British Columbia Overhauls Provincial Nominee Program

01 Apr 2015

In a major decision taken to lure skilled professionals and investment-ready entrepreneurs to the British Columbia, the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skill Training, Shirley Bond announced major amendments to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP).

From 31 March 2015 onwards, the government of BC has executed a 90-day pause on the acceptance of new applications filed under various streams of its provincial nomination program. The province will again start accepting applications from July 2015 with streamlined application procedure and revised program criteria aligned with its labor market and economic development priorities.

However, during the pause the province will continue to accept applications for the PNP under the Express Entry system, which includes various categories such as skilled workers, International Graduates & Post Graduates and Health Care Professionals. Applications for skills immigration category consisting of Northeast Pilot Project and Health Care Professionals will also be accepted.      

All applications filed under the PNP prior to 31 March 2015 will be processed during the interval, which runs from 1 April 2015 to 1 July 2015.

Sources stated that the Ministry staff will contact applicants to provide the details regarding the temporary halt. B.C. will include program stakeholders while outlining the PNP program to expedite the efficiency and better address the skill shortages in the province.

Notably, 5,500 nominations have been allocated to the B.C.’s PNP for 2015 by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

Shirley Bond stated that the revised PNP will work efficiently to plug the skill gap and give a fillip to the economy. 

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