British Columbia Invites 52 Candidates In Latest BC PNP Draw
On June 29, the province of British Columbia invited 52 candidates (IT workers) to apply for a provincial nomination.
The BC PNP Tech, which is part of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program, issued the fresh invitations (BC PNP).
Those selected through B.C.’s Tech draws must meet the requirements of one of the Express Entry BC or Skills immigration categories regulated by the Skills and Immigration Registration System (SIRS).
The 52 Candidates in the Skilled Worker and International Graduate category who won invitations in yesterday’s lottery need a provincial score of 80.
Candidates who have been invited to apply for the nomination have 30 days to do so.
British Columbia has now issued 5,782 invitations to apply for a provincial nomination since the start of 2021.
British Columbia’s Tech Pilot now a permanent program
Following a labor market assessment, the BC PNP Tech was introduced in May 2017 as a pilot program, with the largest issue confronting B.C.’s technology sector being access to talent.
B.C. announced this year that the program would be made permanent. In-demand tech workers and overseas students are eligible for this fast-track immigration scheme.
To be eligible, applicants must be registered in one of B.C.’s existing provincial immigration streams and have a valid 12-month employment offer in one of 29 eligible occupations.
Unlike the other BC PNP streams, job offers under BC PNP Tech must be for a minimum of one year, with at least 120 days left when applying to the BC PNP.
It must also be full-time and from a province-eligible employer.
The top-scoring candidates who match the eligibility standards receive invitations from the province’s tech program on a weekly basis.
Candidates who are invited to submit a complete application for a provincial nomination have 30 days to do so.
Most tech applications will be approved in two to three months after this is completed.
If approved, candidates will obtain a nomination confirmation letter from Immigration, Refugees,
and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which they can use to apply for permanent residence under the Provincial Nominee Program Class.
About Express Entry For Tech Pilot
The Tech Pilot is linked to the federal Express Entry immigration application management system.
Express Entry candidates are awarded points based on human capital factors such as work experience, age, education, and language proficiency in French or English under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
They must also meet the minimum requirements for one of IRCC’s Express Entry programs:
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Canadian Experience Class
As a provincial nominee, you may obtain an extra 600 points under the CRS and therefore have a score good enough to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in future federal Express Entry draw.
Express Entry draws continue to be conducted on a regular basis despite current travel restrictions and border closures.
PNPs have continued to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is no sign of their activities abating in 2021.
