Summary of BC PNP Updates in Spring 2022
The province of British Columbia announced some major changes and updates to the BC Provincial Nominee Program in March 2022.
The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an economic immigration program administered by the Government of British Columbia’s Immigration Programs Branch.
The program enables the province to select and nominate foreign workers, international students and entrepreneurs to help meet B.C.’s labour market needs, support government priorities, and help grow B.C.’s economy. – If you are nominated, you and your family can then apply to Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to become a permanent resident of Canada.
On March 10, 2022, the B.C. provincial government announced it is responding to the crucial need for more healthcare workers and early childhood educators by implementing changes to the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Skills Immigration stream to prioritize these occupations and increase support for the care economy.
Key Changes Effective March 10, 2022:
Below are the key changes divided into general changes which affect all programs under BC PNP, as well as specific category changes within each immigration stream:
General Updates: Changes that affect all programs
Stream Update #1: Changes to Skilled Workers Stream
Stream Update #2: Health Authority Stream
Stream Update #3: International Graduates Stream
Stream Update #4: International Post-Graduate Stream
Stream Update #5: Entry-Level and Semi-Skilled Stream
For full details about these and other changes, a new version of the BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide is now available.
General Updates: Changes that affect all programs under BC PNP
BC will now be conducting targeted invitations to apply for specific industries based on provincial labour market needs.
BC will also be conducting targeted invitations for both Skilled and Semi-Skilled occupations.
BC have taken away the 10 bonus points for "high-demand" occupations which provides a more even playing field across all occupations.
BC will be scheduling specific invitations to address current provincial priorities.
BC have also updated their minimum income thresholds which have increased.