BC PNP is narrower and more targeted in 2026.
British Columbia nominates workers and entrepreneurs who fit provincial labour-market and economic priorities. The province issues the nomination; IRCC makes the final permanent-residence and admissibility decision.
2 worker streams
Skilled Worker and Health Authority are the current Skills Immigration streams.
200 points
Skilled Worker registrations are ranked using human-capital and economic factors.
8,306 profiles
Number of Skills Immigration registrations in the pool on August 4, 2026.
35% regional goal
At least 35% of nominations are anticipated for candidates working outside Metro Vancouver.
Important 2026 changes
- Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) is closed. Its last invitations were issued December 10, 2024.
- B.C. will not launch the previously proposed new student streams. Canadian and B.C. education can still add registration points.
- The final technology-priority draw was December 3, 2024. Technology occupations remain eligible, but selection now focuses on broader high economic impact and provincial priorities.
- The Skills Immigration application fee increased to $1,750 on January 22, 2026.
- The current Skills Immigration Program Guide is effective May 28, 2026; applications are assessed under the rules in force when submitted.
There are two main worker streams—not a long list of old categories.
Start with the employer and the job offer. The Health Authority stream is a direct-application route; most other eligible workers use Skilled Worker registration and selection.
| Stream | Who it is for | Job offer | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | Experienced worker with an eligible B.C. offer in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 | Full-time and normally indeterminate from an eligible B.C. employer | Required; an invitation is normally needed before applying |
| Health Authority | Eligible health professional supported by an authorized B.C. public health authority | Eligible regular, full-time and indeterminate health role; special rules apply to physicians, nurse practitioners and midwives | Not required; eligible candidates apply directly |
| Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support | Time-limited 2026 initiative for direct health-authority employees in eligible cleaning or security roles in a rural/remote location | Same health authority, eligible location and occupation, with at least 9 consecutive qualifying months | Registration closes August 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.; up to 250 nominations |
Express Entry BC is an option inside both main worker streams.
A candidate who qualifies for Skilled Worker or Health Authority and also has a valid federal Express Entry profile may select the EEBC option. An enhanced nomination connects to the federal profile; a base nomination uses the non-Express Entry PNP process. The temporary rural/remote initiative has no EEBC option.
B.C. selection now follows Care, Build and Innovate.
The registration score matters, but B.C. can select candidates using occupation, wage, region, professional designation and strategic priorities. A score from a previous draw is not a permanent cutoff.
Care
Priority roles in health care, education, childcare and veterinary care; Health Authority direct applications continue.
Build
Certified workers in nine priority construction trades and workers contributing to major infrastructure may be targeted.
Innovate
High Economic Impact invitations can target highly skilled workers and entrepreneurs across sectors, including technology.
Regional
B.C. uses job location and regional experience or alumni points, and has stated a goal of at least 35% of nominations outside Metro Vancouver.
Recent selection evidence
In 2026, high-economic-impact invitations have used both wage/annual-salary thresholds and registration scores. Targeted Care and Build draws have also used occupation lists and scores. The latest official page was updated August 6, 2026; always check it instead of treating one old cutoff as the rule.
View latest invitationsEligibility comes before points.
The 200-point grid ranks a Skilled Worker registration. These minimum requirements decide whether an application can qualify at all.
Eligible offer
Skilled Worker offers must normally be full-time, indeterminate and in NOC TEER 0–3. Limited-term exceptions exist for specified university, teacher and technology occupations.
Experience
Skilled Worker normally requires at least two years of full-time-equivalent work experience. The candidate must also be qualified to perform the offered job.
Language
The published minimum is CLB/NCLC 4. Valid results are required to claim registration language points and may be required under stream or occupation rules.
Wage and income
The offer must meet B.C. wage and family-income requirements. Bonuses, commissions, tips and overtime are not included in the registration hourly wage.
Status and intent
Candidates in Canada need legal status and must show the ability and genuine intention to live, work and economically establish in B.C.
Licensing
Regulated occupations and trades require the licence, registration or certification needed to work in B.C.
Examples of occupations now ineligible for Skills Immigration
- Executive assistants (12100)
- Human resources and recruitment officers (12101)
- Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (12200)
- Administrative officers and assistants (13100, 13110–13112)
- Retail and food service supervisors (62010, 62020)
- Real estate agents and salespersons (63101)
- Religious leaders and religious workers (41302, 42204)
Skills Immigration registration is scored out of 200.
Human capital contributes 120 points and economic factors contribute 80. The calculator applies the current May 28, 2026 grid; it does not replace a stream and employer review.
Directly related work experience
Years of experience plus qualifying Canadian experience and current work for the supporting B.C. employer
Education
Highest completed credential, B.C./Canadian study and an eligible B.C. professional designation
Language
Lowest score across four abilities plus valid English-and-French points
Hourly wage
Base hourly wage from under $16 to $70 or more
Area in B.C.
