Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants
Last reviewed: September 10, 2025British Columbia has a growing economy and job market—employers and communities are looking for workers in many different areas. Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants helps professionals use their skills, training, and foreign qualifications for work in B.C. It can help you get jobs that match your experience and background.
The Career Paths program offers:
- financial help to pay for professional re-credentialling (training) or licenses
- job-related language training
- assessment (checking) of credentials and experience
- career planning and coaching
- communication with regulatory authorities
- referrals to employers and mentors
- Canadian work experience opportunities – for example, through work-study programs or related jobs in your industry
- if your occupation is not practised in B.C. or your qualifications are not recognized in B.C., Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants can help you find other options.
You may be eligible for Career Paths if you:
- Became a permanent resident of Canada within the last ten years
- Are a protected person/refugee
- Have been approved, inside or outside Canada, to become a permanent resident, and have been informed by a letter from IRCC
- Have 1 year of work experience in your home country (Stream 1 and 2)
- Have 2 years of work experience in your home country, or 1 year of pre-arrival work experience in your home country if you are 30 years old or younger (Stream 3)
- Have an intermediate to advanced level of English language proficiency
- Are unemployed or working in a job that does not use your skills and training from your home country
Stream 1 could help you find work in a high-demand job. Under this stream you could get up to 24 months of help toward your work goal. Support may include:
- Career counselling specific to your job
- Help getting recertification education (where relevant)
- English language training specific to your job
- Other help that B.C. employers know will help you succeed
Find the jobs that are in high demand in B.C. under stream 1 below, including service providers and their contact information. The occupations below are found in the NOC 2016 version.
Service providers delivering Career Paths stream 1
| Occupational group (A-Z) | Occupation | Service provider |
|---|---|---|
| Business | NOC 1111 Financial auditors & accountants NOC 1311 Accounting technicians and bookkeepers NOC 1123 Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations NOC 1122 Professional occupations in business management consulting | Multilingual Orientation Service Association for Immigrant Communities (M.O.S.A.I.C.) 604-438-8214 careerpaths@mosaicbc.org |
| Construction and engineering | NOC 0711 Construction managers NOC 2131 Civil engineers NOC 2133 Electrical & electronics engineers NOC 2132 Mechanical engineers NOC 2151 Architects | Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) |
| Education and social services | NOC 4212 Social and community service workers NOC 4011 University professors and lecturers NOC 4021 College and other vocational instructors NOC 4214 Early childhood educators and assistants | Douglas College 604-438-3045 careerpaths1@douglascollege.ca |
| Health A | NOC 3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses NOC 3233 Licenced practical nurses NOC 3216 Medical sonographers NOC 3112 General practitioners and family physicians NOC 3413 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates NOC 3111 Specialist physicians | Douglas College 604-588-7772 careerpaths@douglascollege.ca |
| Health B | NOC 3142 Physiotherapists NOC 3143 Occupational therapists NOC 3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists’ assistants NOC 3114 Veterinarians NOC 3132 Dieticians and nutritionists | Back in Motion 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| Management | NOC 0621 Retail and wholesale trade managers NOC 0631 Restaurant and food service managers NOC 0601 Corporate sales managers NOC 0121 Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers | Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) 604-596-7722 |
| Technology | NOC 2171 Information systems analysts and consultants NOC 2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers NOC 2281 Computer network technicians NOC 2173 Software engineers and designers NOC 2175 Web designers and developers | Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) 604-375-2105 |
More than 280 jobs in B.C. are regulated. To work in a regulated job, you need to be certified. Stream 2 could help you find work in a regulated job that does not fall under Stream 1.
Each regulated job has different standards. A regulatory authority sets these standards. It also assesses qualifications from other countries.
In this stream you may receive up to 22 months of help to reach your work goal. This could include:
- Career counselling specific to your job
- Financial help to upgrade your skills, including language training
- Help with getting ready for exams
- Other support that will help you succeed in B.C.
If you don’t have a lot of work experience in Canada, career counsellors can help you find a practicum or a temporary job in your industry. While you work, you can get your Canadian credentials.
Find services under stream 2 in each region of the province, including service providers, their contact information, and the cities they serve.
