Eligible Employers

Private Sector Employers

Private sector employers supporting nominee applications to the BC PNP must meet the following requirements:

• The employer must be incorporated or extra-provincially registered or registered as a limited liability partnership in BC
• The employer must have a permanent establishment in BC (“permanent establishment” has the meaning contained in the federal Income Tax Act)
• The employer must have been in operation in BC for at least one year (two years for the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled category); and
  • Businesses located within the Metro Vancouver area must have at least five permanent, full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) in BC at the time the application is  made to the BC PNP;
  • Businesses located outside of the Metro Vancouver area must have at least three permanent full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) in BC at the time the application is made to the BC PNP.
  • The BC PNP may consider applications that do not meet these minimum requirements if an employer has substantial business operations outside of BC or can present a compelling business case.
• The employer’s business must be financially sound and have a history of good workplace and business practices, including compliance with all applicable employment, labour, immigration, health, and safety laws and regulations.
• If the nominee applicant has an ownership stake in the employer’s company, the share must be less than 10%. Individuals who own 10% or more are not eligible under the Strategic Occupations component of the BC PNP.

The BC PNP does not accept applications from:

• Employers involved in the production, distribution, or sale of pornographic or sexually-explicit products, or in the provision of sexually-oriented entertainment or services.
• Employment agencies and similar placement firms unless they are establishing an employer/employee relationship with the applicant.

Employers may be required to provide information confirming that they meet the above requirements.  Employers supporting Entry Level and Semi-Skilled applications will be required to sign a declaration regarding employment, immigration, health, and safety laws and regulations.

Public Sector and Non-Profit Employers

The BC PNP accepts applications from the following types of public sector and non-profit organizations with a permanent establishment in BC:

• Provincial and regional health care authorities and agencies
• Public post-secondary education and training institutions
• Private non-profit post-secondary institutions that are accredited by, or registered, with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC
• Institutions supported by the Government of Canada or the Province of BC conducting research in  natural and applied sciences, engineering, computer and information systems, or health sciences
• Provincial/federal/municipal government organizations and agencies
• Other non-profit groups registered as charitable organisations and incorporated under the Society Act (RSBC 1996) or the Canada Corporations Act, Part II, 1970, and in good standing
   

Employers may be required to provide information confirming that they meet the above requirements.