Metro Vancouver, Area 2 or Area 3 plus eligible regional experience or alumni
Open the BC PNP Skills Immigration calculator
Calculate the 200-point worker score on its own dedicated page.
The employer can independently make the application ineligible.
A genuine job offer is not enough. The organization, workplace, staffing and supporting documents must meet BC PNP rules throughout the process.
Operating history
Normally operating in B.C. for at least one year, legally registered and able to operate at a fixed B.C. location.
Employees
At least 5 indeterminate full-time employees/FTEs in B.C. when located in Metro Vancouver, or at least 3 outside Metro Vancouver.
Support documents
Signed job offer, Employer Declaration, recommendation letter, job description, company information, incorporation evidence and business licence.
Ownership rule
The applicant and immediate or extended family generally must not have held or controlled a combined 10% or more of the supporting organization in the previous five years.
Ineligible employers
Placement/staffing agencies, sexually oriented businesses, some immigration-service organizations and disreputable businesses cannot normally support applications.
Ongoing duty
The employer must report employment changes; the applicant must also report material changes within the applicable deadline.
Employer size is based on employees performing work from within B.C. The exact business location controls whether the 5-employee or 3-employee threshold applies.
Worker process and deadlines
- 01
Choose the stream and federal route
Confirm Skilled Worker or Health Authority and decide whether the Express Entry BC option is available.
- 02
Register when required
Create the profile in BC PNP Online. A Skilled Worker registration is free and normally stays active for up to 12 months.
- 03
Wait for selection
B.C. may issue general or targeted invitations. Health Authority candidates who meet the direct-application rules do not wait in the registration pool.
- 04
Submit the provincial application
An invited candidate has 30 calendar days. The deadline cannot be extended; submit all evidence and pay the $1,750 fee.
- 05
Receive the decision
B.C. verifies eligibility, the invitation factors, the employer and documents. Report application changes within 15 calendar days.
- 06
Apply to IRCC
After nomination, submit the federal permanent-residence application before the nomination expires and keep meeting all nomination conditions.
Maximum registration-pool validity
Invited Skills Immigration application deadline
Notify B.C. of material changes after application
Notify B.C. of material changes after nomination
Temporary rural/remote health initiative closes at 11:59 p.m.
BC PNP also has three business routes.
Entrepreneur streams use separate eligibility, scoring, verification and performance-agreement processes. The worker calculator does not apply to them.
| Route | Minimum starting figures | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Base Stream | $600,000 net worth; $200,000 eligible personal investment | Normally 3 years as owner-manager in the last 10 years, CLB 4, and create at least one Canadian/PR job |
| Regional Stream | $300,000 net worth; $100,000 eligible personal investment | New business outside Metro Vancouver, exploratory visit, participating-community referral, CLB 4 and one Canadian/PR job |
| Strategic Projects | Foreign corporation invests at least $500,000 in B.C. operations | Established corporation expanding to B.C.; create at least three Canadian/PR jobs for each proposed key staff member, up to five staff |
- Base and Regional registrations cost $300 and remain in the qualified pool for up to six months.
- After invitation, net worth and accumulation of funds are verified by a BC PNP-authorized accounting firm.
- Base and Regional applicants have up to four months after invitation to submit the application.
- After provincial approval, the entrepreneur signs a Performance Agreement, applies for a work permit, implements the business and later requests nomination after meeting the agreement.
Open the B.C. Entrepreneur calculator
Choose Base or Regional and calculate the self-declared score on a separate page.
Current provincial fees
| Service | B.C. government fee |
|---|---|
| Skills Immigration registration | No fee |
| Skills Immigration application | $1,750 CAD |
| Entrepreneur registration | $300 CAD |
| Entrepreneur / Strategic Projects application | $3,500 CAD |
| Additional Strategic Projects key staff | $1,000 CAD each |
| Request for review | $500 CAD |
IRCC permanent-residence and work-permit fees are separate. Provincial fees are generally refundable only when the application is withdrawn before assessment begins; review fees are non-refundable.
Nomination is conditional until permanent residence is finalized.
A nomination does not itself authorize work and does not guarantee federal approval. The nominee must maintain eligibility and comply with the nomination conditions.
Express Entry nomination
An enhanced nomination connects to the federal profile and normally adds 600 CRS points after acceptance.
Base nomination
Apply through IRCC's non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program process before the nomination expires.
Work permit support
BC PNP may issue a support letter to an eligible nominee, but the nominee must apply to IRCC and maintain legal status.
Employment conditions
Keep the supporting B.C. job, authorized work, wage, hours, occupation, income and intention to reside in B.C.; report material changes.
Federal decision
IRCC reviews admissibility and the permanent-residence application. The province may cancel a nomination if conditions are no longer met.
No guarantees
An invitation, application acceptance or nomination never guarantees permanent residence or a work permit.
Official sources
Use the current B.C. guide—not an old blog post.
This page provides general information, not legal advice. B.C. may change stream criteria, targeted occupations, selection factors, scores, intake, fees and employer requirements. The official instructions in force when an application is submitted control.