Service providers delivering Career Paths streams 2 and 3
| Community (A-Z) | Service provider | Contact information |
|---|---|---|
| Burnaby | Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) | 236-985-7359 |
| Cariboo North (Fraser-Fort, McBride, Prince George, Quesnel, Valemount, Williams Lake, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Smithers, Kitimat, Port Edward, Queen Charlotte) | Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) | 236-985-7359 |
| Coast (Sunshine Coast, Powell River, Bowen Island, Lions Bay) | YWCA | 604-209-8271 |
| Fraser Valley (Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Hope) | Archway Community Services | 604-866-0257 |
| Kootenay (Cranbrook, Creston, Castlegar, Fernie, Grand Forks, Golden, Invermere, Kaslo, Kimberley, Nelson, Radium Hot Springs, Rossland, Shuswap, Trail) | Kelowna Community Resources Society | 250-763-8008 |
| Langley plus (Langley, White Rock, North Delta) | Back in Motion | 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| New Westminster | Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) | 236-985-7359 |
| North and West Vancouver (West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler) | YWCA | 604-209-8271 |
| Richmond | Back in Motion | 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| South Delta | Back in Motion | 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| Surrey | Back in Motion | 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| Thompson Okanagan (Clearwater, Kamloops, Kelowna, Keremeos, Merritt, Peachland, Penticton, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Summerland, Sun Peaks, Osoyoos, Vernon) | Kelowna Community Resources Society | 250-763-8008 |
| TriCities plus (Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows) | Douglas College | 604-588-7772 |
| Vancouver | Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) | 236-985-7359 |
| Vancouver Island North (Campbell River, Courtenay, Comox Valley, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni) | Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society | 250-753-6911 ext. 122 |
| Vancouver Island South (Victoria, Duncan) | Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) | 250-388-4728 |
Stream 3 may help you to find a job in any unregulated occupation in B.C. Under stream 3 you may get up to 18 months of help reaching your work goal. Support could include:
- Career counselling specific to your job
- Financial support for upgrading (including language training)
- Other support that will help you succeed in B.C.
Find services under stream 3 in each region of the province, including service providers, their contact information, and the cities they serve.
Service providers delivering Career Paths streams 2 and 3
| Community (A-Z) | Service provider | Contact information |
|---|---|---|
| Burnaby | Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) | 236-985-7359 |
| Cariboo North (Fraser-Fort, McBride, Prince George, Quesnel, Valemount, Williams Lake, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Prince Rupert, Terrace, Smithers, Kitimat, Port Edward, Queen Charlotte) | Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) | 236-985-7359 |
| Coast (Sunshine Coast, Powell River, Bowen Island, Lions Bay) | YWCA | 604-209-8271 |
| Fraser Valley (Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Hope) | Archway Community Services | 604-866-0257 |
| Kootenay (Cranbrook, Creston, Castlegar, Fernie, Grand Forks, Golden, Invermere, Kaslo, Kimberley, Nelson, Radium Hot Springs, Rossland, Shuswap, Trail) | Kelowna Community Resources Society | 250-763-8008 |
| Langley plus (Langley, White Rock, North Delta) | Back in Motion | 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| New Westminster | Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) | 236-985-7359 |
| North and West Vancouver (West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler) | YWCA | 604-209-8271 |
| Richmond | Back in Motion | 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| South Delta | Back in Motion | 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| Surrey | Back in Motion | 604-575-3800 info@careerpaths.ca |
| Thompson Okanagan (Clearwater, Kamloops, Kelowna, Keremeos, Merritt, Peachland, Penticton, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Summerland, Sun Peaks, Osoyoos, Vernon) | Kelowna Community Resources Society | 250-763-8008 |
| TriCities plus (Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows) | Douglas College | 604-588-7772 |
| Vancouver | Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia (ISSofBC) | 236-985-7359 |
| Vancouver Island North (Campbell River, Courtenay, Comox Valley, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni) | Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society | 250-753-6911 ext. 122 |
| Vancouver Island South (Victoria, Duncan) | Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) | 250-388-4728 |
The Career Paths program is funded by the Province of British Columbia and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.