British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) — 2026 Guide

Last verified: June 29, 2026 · Official source: welcomebc.ca/BC-PNP

General information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on your situation, consult a licensed RCIC or immigration lawyer.

What is the BC PNP?

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program lets the province select skilled workers and entrepreneurs for permanent residence, either through its own process (Base streams) or by nominating candidates already in the federal Express Entry pool (Enhanced streams).

A BC provincial nomination adds +600 CRS points to your Express Entry profile — effectively guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply at the next federal draw.

→ Estimate your BC PNP (SIRS) score → How Express Entry and CRS work → Provincial Nominees hub — all provinces

2026 overview: major changes underway

BC significantly restructured its PNP in late 2024 and 2026. Several streams that international graduates and tech workers relied on have been permanently closed.

Closed or discontinued as of mid-2026

Stream	Closure date
International Post-Graduate Stream	January 2025
International Graduate Stream	November 2025
Entry Level and Semi-Skilled Stream (ELSS)	April 2026
Priority Technology Occupations draws	Last held December 2024

The planned replacement student streams (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate) were also cancelled and will not launch.

⚠️ If you were planning on the graduate or tech-priority streams, these routes are gone. Federal Express Entry (especially CEC) is the more viable path for most skilled workers and graduates now.

Current priority areas (2026)

BC's 2026 PNP strategy centres on three pillars: Care, Build, and Innovate.

Open streams — what's available now

1. Health Care (Care pillar)

BC targets 31 eligible occupations across the healthcare system, including:

Physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners
Psychologists, dental professionals, physiotherapists
Paramedical and diagnostic roles
Early childhood educators (ECE) with BC certification
French-speaking educators

Health Authority Stream: Workers currently employed by a BC health authority may be eligible. A one-time initiative for up to 250 cleaning or security workers at health authorities in rural/remote communities opened in June 2026.

Job offers in eligible occupations from BC health authorities or other designated health employers are the primary entry point.

2. Construction Trades (Build pillar)

BC designated nine TEER 2 construction trades as priorities. Candidates must hold a valid trade certificate issued by SkilledTradesBC:

Electricians
Plumbers
Welders
Carpenters
Steamfitters
Pipefitters
Construction millwrights
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
HVAC mechanics

A valid BC job offer in one of these trades is required.

3. High Economic Impact — Innovate

Workers outside the healthcare and trades priority areas may qualify under High Economic Impact (Innovate) invitations. These target high-skilled, higher-wage occupations not covered by the Care/Build categories. Invitations are selective — confirm current criteria at welcomebc.ca.

4. Entrepreneur Immigration

BC's entrepreneur streams remain open for those starting or buying a business in BC. These are separate from the Skills Immigration pathways and have their own eligibility criteria, net worth requirements, and business plan requirements.

Express Entry connection (BC-EE)

The BC Express Entry (BC-EE) stream is BC's Enhanced pathway — it selects candidates directly from the federal Express Entry pool. A BC-EE nomination adds +600 CRS points, making a federal ITA at the next draw virtually certain.

BC-EE invitations are selective and targeted to BC's priority occupations. Having a BC connection (job offer, work experience in BC) significantly improves your chances of an expression of interest.

2026 allocation

BC received a federal allocation of 5,254 nominations for 2026. The province has indicated it requested a higher allocation (~9,000) and is seeking an increase — confirm any changes on welcomebc.ca.

How to apply

Check eligibility — confirm your occupation is in a current priority area and you have or can get a BC job offer.
Register an Expression of Interest (EOI) through the BC PNP Online system at welcomebc.ca.
Receive an invitation — BC PNP holds Skills Immigration Registration (SIR) draws and selects candidates by score.
Apply for nomination — you have 30 days from invitation to apply.
Receive your nomination — if nominated, link it to your Express Entry profile (Enhanced) or apply directly to IRCC (Base).
Apply to IRCC for PR — once you have an ITA (Enhanced) or complete the provincial nomination process (Base).

Frequently asked questions

Is the BC PNP linked to Express Entry?

Yes. The BC Express Entry (BC-EE) stream is BC's Enhanced pathway — a nomination adds +600 CRS points to your federal profile, effectively guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply at the next draw. BC's Base streams lead to PR directly through IRCC instead.

Does the BC PNP require a job offer?

For most Skills Immigration streams, yes — a qualifying BC job offer is generally required. The BC-EE Enhanced stream can select candidates without one if they meet provincial priorities, but a BC connection (a job offer or BC work experience) strengthens your profile significantly.

I graduated from a BC school — can I still use the BC PNP?

The dedicated international-graduate streams have closed. Your realistic routes now are a job offer in a healthcare or construction-trades priority occupation, or the federal Express Entry / Canadian Experience Class path if you have enough skilled Canadian work experience.

How is my BC PNP score calculated?

Skills Immigration uses the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS), scored out of 200 across factors like your job offer, wage, work experience, education, and language. Estimate yours with the BC PNP (SIRS) calculator.