British Columbia makes major changes to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) by prioritizing healthcare workers and early childhood educators (ECEs) to support the care economy.
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British Columbia hopes to cater to the crucial needs of the province’s care economy. They decided to prioritize health care workers and early childhood educators (ECEs) in the BC PNP Skills Immigration streams, making major changes to BC PNP which will be effective starting March 10, 2022.
By doing this, they expect to attract skilled workers to support BC’s care economy from around the world who will be willing to deliver essential services for the province. Those who will be eligible to apply may have higher chances of being nominated for permanent residency in Canada.
What is the BC PNP Skills Immigration stream?
The BC PNP Skills Immigration stream is a vital pillar for the StrongerBC Economic Plan, which provides support for employers in BC in finding the perfect workforce they need, while still conforming to BC’s Economic Plan.
What are the Key Changes to BC PNP?
The healthcare assistant occupation is now eligible for the Provincial Nomination Program, and together with early childhood educators, they will be placed on the priority list of occupations.
Healthcare and dental assistants are now eligible for occupations under the entry-level and semi-skilled categories.
Instead of awarding registration points for high-demand occupations in the Labour Market Outlook, BC PNP will be issuing targeted invitations to apply with priority access.
Those other skilled and semi-skilled workers who meet the criteria of the program will be drawn out through periodic general draws.
An Invitation to Apply (ITA) can be based on several factors that support the priorities of the government of British Columbia.
The Healthcare Professional category has been abolished and replaced by the Health Authority category, wherein includes any health-related occupation.
Those workers whose occupation falls under NOC level 0 (management occupations) can only apply through the Skilled Workers categories, not the International Graduates categories.
The applicants must have 2 years of skilled experience, rather than 2 years of related experience.
The requirements for employers are updated with new and clear conditions.
There is no significant change in BC PNP Tech.
Highlight: BC PNP will give priority access to applicants with an occupation listed on the list of pre-determined in-demand occupations and a qualified, permanent job offer from BC’s employers. The Health Authority category is open to any occupation.
Want to Know if You Are Eligible to Apply under the New BC PNP changes?
If you plan on working in and contributing to British Columbia’s care economy, you can book a consultation with us, Chitra and Associates, or give us a call at +1-604-484-9474. Our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) will help you with an assessment of your profile to determine eligibility under these new changes to BC PNP and draft a strategy for your immigration to Canada.
A Cautionary Note: The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained, and the readers are asked to refer to the government website for the most updated information.
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