News
Last updated: March 19, 2024
Check back often for the latest news about the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), including invitations issued, program changes, and more.
March 19, 2024
Updates coming to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
The Ministry of Municipal Affairs will be updating the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in January 2025 to create clearer pathways and better outcomes for international workers coming to B.C. A detailed summary of the updates will be available in late 2024, and the criteria will be published in the BC PNP Skills Immigration Program Guide in January 2025.
These updates will lead to better outcomes for nominees, ensuring people identified by the BC PNP to help strengthen B.C.’s economy will be set up for career success. They also ensure that prospective applicants are less susceptible to bad actors in the immigration system.
The Ministry will continue to issue targeted invitations to apply for workers with a job offer in a priority occupation, such as healthcare, construction and early childhood education.
Why are updates needed?
The BC PNP is one of many immigration programs available for people who want to come to B.C. It provides a pathway to permanent residency for international workers and entrepreneurs who bring the greatest benefit to B.C.’s economy.
The Ministry is updating the program so that prospective applicants will know up front the level of education and language skills they will need to have a chance of being nominated. This clarity will make it harder for bad actors to take advantage of people by misrepresenting the BC PNP as an “easy pathway” to permanent residency. With a limited number of BC PNP nominations available each year, meeting the minimum program requirements does not guarantee that people will be invited to apply.
Additionally, statistics show that newcomers with higher education and language skills in French or English strengthen B.C.’s economy by being more likely to have success at work, earning a higher income and staying in jobs that B.C. needs to fill.
The updates also align with new measures from the Ministry of Post-secondary Education and Future Skills to protect international students from predatory institutions and recruiters.
What is being updated?
Graduate streams
The current International Graduate and International Post-Graduate streams will be replaced with three new streams:
- The Bachelor’s stream will be for recent graduates with bachelor’s degrees from eligible post-secondary institutions. Graduates with an indeterminate full-time job offer can register for this stream
- The Master’s stream will be for recent graduates with master’s degrees from eligible post-secondary institutions, in any field of study. Graduates with a minimum one-year full-time job offer in a skilled occupation can register for this stream
- The Doctorate stream will be for graduates and candidates of doctoral level programs from eligible post-secondary institutions. Graduates and PhD candidates can apply directly to this stream
Students who complete diploma or certificate programs in Canada (who will not be eligible for these new graduate streams) can still qualify for other BC PNP streams.
Language requirements
The minimum language proficiency level will be increased program-wide, except for the Health Authority stream which has already been adjusted.
A minimum of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 8 is currently planned for the new graduate streams.
Learn more
Information bulletin, March 19, 2024
About the BC PNP
February 23, 2024
Pearson Test of English (PTE Core) eligibility for the BC PNP
On January 30th, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officially included the Pearson Test of English (PTE Core) to its list of approved language proficiency tests.
The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) does not yet accept this test. The BC PNP currently accepts the following language tests:
When the PTE Core is an accepted language proficiency test for the BC PNP, this news will be posted on the WelcomeBC News page and in the relevant BC PNP program guides. We anticipate beginning to accept PTE Core in fall 2024.
Please continue to consult the WelcomeBC website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.
Archived BC PNP news items are available on the Archive page.
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