British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program

Express Entry

The Express Entry BC (EEBC) pathway connects to the federal Express Entry system and enables eligible skilled workers to gain permanent residence in B.C faster than through the Skills Immigration pathway. In order to be eligible applicants must have a valid Express Entry profile as well as meet the general requirements of the category they are applying to. EEBC uses a points-based invitation system.

There are four sub-categories found in the EEBC pathway:

EEBC Skilled Worker Category – Workers who have received a job offer for skilled employment can apply under this section.

EEBC Health Care Professional Category – For health care professionals with an eligible job offer and several years’ experience in the health sector as nurses, physicians and other medical professionals.

EEBC International Post-Graduate, BC Degree Category – International students who have graduated with a masters or doctorate degree at a legitimate education institution within the province of British Columbia

International Graduate, Canadian Degree – International students that have graduated from an eligible Canadian education institution in the last two years and have a full- time job offer from an employer in British Columbia.

BC Tech Pilot Project

The BC Tech Pilot allows candidates working in-demand tech occupations to apply for provincial nomination with expedited processing through the BC PNP. The BC Tech Pilot is not an immigration program. Candidates who have registered a profile for the Skills Immigration or Express Entry categories and who have a job offer in an in-demand tech occupation may receive accelerated application processing and other benefits.

General criteria for all applicants

• Have an eligible full-time employment offer (only BC International Post-Graduate applicants are exempted from this requirement)
• Meet the minimum requirements to work in the occupation they have been offered a job in
• The offered wage must be competitive with the wage offered to Canadian workers and permanent residents in that occupation in BC
• Candidate must demonstrate that they satisfy the minimum income requirement
• If the occupation is classified as NOC Skill Level B or C the applicant must submit valid language test results showing a French or English language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 4
• Have received an Express Entry Profile Number and a Job Seeker Validation Code from the Express Entry system (EEBC applicants only)

BCPNP Application Process

Stage 1: Registration The first step is registration with the Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). After registering you will receive a registration score and enter into the selection pool for your chosen category. You stay in the selection pool for up to 12 months, or until you receive an invitation to apply (ITA).

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Stage 2: Invitation Periodically, the highest- ranking registrants will receive an ITA.

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Stage 3: Application If you are invited to apply, you have up to 30 calendar days from the date of invitation to submit a complete application for nomination via the BCPNP online system. HealthCare Professional and International Post-Graduate applicants do not need an ITA and can apply directly through BCPNP Online.

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Stage 4: Nomination If your application is approved you will receive a confirmation of nomination as a provincial nominee from the BCPNP

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Stage 5: Permanent Residence After receiving a BCPNP confirmation of nomination, you must submit an application for permanent residence. Express Entry BC applicants will apply online via the Express Entry system. Skills Immigration applicants will submit a paper based application to the IRCC Centralized Intake Office (CIO) in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.

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Immigration Refugee Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Fees and Processing Times

• Main Applicant-Processing fee $825 and right of permanent residence fee $500
• Spouse or Partner-Processing fee $820 and right of permanent residence fee $500
• Each Dependent Child- Processing Fee of $225

The processing time for an applicant with an Express Entry profile and who has applied to a provincial Express Entry stream is 6 months. The processing time for all other applicants is approximately 18 months.

Proof of Funds

You must show that you have sufficient funds to successfully establish yourself and your family in Canada and to pay your immigration costs and travel expenses (if applicable) at the time of your application for permanent residency to IRCC (as well as at Express Entry profile submission stage). The amount of money you need to s determined by the size of your family, as shown below.

The funds must be in your name or in the name of your accompanying spouse. These funds must be unencumbered by debts or obligations transferable and available to you. Funds must be liquid (i.e. not real estate) and cannot be borrowed. You normally do not have to show that you have these funds if:

• You have a valid job offer (offer of arranged employment) in AND
• You are currently working or authorized to work in Canada

How can a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant Help?

In addition to making sure the application is complete there are three main areas where an RCIC can help.

Immigration Strategy and Option: An RCIC can advise you on the different options that are available to you to obtain permanent residence in Canada and explain the pros and cons of each option. It is important you choose the best immigration program from the start as this will likely save you time and money in the long run.

Professional Representation: If you do not have a representative assisting you then you will probably only submit the required documentation listed on the IRCC document checklist. Submitting only these documents may be enough to result in a favorable decision. However, submitting only those documents sometimes is not enough to make your case and to satisfy the visa officer you meet the requirements of the visa. Generally, it is wise to submit as much evidence as you can above and beyond the minimum required by IRCC. Your representative can assist you in preparing and submitting a strong application to IRCC by identifying the weaknesses in your application and advising you how to strengthen your application.

Submission letter: An RCIC will prepare and submit a submission letter on behalf of the applicant along with the application. The submission letter is an important part of the application which summarizes and more importantly demonstrates why you meet the requirements of the visa.

Ready to apply to the OINP?

• Review your information and develop a strategy to apply
• Submit your profile in the Express Entry system
• Prepare and submit your application for nomination to the OINP
• Prepare and submit your permanent resident visa application to IRCC
• Act as your authorized representative to the OINP and IRCC.

If you want to apply for permanent residence through the OINP we are here to help! Please complete our free assessment form or contact us and one of our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants will revert to you within 48 hours