They are then evaluated and issued a provincial score that determines whether or not they will be invited to apply for provincial nomination. The provincial score is based on various factors, including years of work experience, level of education, and an employment offer in the province. 

Candidates under the Express Entry BC category who receive a provincial nomination are automatically awarded an additional 600 points to their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in the federal Express Entry system. These additional points effectively guarantee that they will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency in an upcoming federal Express Entry invitation round. 

As of this recent draw, the province of British Columbia has invited over 1,000 candidates in 6 different draws through different PNP streams and categories to apply for a provincial nomination. 

Candidates who have received an invitation have exactly 30 calendar days to apply for the provincial nomination. 

Want to find out if you are eligible for a provincial nomination? Just fill in our eligibility form for a free assessment and we’ll get in touch with you within 1-3 business days.

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