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On June 30, 2020, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued 314 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the Skills Immigration (SIBC) and Express Entry (EEBC) categories to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence. These streams are intended for workers or international graduates with the skills, education and/or experience required for high-demand occupations in B.C.

The excluded occupations predominantly related to tourism, hospitality, and retail due to the challenges posed as a result of the pandemic.

The minimum scores requirements for these categories have been explained in the table below:

What are the requirements for SIBC?

The BC PNP Skills Immigration stream is an economic immigration option intended for people with the skills, experience and qualifications needed by B.C. employers. This stream is designed for individuals who are committed to live and work in BC and become permanent residents of Canada.

To be eligible for the BC PNP’s Skills Immigration streams, except for the International Post-Graduate stream, you must meet minimum income requirements according to your:

• • Annual wage in B.C.
  • Location of residence in B.C.
  • Number of dependants

What are the requirements for EEBC?

British Columbia introduced the Express Entry BC (EEBC) at the same time IRCC introduced the federal government’s Express Entry system. EEBC allows the BC PNP to use IRCC’s Express Entry system to meet the province’s specific labour market needs.

The BC Express Entry stream is aligned with the federal government’s Express Entry system, which manages the pool of candidates for Canada’s three main economic immigration categories — the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class and Canadian Experience Class.

If you are interested in applying to the BC PNP under an EEBC category, you need to ensure that you meet the minimum criteria for both the relevant BC PNP category as well as one of the eligible federal economic immigration programs.

All EEBC categories, with the exception of EEBC – International Post-Graduate, require a valid offer of indeterminate, full-time employment from a B.C. employer at a wage that meets industry standards. Positions that require the employee to spend the majority of time outside of B.C. do not qualify.

How to Apply for EEBC and SIBC?

To apply for the EEBC or SIBC candidates must first create a profile through the BC PNP’s online portal and register under its Skills Immigration Registration System (SIRS). Registration is free.

Applicants are evaluated and issued a score based on factors such as level of education, work experience, proficiency in English and location of employment.

Express Entry candidates who receive a nomination from British Columbia will be given an additional 600 points toward their Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score and are effectively guaranteed an ITA in a future federal Express Entry draw. If you are invited to apply, you have up to 30 calendar days from the date of invitation to submit a complete online application. The application requires a $700 processing fee at the time of online submission.

Donoso & Partners, a leading immigration law firm based in Washington, D.C., will continue to report on developments regarding the immigration law and policy through our news section of donosolaw.com.