The British Columbia Health Authority category is a component of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), which is an immigration initiative administered by the province of British Columbia. The purpose of this category is to nominate immigrants who have received a job offer from a public health authority in British Columbia and who have the potential to make a lasting impact in the healthcare sector.
To be eligible for the BC Health Authority category, candidates must have an offer of employment from a public health authority in BC. Successful nominees of this category will be granted an invitation to apply for Canadian permanent residency. It is worth noting that a candidate’s participation in the Express Entry system is not a requirement for eligibility for this category. However, those who meet the eligibility criteria and have an active Express Entry profile may opt to apply through the Express Entry system, which may result in a quicker processing time.
The Eligibility Requirements for the BC Health Authority Stream
The British Columbia Health Authority stream is part of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), which aims to nominate immigrants who can make a lasting contribution to the healthcare sector in the province. To be eligible for the BC Health Authority stream, candidates must meet the following criteria:
Note: The BC Health Authority stream does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for its job offers. Additionally, candidates with an active Express Entry profile may be able to apply for accelerated processing through Express Entry.
Employer Requirements
To be eligible for most BC Skills Immigration programs, an applicant must have a valid job offer from a BC employer. The employer must meet certain requirements for the job offer to be considered valid.
Valid Job Offer Requirements:
The employer must provide a full-time and indeterminate position with a wage that is commensurate with industry standards and meets BC’s minimum wage requirements based on the applicant’s annual wage, location of residence in BC, and number of dependents.
Business Eligibility:
The business must be established and in good standing in British Columbia, with a history of fair workplace and business practices. Additionally, the business must meet the following minimum employee requirements:
Recruitment Efforts
The employer must show evidence of reasonable efforts to recruit a Canadian citizen for the position before offering it to a foreign national. It is worth noting that under the BC PNP, employers are not required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to have a valid job offer.
Application Procedure
The British Columbia Health Authority Stream accepts new applications on an ongoing basis. Prospective candidates must apply through BC’s online immigration portal and indicate whether they are applying through the Express Entry system or the Skills Immigration system. A non-refundable application fee of $700 CAD per applicant must be submitted with the application.
Upon approval of the application, the candidate will receive a provincial nomination for permanent residence from BC. Additionally, they may request a letter of support for a temporary work permit to commence work in Canada while their permanent residence application is being processed. This request represents a separate application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
If the candidate applied through Express Entry, they will receive a notification of nomination on their IRCC online account. Upon accepting the nomination, their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score will increase by 600 points, virtually guaranteeing an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw. The applicant must then prepare and submit an official application for Canadian permanent residence within the specified timeframe, which is typically processed within 6 months.
If the candidate applied through the Skills Immigration system, they have a 6-month timeframe to submit an official application for permanent residence through a paper-based application submitted by mail to the relevant application center. The processing time for paper-based Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications is usually 18 months.
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