Strategic Occupations:

I. Skilled Workers Category:

The BC PNP is an immigration program that allows BC to select highly skilled immigrants to fill critical labour shortages in the Province.

The BC PNP is not run by a specific skill shortage list. Rather, the BC PNP has identified certain sectors as high priorities such as Aerospace, Post Secondary Education, Information and High Technology, etc. Other areas, such as certain skilled trades, small- to medium-sized employers, and employers facing geographic impacts, may also be addressed.

Applications are assessed on a case by case basis. Employers in other industries who identify key shortages and the need to recruit highly skilled individuals from outside of Canada may also apply. These provincial priorities may change as skill shortages are identified or met by permanent residents.

II. Health Care Professionals Category:

In addressing the critical shortages of Health Care professionals, the BC PNP accepts applications for three categories of health care professionals:

1. Registered Nurses:

   The position being offered must be permanent, full-time and meet all provincial employment and wage standards. Registered Nursing is a licensed profession in B.C. and therefore individuals must also possess, at minimum, a letter from the Registered Nurses Association of BC (RNABC) stating that they are eligible for an interim permit.

2. Physicians:

   Applications are now being accepted for physicians wishing to apply to the British Columbia PNP program.

   Physicians applying to the BC PNP must submit their application to Health Match BC, a health care recruitment service for the province of British Columbia.

   The application must include the applicable BC PNP processing fee of $550.

   To be eligible for the BC PNP program, physicians must:

   • have been practicing in British Columbia on a Work Permit for 9 months or more;
   • have been issued a letter from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia indicating that a supervising physician has given them a positive assessment of their work in B.C. thus far and they are now eligible to apply to the BC PNP.

   All physician applications (including BC PNP processing fees) must be submitted directly to Health Match BC. http://www.healthmatchbc.org/

3. Midwives:

   To be eligible for the BC PNP program, midwives must meet the following criteria:

   • Must provide proof of eligibility for registration with the College of Midwives of British Columbia (CMBC). For registration details, visit the College’s website: http://www.cmbc.bc.ca/
   • After demonstrating eligibility for registration, an applicant is required to provide proof of ability to join an established practice group in British Columbia for a period of at least six months. A letter from the practice group confirming the midwife’s prospective position is required.

   All midwife applicants should send application forms and fees directly to the BC PNP.

   The BC PNP office will only accept applications that are complete and ready for assessment.

III. International Student Category:

The international student category is designed to assist employers in recruiting academically strong graduates who are expected to meet the future skill needs of their organizations.

This category is directed at the following fields, education levels, and required duration of study in British Columbia:

• Pure and applied science programs at the masters or doctorate levels. Students at this level will be expected to have completed at least one year of study in British Columbia.
• Computer Sciences including software engineering at the undergraduate degree level or higher. Students/graduates will be expected to have completed two years of study in British Columbia.
• Computer, electronic, electrical, and mechanical engineering at the undergraduate degree level or higher. Students/graduates will be expected to have completed two years of study in British Columbia.
• Business or commerce graduates at the masters or doctorate levels. Students at this level will be expected to have completed at least one year of study in British Columbia.
• Business or commerce graduates at the undergraduate degree level or higher. Students/graduates will be expected to have completed two years of study in British Columbia and have had at least one of the following specialties:
  • Information Systems Management;
  • Tourism and Hospitality Management;
  • International Trade;
  • Finance and Accounting where it is intended that the applicant will progress to a professional designation in these fields.

The BC PNP will also consider applications from academically strong students in other fields of study where it can be demonstrated that the student’s employment in BC will fill future skill needs.

In each case, full-time, permanent job offers to the students from BC employers that are related to their fields of study are required before approval by the PNP.

IV. Business Categories:

The Business Categories stream of the BC Provincial Nominee Program was developed to provide British Columbia with a mechanism for increasing the economic benefits of immigration to the province. Please note that meeting minimum selection criteria does not guarantee approval. Program targets and processing capacity lead to a focus on the candidates best able to bring economic benefits to the Province.

There are three separate business categories:

• Business Skills
• Regional Business
• Projects

1. Business Skills Category:

This category is intended to attract prospective applicants who have extensive resources and business experience, and who want to be actively involved in implementing a BC business undertaking that will make a significant contribution to the economy of the province.

Eligibility:

• Successful business experience
• Minimum net worth: CAD$ 2 million
• Minimum investment: CAD$ 800,000
• Applicant must have a minimum 1/3 equity
• Business plan
• Business to create a minimum of 5 new jobs
• Applicant to have an active management role.

2. Regional Business Category:

This category is intended to assist people from outside Canada, with proven skills and financial resources, to rapidly implement plans for business establishment or expansion contributing to the regional development of British Columbia.

Eligibility:

• Project must be located outside the Greater Vancouver Area
• Minimum net worth: CAD$ 600,000
• Minimum investment: CAD$ 300,000 excluding real estate component
• Applicant must have a minimum 50% equity
• Business must create a minimum of 2 new jobs
• Applicant to have an active management role.

The Greater Vancouver Area includes Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley City, Langley District Municipality, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, West Vancouver and White Rock.

3. Projects Category:

This category is designed to assist local or foreign companies with the timely entry of skilled, key managers and key technical professionals essential to the success of a business expected to generate significant economic benefits to British Columbia.

Eligibility:

• The company must have a proven record of successful experience in an area relevant to the proposed business
• Only for new investments or business expansions (minimum investment: CAD$ 1 million and create a minimum of 5 new jobs)
• Key staff presence is essential to the success of the project.