British Columbia is definitely one of the most popular provinces in Canada, thanks to its picturesque views, diverse culture, and thriving economy, among others. Every passing year, 40,000 more immigrants get to enjoy its beauty. This province is actually the second-highest area in Canada when it comes to the number of immigrants welcomed each year, with Ontario narrowly taking the lead.
If you or someone you know is looking to immigrate to British Columbia, there are three pathways offered by the BC Provincial Nominee Program that you can consider to achieve permanent residency.
To help you understand how it works, your trusted immigration advisor shares some helpful information:
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program Overview
If you compare it to most other Canadian provinces, British Columbia’s program is actually more inclusive and offers more variety. There are three pathways that are open for those who want to seek permanent residency in this particular Canadian province:
BC PNP Express Entry
BC PNP Express Entry works in alignment with the Federal Express Entry System. It provides opportunities to certain skilled workers and professionals. This program offers the same to graduates of Canadian post-secondary institutions and postgraduate degree holders from British Columbian institutions who want to gain accelerated immigration to the province.
BC PNP Skilled Immigration
For those who possess the specific skills that the province is looking for, this pathway is the perfect opportunity to immigrate to Canada. Those specific skills that the government is looking for are needed to fill the shortage of workers in various key economic fields. Similar to the CRS system, the BC Skills Immigration Registration System or SIRS also ranks potential candidates depending on various factors.
Entrepreneurial Immigration
The third pathway for immigration to British Columbia is created to entice talented entrepreneurial immigrants with high net worth to move to Canada. The goal is to have them open and operate their own businesses in the province of British Columbia. It provides the perfect opportunity to gain permanent residency in British Columbia as a business owner who is either starting a new business or expanding an existing one.
On top of these three pathways, BC PNP has also reintroduced and extended a Tech Pilot Program from 2017 that gives an opportunity for individuals with skills that are in demand to be fast-tracked for immigration. Mostly, these are applicants with impressive skills in the field of technology. There’s also a Regional Pilot program for entrepreneurial immigration to various regional communities.
Most In-Demand Skills in the BC Provincial Nominee Program
From the list of occupations for the Skilled Worker NOC, 35% is from the top 10 fields. These numbers have seen a bit of a shift from years before, seeing remarkable increases in the field of foodservice like restaurants, retail, and tech.
In 2019, the Tech Pilot program made up 23% of BC PNPs, which is significantly higher than the number in 2017. Some of the industries covered by this program include computer systems managers, engineering disciplines, and web developers among others.
Conclusion
There are some great opportunities in British Columbia awaiting qualified immigrants. You can choose from any of the three mentioned streams when you apply. Each of these streams has its own system and it can be confusing to some. A reliable Canada immigration consultant can help you navigate the entire process.
Bright Immigration is a Canada immigration company that can answer any of your immigration-related questions and help you through your application process. Contact our experts today to find out how we can help you.