The British Columbia Skilled Worker stream is intended for individuals who have received a job offer from a British Columbia employer for a skilled occupation. The eligibility of candidates is determined through the British Columbia Skills Immigration Ranking System, which assigns points based on various criteria. Only those candidates with the most competitive rankings are then extended an invitation to apply to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP).
Employer Requirements
For an applicant to be eligible to apply to most BC Skills Immigration programs, they must secure a valid job offer from a qualified BC employer. The employer must fulfill certain general requirements to ensure that their job offer is considered valid.
The employer must provide a full-time, indefinite position with a wage that is consistent with industry standards and meets BC’s minimum wage requirements, considering the applicant’s annual wage, place of residence in BC, and number of dependent family members.
The business must be established and maintain a good standing in British Columbia, with a history of ethical workplace and business practices. The business must also meet the following minimum employee requirements:
The employer must provide evidence that they made reasonable attempts to recruit a Canadian citizen for the position before offering it to a foreign national. It is important to note that under the BC PNP, employers are not obligated to secure a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for their positions to be considered valid.
Application Procedure
The British Columbia Skilled Worker stream utilizes an Expression of Interest (EOI) process. Eligible candidates can create a profile on the BC immigration portal and indicate whether they wish to apply through the Express Entry system or the regular Skills Immigration system. Candidates’ profiles will be scored and ranked using the BC Skills Immigration Ranking System, and the highest ranking profiles will be invited to apply during periodic intakes.
Applicants must submit a complete application within 30 days of receiving the invitation to apply, and an application fee of CAD 1150 per applicant must be paid. Upon approval, the candidate will receive a provincial nomination for permanent residence in BC. Additionally, candidates can request a letter of support for a temporary work permit to begin working in Canada while their permanent residence application is being processed.
For applicants applying through the Express Entry system, they will receive a notification of nomination on their IRCC online account. Upon acceptance of the provincial nomination, the applicant’s Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score will increase by 600 points, virtually ensuring an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw. Applicants must prepare and submit an official application for permanent residence within the specified timeframe, with processing time typically taking six months.
For applicants applying through the regular Skills Immigration system, they have a six-month window to submit an official paper-based application for permanent residence, which will be processed within approximately 18 months.
British Columbia Skills Immigration Ranking System
Factor | Maximum Points | |
Economic Factors (120) | Skill Level of the B.C. Job Offer | 60 |
Wage of the B.C. Job Offer | 50 | |
Regional District of Employment | 10 | |
Human Capital Factors (80) | Directly Related Work Experience | 25 |
Highest Level of Education | 25 | |
Language | 30 | |
Total Available Points | 200 | |
Skill Level of the B.C. Job Offer | Points |
NOC Skill Level A (including Skill Type 0) | 25 |
NOC Skill Level B | 10 |
NOC Skill Level C | 5 |
NOC Skill Level D | 5 |
Bonus points: | |
Occupation is a “00” NOC | 15 |
Occupation identified in the BC High Demand Occupations List in the BC Labour Market Outlook 2018 Edition | 10 |
Currently working full-time in B.C. for the employer in the occupation identified in the BC PNP registration | 10 |
Maximum Score Available | 60 |
Annual Wage of the B.C. Job Offer | Points |
$100,000 and above | 50 |
$97,500 to $99,999 | 38 |
$95,000 to $97,499 | 37 |
$92,500 to $94,999 | 36 |
$90,000 to $92,499 | 35 |
$87,500 to $89,999 | 34 |
$85,000 to $87,499 | 33 |
$82,500 to $84,999 | 32 |
$80,000 to $82,499 | 31 |
$77,500 to $79,999 | 30 |
$75,000 to $77,499 | 29 |
$72,500 to $74,999 | 28 |
$70,000 to $72,499 | 27 |
$67,500 to $69,999 | 26 |
$65,000 to $67,499 | 25 |
$62,500 to $64,999 | 24 |
$60,000 to $62,499 | 23 |
$57,500 to $59,999 | 22 |
$55,000 to $57,499 | 21 |
$52,500 to $54,999 | 20 |
$50,000 to $52,499 | 19 |
$47,500 to $49,999 | 18 |
$45,000 to $47,499 | 17 |
$42,500 to $44,999 | 16 |
$40,000 to $42,499 | 15 |
$38,750 to $39,999 | 14 |
$37,500 to $38,749 | 13 |
$36,250 to $37,499 | 12 |
$35,000 to $36,249 | 11 |
$33,750 to $34,999 | 10 |
$32,500 to $33,749 | 9 |
$31,250 to $32,499 | 8 |
$30,000 to $31,249 | 7 |
$28,750 to $29,999 | 6 |
$27,500 to $28,749 | 5 |
$26,250 to $27,499 | 4 |
$25,000 to $26,249 | 3 |
Less than $25,000 | 0 |
Maximum Score Available | 50 |
Regional District of Employment | Points |
Stikine, Central Coast, Northern Rockies, Mount Waddington, Skeena-Queen Charlotte, Powell River, Sunshine Coast, Kootenay-Boundary, Alberni-Clayoquot | 10 |
Kitimat-Stikine, Bulkley-Nechako, Squamish-Lillooet, Strathcona, Columbia-Shuswap, East Kootenay | 8 |
Peace River, Comox Valley, Cariboo, Central Kootenay | 6 |
Okanagan-Similkameen, Cowichan Valley, North Okanagan, Fraser-Fort George | 4 |
Thompson-Nicola, Nanaimo, Central Okanagan | 2 |
Capital, Fraser Valley | 2 |
Greater Vancouver | 0 |
Maximum Score Available | 10 |
Directly Related Work Experience in the Occupation of B.C. Job Offer | Points |
60+ months | 15 |
48 to 59 months | 12 |
36 to 47 months | 9 |
24 to 35 months | 6 |
12 months to 23 months | 3 |
Less than 12 months | 1 |
None | 0 |
Bonus points: | |
At least 1 year of directly related experience in Canada | 10 |
Maximum Score Available | 25 |
Education | Points |
Master’s or Doctorate/PhD | 17 |
Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma* | 11 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 11 |
Post-secondary Diploma/Certificate (Trades)** | 11 |
Associate Degree | 4 |
Post-secondary Diploma/Certificate (Non-trades) | 2 |
Secondary School (High School) or Less | 0 |
Bonus points: | |
Post-secondary education completed in B.C. | 8 |
Post-secondary education completed in Canada (outside of B.C.) | 6 |
Educational Credential Assessment from a qualified supplier | 4 |
Successfully completed the Industry Training Authority British Columbia (ITABC’s) challenge certification process | 4 |
Maximum Score Available | 25 |
Canadian Language Benchmark Level | Points |
10+ | 30 |
9 | 26 |
8 | 22 |
7 | 18 |
6 | 14 |
5 | 10 |
4 | 6 |
Below 4 | 0 |
No test | 0 |
Maximum Score Available | 30 |
