Until now, B.C. has held 23 draws through PNP, and a total of 3,441 invitations are issued in 2021. 452 candidates were invited in four PNP draws held by British Columbia on April 13, 2021.
Invitations issued were from the following streams:
- Skilled Worker
- International Graduate as well as Entry Level
- Semi-Skilled sub-categories of Skills Immigration and Express Entry BC
In the largest draw, 420 immigration candidates were invited, wherein minimum scores ranged between 79 and 95 points. A separate draw was conducted in 2021 for NOC 0621and NOC 0631, where 21 ITAs were issued to aspiring immigrants having at least 113 scores. B.C also issued 11 invitations through the Entrepreneur Immigration stream.
About the BC PNP
The BC PNP is separated into two immigration streams which are further divided into sub-categories:
- Skills Immigration
- Express Entry
Skills Immigration
Aspiring migrators must register an account under B.C.’s Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). After registering, candidates are given a score based on factors such as educational qualifications, professional experience, and language abilities. Candidates with maximum scores are then invited for PNP through B.C.’s regular draws.
After receiving the ITA, 30 days are given to submit a complete application through the online system, after which, within two to three months, a decision from the province is received. A successful nomination allows candidates to apply for P.R. through IRCC under Provincial Nominee Class, and this nomination is valid for six months.
Express Entry (B.C.)
The EEBC stream is linked to the federal Express Entry system. Candidates are assessed on various factors like education, work experience, language ability, age, etc. Express Entry is an online application system that allows aspiring skilled migrators to submit their profiles under three federal immigration programs;
- Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
When receiving a nomination from one of the Provinces, aspiring migrators who have submitted their Express Entry Pool profiles are awarded 600 additional points. A nomination that adds 600 points under PNP ensures that the nominated candidate will be receiving Invitation to Apply (ITA) for Canadian permanent residence in the succeeding express entry draw.
PNPs are all operative throughout the COVID pandemic. The Canadian government is focused on inviting 80,000 candidates through the PNPs. With the right guidance, aspiring migrators can achieve their goal of settling in Canada in one of their favorite provinces.
